After shakedown out of San Pedro, California, she stood out independently for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 1 August, arriving 16 days later and loading homeward-bound troops.

Returning via Melbourne, Manus, Ulithi, Tinian, and Saipan, the transport arrived at San Francisco 25 April, only to get underway again 5 May for the Southwest Pacific, Hollandia, New Guinea, Leyte, and Manila, Philippines, were ports of call.

In the aftermath of the 1948 eruption of Philippine volcano Mount Hibok-Hibok, USAT General C. G. Morton was dispatched from Manila to assist in evacuations.

During the Korean War, General C. G. Morton was reactivated and participated in the following campaigns:[1] On 15 February 1951, 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) east of Tokyo, Swedish tanker MV Christer Galen struck a submerged rock, breaking off a portion of the ship's bow.

[3] In August 1952, General C. G. Morton arrived in San Francisco with 526 Army and Navy Korean War veterans, and 284 civilians from Hawaii.

Morton arrived at Agana, Guam for a stop over en route to the port of San Francisco with military families on board.

[5] Struck again from the Navy List on 29 May 1958, General C. G. Morton was sold to Central Gulf Lines in 1967,[6] and renamed SS Green Wave, USCG ON 508060, IMO 6801183.