General M. M. Patrick was laid down on 24 January 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 707, by Kaiser Co., Inc., Yard 3, Richmond, California; sponsored by Mrs. William E. Lynd; she was launched on 21 June 1944.

After shuttling troops from Allied bases along the northern coast of New Guinea to Luzon, she departed Manila, 16 May, and brought home returning veterans, arriving San Francisco, 12 June.

Departing New York, 9 days later, she embarked still more troops at Calcutta, Karachi, and Tuticorin, India; steamed via Ceylon and Singapore, for the West Coast; and arrived San Pedro, 28 January 1946.

Manned by a civilian crew, during the Korean War she operated between Seattle and the Far East, and carried tens of thousands of combat troops to Korea.

After the armistice, she continued steaming from Seattle to Yokohama, Japan, and back, returning veterans of the Korean fighting to the United States and deploying troops to the Far East.

[5] General M. M. Patrick was returned to the Maritime Administration 17 October 1958, and entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) at Olympia, Washington.