Built in 1920 as Salaam for the U.S. Shipping Board, the Waterman Steamship Company acquired the ship in 1940 and renamed her Andrew Jackson. On July 12, 1942 she was en route from Cristobal, Panama to Key West, Florida when she was hit in the stern by a torpedo fired by U-84.

A second torpedo sent the ship to the bottom in a few minuets, fortunately, all but three men who had been killed by the initial explosion, abandoned the ship and landed in Cuba twelve hours later.