She then steamed to the United States East Coast, where she was transferred to the U.S. Navy on 20 June 1918 at Norfolk, Virginia, assigned the naval registry identification number 2890, and commissioned the same day as USS Westerner (ID-2890).

[1][2] Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), Westerner departed Norfolk on 10 July 1918 carrying a cargo of United States Army supplies and steamed to New York City.

She developed engine trouble, forcing her to spend three days at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, before resuming her voyage to France.

[3][4] Westerner departed St. Nazaire on 22 September 1918 and made port at Norfolk on 10 October 1918, where she loaded another cargo of U.S. Army supplies.

She subsequently conducted three additional cargo-carrying voyages under the control of NOTS: two to La Pallice, France (on one occasion lifting supplies consigned to the French government), and one to Trieste, Italy, via Gibraltar.