The new Hunter Liggett was then ready for operation, as a United States Army transport vehicle mainly running between New York and San Francisco.

[2] The USSB owned Palmetto State, one of the type known as "535's" for their length overall in commercial service, was renamed Pan America and operated for the USSB as the Pan America Line by the Munson Steamship Line along with sisters American Legion, Southern Cross and Western World on a New York to Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo and Buenos Aires route with Santos, added during return voyages.

[5] Pan America was transferred to the War Department for operation as a United States Army transport and renamed Hunter Liggett in February 1939 and converted at New York by Robins Dry Dock and Repair Company.

[7] The transport was scheduled to take part in America's first offensive operation in the Pacific, the occupation of Guadalcanal, and after amphibious training and a rehearsal landing in the Koro Islands she sailed with other ships 31 July for the Solomons.

As the Japanese attempted to reinforce their Solomons garrison and destroy the transports they surprised an American Task Force and inflicted heavy losses.

After a period of repair at Wellington she sailed 22 October for Efate, New Hebrides, loaded marines, and returned to bitterly contested Guadalcanal 4 November.

As the Tokyo Express was due that night, Hunter Liggett and the other transports retired in the evening, only to return next day to finish landing operations.

As American strength grew and the Gilberts operation got underway to the east, the task force sailed 28 October for Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville.

This time, in the night action of Empress Augusta Bay the Japanese were soundly defeated by Rear Admiral Merrill's task force.

For the next 8 months she imparted the lessons learned in the Solomons campaign to those who would carry out some of the largest and best executed assaults in US Naval history - Leyte, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and others.