"President Cleveland" was acquired by the War Department and renamed "Tasker H. Bliss" and converted into a troop transport which served in the Pacific immediately preceding and after outbreak of the war. She was acquired from the United States Army by the United States Navy for war use, commissioned "USS Tasker H. Bliss" on 15 September 1942, and designated as transport AP-42. On 12 November 1942, while supporting Operation Torch of the North African campaign she was sunk after being struck by a German submarine’s torpedo at Fedala Bay, Morocco. One of the few survivors of the U.S.S. Bliss is Wesley Charnesky of Salem, Ohio. His wife, Amelia (aka Sis) also served during this time in the WACS.