after completing her last crossing as a u.s. navy ship on 19 september 1919, she decommissioned and on 27 september 1919 was turned over to the army transport service for use as an army transport. the army in turn transferred her to the u.s. shipping board in august 1920. "mercury" was chartered by the baltic ss corp of america for a proposed service between new york and danzig, however the service never operated and the ship was returned to the shipping board in january 1921, when she was laid up. she was sold for scrapping in february 1924.