"Almaack"—with a cargo of heavy roadbuilding equipment and coal—cleared New York in convoy on 27 July 1941, bound for Iceland. Screened by a battleship, three heavy cruisers, and seven destroyers, the convoy included "Almaack", a transport, a storeship and an oiler, and the aircraft carrier —the latter with planes of the 33d Pursuit Squadron (Curtiss P-40s) on board, earmarked for the defense of the base in Iceland. The convoy reached Reykjavík on 6 August, with "Wasp" launching the planes without incident. "Almaack" discharged her cargo at Reykjavík over the ensuing days, and departed that port on 12 August.