Answer:
It was small and ill-equipped.
Step-by-step explanation:
During World War I the U.S. Navy focused on countering Germans U-boats and send men and supplies to France and Italy.
When the Congress declared war on April of 1917 the United States Navy was ill-prepared for war so the solution they found was to deploy everything they got available for the convoy to transport the millions of troops and supplies across the Atlantic Ocean.
I hope this answer helps you.