The former SS Cleveland (German), renamed USS Mobile, commandered to bring back US troops. In Cowes Roads, Isle of Wight, UK, in late March 1919 being taken over by the U.S. under the terms of the armistice with Germany. She is flying the blue and white flag of the Inter-Allied Commission, which had temporarily allocated nine large German passenger vessels to the U.S. to return its troops home. The transfer was directed by Cdr. Theodore G. Ellyson, USN (the Navy's first aviator) embarked in USS Corsair (SP-159) and assisted by USS Woolsey (DD-77), Lea (DD-118), Tarbell (DD-142), and Yarnell (DD-143), along with some subchasers including SC-254 and the supply ship USS Rappahannock.

U.S.S. Mobile's arrival in New York, 1919 with soldiers, most from the 130th Field Artillery.