Glymont was built in 1919 by Albina Engine & Machine Works, Portland, Oregon. The designation Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) Design 1049 "Albinia Type" ship was applied to an existing Albina design after the United States Shipping Board (USSB) requisitioned the ships. The hull was Albina's yard number 14, USSB/EFC hull number 1691.[1][2][7][8]
The type was 2,254 GRT, 1,353 NRT, 3,700 DWT, 289 ft (88.1 m) in registry length, 44.1 ft (13.4 m) beam and 19.2 ft (5.9 m) draft. The ship was oil fired with triple expansion steam engines.[1][2]
On July 14, 1942, USAT Arcata was attacked with the deck gun and machine guns of the Japanese submarine I-7. Arcata was not carrying any troops when attacked. She had a crew of 29 and four passengers. The four passengers were three United States Navy personnel and one civilian. When attacked she was traveling from Bethel, Alaska to Seattle, Washington. One of the submarine's deck gun shells hit the bridge and killed one sailor. The captain gave the abandon ship order, the ship was unarmed. The crew and passengers loaded into lifeboats. The submarine machine gunned the lifeboats, injuring more crew. The lifeboat drifted in the Bering Sea. Some of the crew died of exposure and hypothermia.[2][10][11][12][13]USS Kane found one of the lifeboats and rescued eleven survivors. The Alaskan fishing boat Yukon found and picked up the other lifeboat with fourteen survivors. Eight sailors died, two crew killed from the attack, six from exposure and four passengers survived.[14][15]
^Naval History And Heritage Command (March 11, 2018). "Majaba (AG-43)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
^Maritime Administration. "Arcata". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 26 May 2021.