Built by Harland & Wolff (Belfast), Pittsburgh was laid down in 1913, but World War I intervened and her launching was held back until 1920. she was the last ship built for the American Line (managed by I.M.M.'s International Navigation Co.) but never operated in that company's service. Instead, she was completed in White Star colors and entered service on 6th June, 1922 with a Liverpool - Boston - Philadelphia maiden voyage for WS, although still registered to International Navigation.

From December 1922 until November 1923, Pittsburgh served on WS's Bremen-New York service; then the German terminal was moved to Hamburg. In late November, 1923, she made WS's first departure on the Hamburg - Southampton - Halifax - New York route. When competition from the German shipping lines increased (as they recovered from the drastic confiscation of vessels after World War I), WS dropped sailings from Germany.

Thus Pittsburgh was transferred to the Red Star Line (an inter-I.M.M. movement that was further complicated by registering her ownership to Frederick Leyland & Co - another IMM holding). She entered Red Star service (with her American Line name and Leyland registration) on 10th January, 1925 on the Antwerp - New York route.

In early 1926, she was renamed Pennland (a Red Star-style name) and plied the same route until Red Star folded in late 1934. She was then laid up briefly before being sold in January 1935 to Arnold Bernstein's Red Star Line GmbH. Bernstein was an entrepreneur who bought the Red Star name and he also purchased Pennland's sister ship Westernland. Pittsburgh/Pennland's route was unchanged under Bernstein's ownership.

In 1939, Pittsburgh/Pennland was sold to the Holland America Line (still remaining on the Antwerp - New York route). In April 1940, she was chartered by the British Ministry of War Transport in 1940 - still as Pennland.  She was serving as a troopship on 25th April, 1941 when attacked by Luftwaffe aircraft and sunk by bombing in the Gulf of Athens.