In 1932, when Cosulich was absorbed into Italia Flotte Riunite (English: United Fleets Italy), the ship was renamed SS Tel Aviv.

Martha Washington was launched in 1908 by Russell & Co. of Port Glasgow, Scotland for the Austro-American Line (formal name: Unione Austriaca di Navigazione).

[1] On the evening of 20 November 1911, while steaming in the Ionian Sea from Patras and headed for New York, Martha Washington came under fire from an Italian battleship for a period of ten minutes, with shells falling within one ship length (approximately 500 ft or 150 m) of the liner.

[8] Departing Newport News on 10 June, Martha Washington sailed with Aeolus, Powhatan, Matsonia, and British troopship Czaritza.

[10] With Manchuria, Henderson, Aeolus, Koningen der Nederlanden, and steamer Patria, Martha Washington sailed from Newport News for France on 14 August.

[11] After embarking 3,029 troops,[12] Martha Washington departed again on 15 September sailing with Henderson, Pocahontas, Calamares, Finland, Powhatan, and steamer Ulua.

Escorts—consisting of battleship New Hampshire, cruisers St. Louis and Pueblo, and destroyers Stribling, Hopkins, and Stringham—helped to ensure the safe arrival of all ships in France on 28 September.

[13] Beginning what would be her final wartime crossing, Martha Washington sailed with Aeolus and Italian steamer Duca d'Aosta on 21 October from Newport News.

Navy transport Pocahontas and Brazilian steamer Sobral, sailing from New York, and escorts New Hampshire, Charleston, South Dakota, Talbot, and Radford filled out the convoy, which arrived on 4 November.

[3] On her final voyage she arrived at Brest on 14 August and received new orders to transport an American relief mission to Turkey and Russia.