lacement ) ▁fre ighter , ▁was ▁built ▁at ▁S par rows ▁Point , ▁Maryland , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁She ▁was ▁acquired ▁on ▁char ter ▁by ▁the ▁Navy ▁from ▁A . ▁H . ▁Bull ▁Ste am ship ▁Co ., ▁New ▁York , ▁New ▁York , ▁ 1 3 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁commission ed ▁in ▁the ▁Navy ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁as ▁USS ▁Margaret ▁( ID ▁# ▁ 2 5 1 0 ) ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁with ▁Lieutenant ▁Commander ▁T . ▁J . ▁Sam m ons , ▁US NR F , ▁in ▁command . ▁ ▁Margaret ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Naval ▁District ▁under ▁Naval ▁O verse as ▁Transport ation ▁Service ▁and ▁was ▁renamed ▁USS ▁Ch ath am ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁probably ▁to ▁avoid ▁confusion ▁with ▁several ▁other ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁vessels ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name , ▁most ▁not ably ▁the ▁converted ▁y acht ▁Margaret ▁( SP - 5 2 7 ). ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁service ▁▁ ▁On ▁the ▁same ▁date , ▁the ▁fre ighter ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁Gir onde ▁River ▁in ▁France ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁her ▁first ▁trans at l antic ▁con voy ▁voyage ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁carrying ▁Army ▁supplies ▁for ▁the ▁American ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force . ▁Ch ath am ▁made ▁four ▁more ▁such ▁tri ps , ▁deliver ing ▁French ▁steel ▁b illet s ▁and ▁supplies ▁for ▁the ▁Motor