The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph).

The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) of fuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).

Mugford joined the fleet for winter exercises off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in January 1919, then sailed north for operations along the coast between New York and Massachusetts until 21 November, when she left Newport for San Diego, arriving 22 December.

Here she became tender to a seaplane division, and during the pioneering days of naval aviation cruised with her charges on exercises along the California coast, visiting the Panama Canal Zone in December 1920 and January 1921.

Mugford was decommissioned at San Diego 7 June 1922, and was sold for scrap to Schiavone-Bonomo Corporation, New York City, in 1936.