 It was not until after 15 August that the signal "cease present operations" could be hoisted, indicating that the war was over at last.On 7 September, "Van Valkenburgh" stood out of Buckner Bay in company with , , , and , as screen for the escort carriers , , , and , bound for Japan and occupation duty in the erstwhile enemy's waters.For the week that followed, the group operated off the coast of Kyūshū, southwest of Nagasaki, Japan, while aircraft from the carriers patrolled the island and coast and assisted in locating mines in the clearance operations paving the way for entry into the harbor at Nagasaki.