 She departed on 8 February 1945 for the Panama Canal and duty in the Pacific.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 – "Mirth" proceeded to Cold Bay, where she arrived on 3 April 1945 to begin familiarization training of her new Soviet crew.Following the completion of training for her Soviet crew, "Mirth" was decommissioned on 21 May 1945 at Cold Bay and transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease immediately.