From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Ternate (Id. No. 2697) was built in 1907 at Port Glasgow, Scotland, by William Hamilton & Co.; owned and operated by Rotterdamsche Lloyd, Holland; acquired by the United States Shipping Board and delivered to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) on 21 March 1918.

Ternate was commissioned at Newport News, Va., on 6 April 1918, Lt. Cmdr. George W. Jannson in command, and got underway for New York the following week to be refitted for naval use. The cargo ship stood out of New York on the 25th for New Orleans where she loaded Army supplies. Ternate returned to New York on 25 May and, that day, joined a convoy for France. She unloaded supplies at Brest, La Pallice, and Verdon from 9 June to 17 July when she began her return voyage to the United States. The ship arrived at Norfolk on 1 August 1918. She then made two more round-trip voyages carrying military cargo to France.

On 2 February 1919, Ternate departed Norfolk and proceeded,to Savannah and loaded cargo for Italy. En route, she was forced to call at Gibraltar for fuel and finally arrived at Genoa on 17 March. The ship returned to New York on 11 April, was decommissioned and was returned to the Shipping Board the same day.