Marine Robin was completed for the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in 1944 for service in World War II.

The ship, launched in 1943 and delivered to WSA 29 April 1944 for operation by Grace Lines, Inc. made at least one trip, returning to New York 5 June 1945 from Jamaica, before commencing troop transport duties.

The Great Lakes ship Joseph H. Thompson was built from portions of Marine Robin with major reconfiguration and lengthening.

The keel was laid 22 January 1943 with launch on 6 August 1943 and delivery to the War Shipping Administration on 29 April 1944 at Chester for wartime operation.

[11][12] Instead, after delivery 29 April, the ship is seen making at least one non troop voyage in which Marine Robin departed Kingston, Jamaica, B.W.I.

[13] Marine Robin later departed Norfolk, Virginia on her maiden troop carrying voyage arriving at Naples to spend the next two months operating in the Mediterranean.

[7] During that time the ship was assigned to the Task Force 85.3.2, Transport Group, Section II for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France.

They were addressed by General Eisenhower before departure who explained he would like them to have "first class" accommodations home but there were so many freed POWs the ship could not take them all without double loading, meaning two men shared a bunk alternately in 24 hour periods.

Marine Robin transited to New York unescorted arriving 8 June 1945 for a brief period of quarantine before debarking in Manhattan to board trains for Camp Shanks.

After a brief stop at Singapore the Marine Robin began the great circle voyage to Seattle passing within sight of Okinawa and glimpsing Mount Fuji before skirting the Aleutians and encountering heavy seas.

In February 1946 after arrival in Portland, Oregon Marine Robin made a trip to Yokohama, Japan returning to San Francisco 4 April 1946 and being released from troop transport duty.

On 7 July 1946 Marine Robin departed Shanghai making her eighteenth voyage, this time with 1,122 German nationals, men, women and children, repatriated from China to Germany.

After a gale in the Red Sea[note 5] that ripped away sun awnings the ship made a stop at Port Said on 26 July.

At the time of the source newsletter, the day before arrival, the ship had voyaged 10,800 nmi (12,400 mi; 20,000 km) at an average speed of 16.8 kn (19.3 mph; 31.1 km/h).

[8] She was towed, empty, and half complete, up the Mississippi River and the Chicago Ship Canal, in two parts, so she could transit the shorter locks there.

Ownership of the vessel was transferred to Hansand Steamship Company, a 50/50 partnership between Hanna Mining Corp. of Cleveland, OH, and Sand Products Corp. of Detroit, MI.

[8] Registry information shows the ship retained the U.S. Official Number assigned to Marine Robin (245496) with the signal/radio call sign of WE5200.

The tug Joseph H. Thompson Jr. underwent a refit at Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair at Erie, Pennsylvania, being renamed Dirk S. VanEnkevort.