[3] The design had been for troop transports until signing of the armistice ending World War I made completion as civilian passenger and cargo ships desirable.

[8] On 1 June 1928, she rammed the American cargo ship SS Kershaw in the Atlantic Ocean off Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

[17] Kenmore departed Nouméa on 28 November as a unit of Task Force 62, arriving off the beach east of Togoma Point, Guadalcanal, on 3 December.

A call at Tenaru Beach, Guadalcanal on 13 July was followed by a return to Nouméa on the 20th, with departure for the east coast of the United States five days later.

She transited the Panama Canal on 19 August, took on passengers at Cristóbal, and steamed via Guantanamo for Norfolk, Virginia, arriving there on 2 September.

Assigned to the Service Force, Atlantic, she commenced assisting in the transport of casualties from the war zones to the United States.

[17] Departing Hampton Roads on 20 April, Refuge embarked patients at Mers El Kébir, Algeria, from 6–8 May, and returned to Charleston, South Carolina, on 24 May.

From 1 June through 29 July 1944, she made two voyages to the British Isles, embarking patients at Belfast, Northern Ireland; Liverpool, England; and Milford Haven, Wales.

[17] Sailing again for the Mediterranean on 2 August, she arrived at Oran, Algeria on the 17th, thence proceeded to the southern coast of France for operations between St. Tropez Bay and Naples, Italy.

Arriving San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on Christmas Eve, she commenced the embarkation of patients from small landing craft.

By 30 June 1945 she had made six voyages from that area to deliver her casualties to either Hollandia, New Guinea or Seeadler Harbor, Manus, the Admiralties.

Her name was struck from the Navy list on 8 May 1946 and she was delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 29 June 1946 and placed in the Reserve Fleet at Olympia, Washington.