The third USS Saranac was the Old Dominion Steamship Company Hamilton temporarily converted for planting the World War I North Sea Mine Barrage.

She was fitted out for United States Navy service by James Shewan & Sons at Brooklyn, New York.

While operating as part of Mine Squadron 1 out of Inverness, Scotland, from 14 July until the close of the war on 11 November 1918, Saranac laid a total of 4,782 mines:[1] Saranac then returned to the United States for decommissioning and return to Old Dominion Steamship Company in 1919.

The United States converted eight civilian steamships as minelayers for the 100,000 mines manufactured for the barrage.

Old Dominion Steamship Jefferson was similarly converted to USS Quinnebaug among these eight.