She was laid down under a United States Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 46) on 18 July 1944 at Wilmington, Los Angeles, by the California Shipbuilding Corporation; launched on 27 September 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Paul Pigott; and simultaneously acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 30 November 1944.

After shakedown training along the west coast, the attack transport departed Seattle, Washington, on 31 January 1945.

She stopped briefly at Pearl Harbor to disembark passengers and then continued on to San Francisco, California.

Attala left the Philippines on 17 June and made stops at Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor before arriving in San Francisco on 8 July.

The ship departed the west coast on 24 July, and on 5 August, reached Eniwetok, where she joined a convoy bound for Okinawa.

Making only one stop en route at Manila, Philippines, Attala arrived in Los Angeles, California, on 18 December.

Attala entered the National Defense Reserve Fleet at James River, Virginia on 3 March 1946.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.