 Detached from that duty on 20 January 1945, she continued on to the Panama Canal Zone, transited the Panama Canal on 24 January 1945, and arrived at San Diego, California, on 2 February 1945 to report for duty with the Western Sea Frontier.In mid-February 1945 she steamed north to Washington, where she operated with the Strait of Strait of Juan de Fuca Defense Unit.Selected for transfer to the Soviet Navy in Project Hula – a secret program for the transfer of U.S. Navy ships to the Soviet Navy at Cold Bay, Territory of Alaska, in anticipation of the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan – "Method" ceased her activities in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and departed on 26 March 1945 for Cold Bay, where she arrived on 4 April 1945 to begin familiarization training of her new Soviet crew.