▁Virginia ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁December . ▁Three ▁days ▁later , ▁the ▁tank ▁landing ▁ship ▁shift ed ▁north ▁to ▁the ▁Navy ' s ▁am mun ition ▁dep ot ▁at ▁Ear le , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁where ▁the ▁ship ▁under w ent ▁a ▁month ▁of ▁yard ▁avail ability ▁while ▁most ▁of ▁her ▁crew ▁enjoyed ▁leave . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁she ▁loaded ▁construction ▁supplies ▁at ▁Davis ville , ▁Rh ode ▁Island , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁take ▁ ▁on ▁board , ▁before ▁ste aming ▁to ▁Nor folk ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March . ▁ ▁Pacific , ▁ 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 5 0 ▁On ▁ 7 ▁March ▁L ST - 2 8 8 ▁depart ed ▁for ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁making ▁a ▁brief ▁stop ▁at ▁Gu ant an amo ▁Bay ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Pan ama . ▁A ▁ste ering ▁failure ▁while ▁trans iting ▁the ▁canal ▁necess itated ▁two ▁days ▁of ▁rep airs ▁before ▁she ▁left ▁Pan ama ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 3 rd . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁April , ▁she ▁entered ▁Pear l ▁Har bor ▁and ▁began ▁ 1 0 ▁days ▁of ▁re pl en ishment ▁before ▁emb ark ing ▁on ▁a ▁seven - week ▁voyage ▁to ▁Ok ina wa ▁that ▁included ▁vis its ▁to ▁En iw et ok , ▁Gu am , ▁and ▁Sa ip an . ▁When ▁L ST - 2 8 8 ▁anch ored ▁off ▁Ok ina wa ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁May , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁def enders ▁had ▁just ▁over ▁three