Prior to her MSTS service, she served as US Army transport USAT Henry Gibbins during World War II.

Henry Gibbins was one of four ships planned for the United States Lines North Atlantic service and ordered under Maritime Commission contract from the Ingalls Shipbuilding Company of Pascagoula, Mississippi with the allocated name of American Banker.

In accordance with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 executive order authorizing 1,000 refugees to enter the United States, 982 people boarded the ship, leaving Naples, Italy, on 21 July 1944, and making the trans-Atlantic crossing.

During the Korean War she transported men and equipment from New York City to the Caribbean and Canal Zone ports, prior to their assignment in the Pacific.

In 1953, Henry Gibbins operated on the New York to Bremerhaven, Germany, and Southampton, England, runs, making a total of 12 cruises to these European ports.

During this time Henry Gibbins shuttled thousands of troops and tons of supplies between the United States and her foreign bases.