 As war threatened and the United States began the buildup of Western Hemisphere bases acquired from the British, "Capella" was recalled to the east coast late in September 1940.The veteran cargo ship furrowed east coast waters, supporting bases from the Panama Canal Zone to Newfoundland with cargoes brought from Atlantic ports until 1944.In June she cleared on the first of four transatlantic convoy crossings to Scotland, and North and West Africa, all so safely guarded as to be made without incident.