 Prior to 1956 she was acquired by the Maritime Administration as a "trade in" ship and was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas.After the opening of hostilities between Great Britain, France, and Israel on one side and Egypt on the other late in October 1956, the United States moved to stabilize this dangerous threat to world peace in the Middle East.The 6th Fleet steamed to the eastern Mediterranean, and following the closing of the Suez Canal on 1 November, the Maritime Administration reactivated "Lone Jack" for emergency tanker service.