The third vessel in the United States named "Savannah," for the large city on the coast of Georgia, was launched on 18 April 1899 as "Saxonia" for the Hamburg-American Steamship Company by the Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft at Flensburg, Germany. For fourteen years, the merchantman plied the shipping lanes as she engaged in commerce between Germany and other nations of the world.

Seized, upon the entry of the United States as an active participant for the Allies in the First World War during April of 1917, at Seattle, Washington State; where "Saxonia" had been interned since the commencement of the First World War in Europe in 1914, Congress authorized, and the United States Navy acquired, the German vessel in 1917. "Saxonia" was renamed "Savannah" on 9 June 1917; ordered converted to a submarine tender on 20 October 1917, and commissioned into the United States Navy on 3 November 1917 at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington State. Her first commanding officer was Lieutenant Commander Arthur Jensen.

When commissioned, USS Savannah was 414 feet 6 inches in length overall, had an extreme beam of 46 feet 1 inch, and had a mean draft of 26 feet 5 inches at her normal displacement of 10,800 tons. Accommodations were provided for 23 officers and 337 enlisted men.

Armament included four 5-inch/40 caliber guns and two machine guns.

The ship had bunkers for 743 tons of coal, and had storage space for 531 tons of additional coal...for a total coal-carrying capacity of 1,274 tons. This coal fueled fires under boilers made by the Boiler Division of the Babcock and Wilcox Company of Barberton, Ohio; which supplied steam to the reciprocating engine which was designed to produce 2,000 shaft horsepower, which was supposed to drive the ship at 12 knots at speed. However, the best speed obtained was 10.5 knots.

Upon completion of temporary outfitting as a submarine tender, USS Savannah was assigned to Submarine Division 8 ... which had been ordered to the east coast of the United States.

Departing the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 21 November 1917, USS Savannah ... and submarines USS N-1 (SS-53), USS N-2 (SS-54), and USS N-3 (SS-55)...called at several ports, including San Pedro in California, and Magdalena Bay and Acapulco in Mexico, before arriving at Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone...on the last day of the year of 1917.

Transiting the Panama Canal, USS Savannah proceeded to Kingston, Jamaica; Key West, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; and the United States Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut; eventually reaching the Boston Navy Yard at Boston, Massachusetts; for an extensive overhaul and continuing conversion, on 13 February 1918.

Standing out of Boston Harbor on 1 August 1918, USS Savannah made for Newport, Rhode Island...to rejoin the 8th Division of the Submarine Force, then consisting of USS O-3 (SS-64), USS O-4 (SS-65), USS O-5 (SS-66), USS O-6 (SS-67), USS O-7 (SS-68), USS O-8 (SS-69), USS O-9 (SS-70), and USS O-10 (SS-71). After cruising along the New York and New Jersey coasts, the submarine tender made a cruise to Ponta Delgada in the Azores to support a submarine division bound for European waters.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the shooting phase of the First World War came to an end as the Armistice went into effect at that time and date.

Arriving in the Azores on 16 November 1918, five days after the Armistice went into effect, USS Savannah was recalled ... back to the United States. She transited to the Charleston Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina, for repairs ... arriving, there, on 13 December 1918.

Remaining with Submarine Division 8, USS Savannah operated along the east coast of the United States, and in the Caribbean Sea, through July of 1924. Her operations included support of frequent torpedo practice exercises, fleet maneuvers, and normal upkeep and maintenance of her Submarine Division.

On 17 July 1920, USS Savannah was designated "AS-8" (SubmarineTender-8).

During February of 1923, USS Savannah (AS-8) transited the Panama Canal, during a fleet exercise, towing USS R-9 (SS-86), USS R-21 (SS-98), USS R-27 (SS-104), and USS S-20 (SS-125) at various times.

Returning to the Caribbean, USS Savannah was employed in towing USS O-1 (SS-62) from Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia...arriving on 21 April 1923. Other duties included assistance to USS S-23 (SS-128), which was stranded at the entrance to Chiriqui Lagoon, Panama, in April of 1924.

Reassigned to Submarine Division 11 in July of 1924, USS Savannah continued to operate in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico into 1925. Then ordered to the Pacific Fleet, the submarine tender departed the Panama Canal Zone on 23 February 1925 for San Diego, California ... and arrived, there, on 12 March 1925.

After two cruises to San Francisco, California, USS Savannah deployed to Kaunakakai, Molokai, Territory of Hawaii, for Fleet Problem III. Remaining in Hawaiian waters, she entered Pearl Harbor on 28 April 1925 for an abbreviated overhaul, after which she joined the Battle Force for exercises in Lahaina Roads.

Subsequently ordered to return to the west coast of the United States, USS Savannah arrived at Portland, Oregon, on 12 June 1925; and participated in the Rose Festival through the 21st of June.

Overhaul at the Mare Island Navy Yard followed; and, in mid-September of 1925, USS Savannah took part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations at San Francisco.

Assigned to duty as flagship for Commander, Submarine Divisions, Battle Force; USS Savannah operated along the Pacific coast of the Western Hemisphere...from Washington State to Panama...into September of 1926.

USS Savannah's last duty was carrying passengers from San Pedro to Bremerton...where she arrived on 15 October 1926.

USS Savannah (AS-8) was decommissioned on 16 December 1926...and was placed in reserve at the Puget Sound Navy Yard.

The large number of new vessels planned for the United States Navy fleets in the 1930s led to the selection of the name "Savannah" for light cruiser CL-42. Accordingly, the third ship in the United States Navy to be named "Savannah"... AS-8...lost her name on 15 September 1933. Thus, on that date, her identity became "AS-8"... only.

Subsequently declared surplus to naval requirements, AS-8 was struck from the Navy List on 26 June 1934 and sold on 26 September 1934 to Mider and Marcus of Seattle, Washington, for merchantile service. Renamed "Orbis" in 1942, the ship was finally broken up in Japan during 1954.