of a gyro compass delayed her sailing until 25 July, but the ship arrived at Empress Augusta Bay on 29 July. Eleven days later, Venus departed Torokina, Bougainville, bound for the New Hebrides and arrived at Espiritu Santo on 11 August. She loaded material for dry dock , loading from lighters in Pallikulo Bay. Due to poor loading conditions, the job was not completed until 7 September, when she was ready to sail for the Philippines. During her stay at Espiritu Santo, word arrived that Japan had surrendered; and, for the first time since commissioning, the ship could sail at night without having to "darken ship". Venus arrived at Samar on 20 September, and discharged her cargo before moving on to Subic Bay. She sailed from Cebu on 15 December, bound for the Hawaiian Islands, and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 16 March. Post war and decommission Decommissioned on 18 April 1946, the ship was subsequently towed by to the west coast, departing Pearl Harbor on 5 December 1947, and arriving at San Francisco on 13 December. Declared surplus to Navy needs, the ship was struck from the Navy list on 19 February 1948. Stripped for disposal, she was returned to MARCOM on 27 February, and was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, California. Venus was sold for scrapping on 18 April 1961, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, for $59,339.89. She was delivered 21 August 1961, with scrapping completed 21 October 1961. Awards Venus received one battle star for her service during World War II as William Williams. Her crew were eligible for the following medals: Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive SS William Williams, 2 May 1943) American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) World War II Victory Medal Philippine Liberation Medal Notes Citations Bibliography Online resources Books External links Crater-class cargo ships World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Ships built in Richmond, California 1942 ships Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet