She served in the North Atlantic Ocean, delivering animals, such as horses and steers on-the-hoof, to American Expeditionary Force troops in Europe.

She was the third freighter of the Rheinland class built for the company's Australia freight service line via the Cape of Good Hope.

Remaining in NOTS until transferred to Train, Atlantic Fleet, on 4 February 1919, she completed one more round-trip from New York to Europe before being assigned temporary reserve status at Portsmouth in the summer of 1919.

Rappahannock was decommissioned on 10 December 1924 and remained in reserve at Mare Island until struck from the Navy list on 19 July 1933.

[1][2] Together with the similar Giovanna C. and Luisa C., she established Costa Lines' liner service between Genoa, Montevideo and Buenos Aires in 1947.