the steel-hulled, single-screw cargo vessel was laid down as ss "excelsior" under a maritime commission contract (mc hull 589) on 23 july 1942 at sparrow's point, maryland, by the bethlehem sparrow's point shipyard; renamed "windsor" and classified a transport, ap-100, on 5 october 1942; launched on 28 december 1942; sponsored by miss patricia moreell, the daughter of rear admiral ben moreell, chief of the bureau of yards and docks; reclassified an attack transport, apa-55, on 16 june 1943; and commissioned at the norfolk navy yard, portsmouth, virginia, on 17 june 1943, commander d. c. woodward in command.