USS El Capitan (ID-1407) was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919. El Capitan was built as the commercial cargo ship SS California in 1917 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company at Newport News, Virginia. She soon was renamed SS Oliver J. Olsen and then SS El Capitan. After the United States entered World War I, the United States Shipping Board took control of El Capitan, and transferred her to the U.S. Navy for war service on 21 March 1918. The Navy assigned her the naval registry Identification Number (Id. No.) 1407 and commissioned her the same day as USS El Capitan with Lieutenant Commander J. H. Halsey, USNRF, in command.