were already building up in the islands and loss of the two ships was of concern with hopes expressed that seized German ships might be put on the route. Government requisition United States Shipping Board service Maui was one of the vessels requisitioned for World War I service with the United States Shipping Board and, on the anniversary of her launch, on 23 December 1917 sailed through the Golden Gate for the Atlantic stopping at Tocopilla, Chile to load nitrates. On 19 January 1918 the ship transited the Panama Canal arriving at Hampton Roads on 25 January awaiting orders which sent her to Charleston, South Carolina to unload the cargo. From Charleston Maui sailed to Baltimore, arriving on 14 February, where on 2 March the ship was ordered into Naval service. United States Navy service As a Naval transport Maui transported United States Army troops and cargo to Europe on her outbound voyages and brought passengers and sick and wounded military personnel back to the United States on her return voyages until the end of the war in November 1918. After the war, she conducted voyages to bring American troops back to the United States for demobilization. The U.S. Navy commissioned Maui on 6 March 1918 as the troop transport USS Maui (ID-1514), assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force, under the command of Lieutenant Commander W. F. M. Edwards (USNRF) who had been the ship's commercial captain on her last Hawaiian voyage and had automatically entered Naval service with acquisition of the ship. A number of the Matson officers and crew, also members of the reserve, remained with the ship in Naval service. On March 17 Commander C. A. Abele (USN) assumed command with Edwards becoming the ship's navigator as regular Naval officers reported aboard in preparation for sailing on 2 April and arrival at Army Pier Number 4, Hoboken Port of Embarkation on 4 April where stores and ammunition were loaded in preparation for trials which began on 10 April. On 15 April the first of 478 troops bound for France on the ship's first wartime voyage came aboard with sailing the next day to join a convoy led by but suffered loss of her port engine, found to be failure of the thrust bearing due to blockage in lubricant, and was ordered back to port where another mishap on 21 April cost the life of seaman second