Between 10 August and 12 December 1918, Cape Lookout made two transatlantic voyages between Baltimore and New York and French ports, carrying supplies for the American Expeditionary Force. The cargo ship sailed from Baltimore on 24 January 1919, carrying 5,864 tons of flour to Trieste, Austria, as part of the relief assistance provided for the rebuilding of war-shattered Europe by the United States Food Administration. While homeward-bound Cape Lookout answered a distress call from US Army Transportation Corps ship USAT Melrose which had a disabled rudder. Cape Lookout took Melrose in tow for two days, until the latter could make repairs and proceed unassisted.
Decommissioning
Cape Lookout returned to Baltimore 29 March 1919, and was decommissioned there 7 April 1919. She was returned to the Shipping Board the same day.