▁Marshall ▁Islands ; ▁she ▁arrived ▁at ▁En iw et ok ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁March . ▁After ▁prepar ations ▁in ▁the ▁Marshall ▁and ▁Caroline ▁Islands , ▁the ▁landing ▁ship ▁depart ed ▁Ul ith i ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁for ▁Ok ina wa . ▁The ▁battle ▁for ▁this ▁strateg ic ▁island , ▁which ▁lay ▁at ▁the ▁gateway ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁hom eland , ▁was ▁well ▁under way ▁when ▁L ST - 8 4 0 ▁arrived ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 8 th . ▁She ▁un loaded ▁combat ▁engine ers ▁and ▁equipment , ▁then ▁returned ▁Ul ith i ▁on ▁ 5 ▁May . ▁ 5 ▁August ▁the ▁ship ▁dropped ▁off ▁ 5 0 0 ▁tons ▁of ▁bomb s ▁at ▁I wo ▁J ima ▁and ▁secured ▁ 2 5 ▁Japanese ▁pow ' s ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Mar ines ▁and ▁delivered ▁them ▁to ▁Gu am . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁she ▁sh utt led ▁troops ▁and ▁cargo ▁throughout ▁the ▁American ▁st aging ▁areas ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁After ▁V - J ▁Day , ▁L ST - 8 4 0 ▁operated ▁with ▁U . S . ▁occupation ▁forces ▁in ▁Japan ▁and ▁Ok ina wa ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁months . ▁Emb ark ing ▁ 5 0 0 ▁mar ines ▁at ▁Gu am , ▁she ▁depart ed ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁November ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Ar riv ing ▁at ▁San ▁Diego ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁December , ▁she ▁remained ▁on ▁the ▁West