World War I and U.S. Navy Service
In August 1914, as World War I began, she was laid up at Hamburg and remained inactive for more than four years, where she fell into a dilapidated state. Following the 11 November 1918 Armistice, Imperator was taken over by the Allied Food Shipping and Finance Agreement, and allocated to the United States for temporary use as a transport alongside Vaterland now renamed SS Leviathan bringing American service personnel home from France.
She was commissioned as USS Imperator (ID-4080) in early May 1919 under Captain Casey. After embarking 2,100 American troops and 1,100 passengers, Imperator departed Brest, France on 15 May 1919, arriving at New York City one week later. Operating with the Cruiser and Transport Force from 3 June to 10 August, she made three cruises from New York to Brest, returning over 25,000 troops, nurses, and civilians to the United States.
While en route to New York City 17 June, Imperator assisted the French cruiser Jeanne d'Arc, which had broken down in the Atlantic Ocean. The President of Brazil was on board Jeanne d'Arc and Imperator received him and his party for transport to the United States, arriving there several days later.
Decommissioned at Hoboken, New Jersey in early 1919, Imperator was transferred to the British shipping controller on 20 September, and it was decided that she would be operated by Cunard. Captain Charles A. Smith and a full crew was sent out to New York on the Carmania by her new operators and the official handover from the American board of shipping to Cunard took place on 24 November where the vessel was officially received by Cunard's Marine superintendent Captain Miller accompanied by his assistant Captain Palfrey. Imperator was then transferred to Cunard's pier 54 for Cunard service.
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