War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration ( WSA ) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US Government , tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the US needed for fighting the war . Both shipbuilding under the Maritime Commission and ship allocation under the WSA to Army , Navy or civilian needs were closely coordinated though Vice Admiral Emory S . Land who continued as head of the Maritime Commission while also heading the WSA . Establishment . A shortage of vessels further complicated by requirements to take vessels out of service for conversion and armament was of concern at the highest levels , including the President . Particular concern that available shipping would not be used effectively led to his establishment immediately on the nation ' s active entry into the war of the Strategic Shipping Board composed of the Chairman of the Maritime Commission , Army Chief of Staff , Chief of Naval Operations and Mr . Harry Hopkins reporting directly to the President . Differences between the organizations and lack of decisive authority short of the President limited the board ' s effectiveness . An additional need was an effective routine interaction with the British Ministry of War Transport , already given management of British merchant shipping , for coordination of all Allied merchant shipping . Upon establishment of the WSA the Strategic Shipping Board continued in existence in a much diminished role under the Joint Chiefs of Staff . On February 7 , 1942 , WSA was established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ' s " Executive Order No . 9054 . February 7 , 1942 " as the U . S . had entered the war . The WSA was administratively split off from the United States Maritime Commission , established in 1936 , which oversaw design and construction of merchant type vessels . Those included the production of Liberty ship s and Victory ship s among other types . The U . S . fleet expanded to some 3 , 500 dry cargo vessels and over 900 high speed tankers . Operations . On a practical level the The Maritime Commission and the WSA worked closely together under the administration of Vice Admiral Emory S . Land at the head of each . Land described this relationship in his report to The President of WSA ' s progress through December 31 , 1943 : The WSA authority was extensive . In the same report to the President , Land describes the responsibility : Under that authority cargo hulls were allocated to either commerce , Army or Navy . Many of the Army ' s ships and Naval transports were allocated by WSA . WSA , through its agents , directly operated ships in support of the services and civilian requirements . Among the more notable WSA operated ships were large and fast troop transports able to sail largely without escort with WSA operated " Argentina " , " Brazil " , " John Ericsson " , " Lurline " , " Mariposa " , " Monterey " , and " Uruguay being among those ships . In addition , the WSA worked closely with the British Ministry of War Transport through the Combined Shipping Adjustment Board in ensuring most efficient use of available ship hulls and cargo carrying capacity . Under the " loading , discharging and general control of the movement of these ships " WSA developed and enforced improved methods of utilizing ship capacity and avoiding inefficient use of ships by commerce and the military services . Post War . After the war , WSA vessels were used to carry home the huge number of armed personnel overseas , as part of Operation Magic Carpet . Over 3 , 500 , 000 men were brought home from overseas areas by December 1 , 1945 . On September 1 , 1946 , the WSA functions were returned to the Maritime Commission .