▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁for ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Ocean . ▁A TA - 1 7 6 ▁called ▁at ▁Bor ab ora ▁and ▁Man us ▁before ▁anch oring ▁in ▁Mil ne ▁Bay , ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁December . ▁ ▁Ass igned ▁to ▁the ▁Service ▁Force , ▁Pacific ▁Fle et , ▁the ▁t ug ▁got ▁under way ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁for ▁Holland ia ▁and ▁arrived ▁on ▁ 5 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁She ▁took ▁Et amin ▁( IX - 1 7 3 ) ▁in ▁to w ▁and ▁sort ied ▁with ▁a ▁con voy ▁for ▁the ▁Philippines ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 0 th . ▁She ▁arrived ▁at ▁San ▁Pedro ▁Bay ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 2 d ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁H umb old t ▁Bay ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁February . ▁During ▁the ▁next ▁eight ▁months , ▁A TA - 1 7 6 ▁operated ▁between ▁ports ▁in ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁E mi ra u , ▁Mor ot ai , ▁Bor neo , ▁and ▁various ▁Philipp ine ▁islands . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁auxili ary ▁t ug ▁stood ▁out ▁of ▁Man ila ▁to ▁search ▁for ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁bar ge ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁reported ▁ad rift ▁to ▁the ▁north west . ▁She ▁found ▁the ▁bar ge ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁and ▁to wed ▁it ▁to ▁Ok ina wa . ▁A TA - 1 7 6 ▁then ▁returned ▁to