AP
Displacement 41,700
Length 687'
Beam 74'3"
Draw 39'5"
Speed 17.5 k
Complement 1004
Armament 6 6"
Class

The second America was built in 1905 by Harland and Wolf, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland, as the German liner Amerika. Seized at Boston, Mass., on American entrance into World War I, she was taken over by the Shipping Board as America; transferred to the Navy 17 July 1917; and commissioned 6 August 1917, Captain G. C. Day in command.

America carried 39,768 men in nine round trips to Europe (10 October 1917-15 October 1918) as a part of the Cruiser and Transport Force, Atlantic Fleet. Her passages were uneventful except for a collision with the British steamer Insructor, 14 July 1918. Insructor sank but America suffered only minor damage. During the morning of 15 October 1918 America sank at her dock in Hoboken, N. J., with the loss of six lives and a million dollar cargo. She was raised and moved to New York Navy Yard 12 December 1918 for refitting. Between 21 February and 15 September 1919 she made eight more round trips to Europe, returning 43,823 passengers. America was transferred to the Army Transport Service 26 September 1919.