After a fast voyage from Norfolk, Va., to Wellington, New Zealand, between 10 May and 18 July 1942, to deliver men of the 1st Marines, "Electra", upon her return trained in the Chesapeake Bay with troops assigned to the initial north African landings. On 23 October she sailed for French Morocco and saw action during the invasion landings off Safi on 8 November. Although several of her landing boats were lost under intensive fire from the beach, she unloaded her cargo by the 14th and got underway with wounded soldiers on board. Bound for Fedhala, she was torpedoed on the starboard side by German U-boat U-173 . took off all of "Electra's" crew and passengers except for a ship's salvage party, and with the assistance of several ships, "Electra" was beached at Casablanca two days later. Her remaining cargo was discharged, and her ship's company with the aid of salvage facilities ashore performed a herculean repair job which enabled her to return to Charleston 30 April 1943.