The SS Kaiser Wilhelm II, named after the last german emperor, was an ocean liner launched in 1902 operated by the company Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL). When it was launched, it was the largest ship registered in Germany, with the ship's hull and machinery weight being only surpassed by the britsh liners RMS Cedric and RMS Celtic. In 1904, the ship won the Blue Riband, and became famous for carrying the composers Gustav Mahler and Jean Sibelius.

After the start of WW1, the ship stayed in New York until 1917 when the US Government seized it and renamed the ship to USS Agamemnon. In 1919 the ship was decomissioned from the navy and in 1927 it was transfered to the US Army, bein renamed to USAT Monticello. The ship was finally scrapped in 1940.