Blue Jacket—a C2-S-B1 type freighter—was laid down under a United States Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 183) on 23 October 1941 at Oakland, California, by the Moore Dry Dock Co.; launched on 14 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Edward U.

During World War II, she was operated by the United Fruit Company, then in 1947 by the Black Diamond Steamship Corporation and, after return to the Maritime Commission in 1948, by the U.S. Army under charter.

[1] Blue Jacket was acquired from the U.S. Army in 1950 as a refrigerator ship, T-AF-51, and assigned to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), Atlantic Area.

She operated as such, lifting cargoes of various kinds (mostly consisting of refrigerated stores) between the United States and European ports through the late 1960s.

Taken out of service with MSTS on 19 August 1970, Blue Jacket was transferred on that day to the temporary custody of the Maritime Administration for lay-up in the James River, Virginia.