Leyte II ARG-8

Leyte II
(ARG-8: dp. 4,611; 1. 441'6"; b. 56'11"; dr. 23'; s. 12.5 k.; cpl. 647, a. 1 5", 3 3", 4 40mm., 12 20mm.; T. EC2-S-C1;cl. Luzon)

The second Leyte (ARG-8) `was laid down by Bethlehem-Fairchild Shipyard, Inc., Baltimore, Md., 20 January 1944; launched 18 February 1944; sponsored by Miss Rhoda J. Braun; and commissioned 17 August 1944, Comdr. Elder P. Johnson in command.

After training in Chesapeake Bay, Leyte sailed from Norfolk 3 October 1944 for Pacific duty. She reported to Commander Service Force 7th Fleet 26 November at Hollandia, New Guinea. Here she became a repair ship for LSMs, and continued this service until she departed for the Philippine Islands 25 February 1945. For the remainder of the war Leyte served in Subic Bay. Her name was changed to ~Maui 31 May so that the name Leyte could be assigned to a new aircraft carrier under construction.

The ship departed Subic Bay in early December and arrived on the west coast with 1,108 returning war veterans before Ohristmas. She became inactive March 1946, and decommissioned at San Diego 30 August where she
was assigned to the San Diego Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet Alaoi was transferred to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, San Francisco, where she remains into 1969.