 The U.S. Navy purchased her from her owner, Mr. D. C. Whitney of Detroit, Michigan, on 14 May 1917 for World War I service as a patrol vessel.She was commissioned on 1 June 1917 as USS "Tillamook" (SP-269), although some sources claim that she was commissioned as USS "SP-269" rather than under her civilian name.Assigned to the 9th Naval District—at the time functioning as part of a single administrative entity known as the "9th, 10th, and 11 Naval Districts" -- "Tillamook" patrolled the waters of Lake Michigan.