The war service of the S.S. Uruguay varied.  Her destinations included Panama, Auckland, Melbourne, Wellington, Auckland, Halifax, Swansea, Oran, Casablanca, Bermuda, Brisbane, Fremantle, Bombay, Sydney, Hobart, Capetown, Liverpool, the Clyde, the Mersey, Southampton, United Kingdom, the Solent, Le Havre, Leghorn, Gibraltar, Manila, Leyte, Honolulu, Manila, and Yokohama.

On February 12, 1943, the Uruguay was rammed by a Navy tanker, U.S.S. Salomonie, creating a 70-foot wide gaping hole.  13 Army soldiers were killed and more than 50 soldiers were injured.  A temporary bulkhead was constructed and three days later the ship was brought into a safe harbor.  Master Albert P. Spaulding saved many lives, his ship, and her cargo.  At a later date, the President of the United States took pleasure in presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to Albert P. Spaulding, Master of USAT Uruguay.

(Music on this page is "Casablanca")

From "The Mooremack News," 40^th Anniversary Issue:

The S.S. Uruguay, commanded by Captain Albert P. Spaulding as a unit of a convoy heading for Europe, was hit amidships by a tanker which had failed to discontinue zigzagging at the hour that had been set.  The tanker’s nose penetrated to the sick bay of the Uruguay, the impact lifting a soldier from his cot and dropping him on the tanker’s deck.  The tanker withdrew and the transfer of the soldier was not known until several hours later, when Captain Spaulding had turned the Uruguay towards Bermuda for repairs.  Captain Spaulding and his fellow officers won high commendation for their cool-headedness in this emergency.