With the entry of the United States into World War I in July 1917, all ships then under construction in the United States, including "War Indian", were requisitioned for the war effort by the United States Shipping Board (USSB). "War Indian", renamed SS "Radnor" by the USSB, was launched 23 March 1918, sponsored by Mrs John J. Sparks, with "many army and navy officers" in attendance, while a crowd of thousands was reportedly denied access to the shipyard for security reasons. "Radnor" was completed in May 1918. "Radnor" had a length of — between perpendiculars)—beam of , draft of and hold depth of . The ship had a gross register tonnage of 7,470, and deadweight tonnage of 10,000 long tons. "Radnor" had three steel decks; four large cargo holds; seven watertight bulkheads; and a double bottom divided into compartments, some of which were designed for holding oil fuel and others water ballast. For handling cargoes, "Radnor" was fitted with two hinged kingposts, one fore and one aft, each of which mounted four 5-ton booms, plus two additional 5-ton booms amidships and a large, 30-ton boom aft. Additional equipment included 10 steam winches, a steam capstan and steam-powered steering gear. The ship had a single smokestack, and a telescopic mast for wireless transmission placed amidships. For protection against submarines, "Radnor" was fitted with a four-inch gun forward and a five-inch gun aft, while "extra" lifesaving equipment included 26 lifeboats, two rafts and a "working boat". Accommodation for the ship's complement of 75 included officers' quarters in a deckhouse amidships, engineers' quarters in side deckhouses, and crew quarters in the forecastle. "Radnor" was powered by a 2,600 ihp three-cylinder triple expansion steam engine with cylinders of 27, 45 1/2 and 76 inches by 51 inches stroke (68.6, 115.6 and 193 by 129.5 cm), driving a single screw propeller and delivering the ship a design speed of 10.5 knots. Steam was supplied by three single-ended Scotch boilers with a working pressure of 190 pounds. Both engine and boilers were manufactured by the shipbuilder. "Radnor" was capable of running on either coal or oil fuel, and had bunker space for 2,089 tons of coal and 1,812 tons of oil.