Pickaway was laid down 22 September 1944, under Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCV hull 573, by Permanente Metals Corporation, Yard No.

[3] Following shakedown training off the coast of southern California, during which her crew "received intensive drilling in amphibious boat operations" off Oceanside and Coronado, the attack transport underwent availability at the Standard Shipbuilding Corporation's dock, San Pedro, from 5 to 13 February 1945.

[3] Steaming independently in worsening weather, Bingham encountered "very rough seas" which caused the ship to roll as much as 40 degrees to a side, "recovering very slowly."

She made landfall off Oahu on the morning of 6 March, and PC-483 escorted her into Pearl Harbor where she moored at the Naval Ammunition Depot.

[3] Her perilous voyage over and cargo delivered safely, Bingham enjoyed a brief respite at Pearl Harbor, taking on stores and fuel while sending ashore as many officers and men as possible to attend various training courses and schools.

Returning from these evolutions to Pearl Harbor on 14 April, she took on board the Navy's 74th Construction Battalion ("Seabees") between 15 and 20 May, and sailed for the Marshall Islands on 20 May.

[3] At 05:42 on 24 June, Bingham was detached from the task unit and directed to proceed to the eastern coast of Okinawa with SS White Swallow and Clermont.

The three ships entered Nakagusuku Wan shortly after 08:00 and anchored about 3,000 yd (2,700 m) off the town of Yonabaru, a place nearly destroyed by the recent fighting.

Steaming independently, the attack transport entered San Francisco Bay on 21 July, moored at 16:00, and started disembarking her passengers.

"Finally, about 17:00," her war diary records, "we received the announcement, confirmed by President Truman, that Japan had agreed to lay down her arms...." Bingham reached Pearl Harbor the following day but soon got underway for Eniwetok.

She steamed in company with nine other attack transports, a destroyer escort, and two subchasers, and the convoy reached Ulithi on the last day of August.

Long swells rolled into Buckner Bay from the southeast, as a typhoon, thought to be slowly recurving northward, headed for Okinawa.

By the time she cleared Buckner Bay, her bow sliced into 20-foot waves, and the sea continued to rise as she doubled Okinawa's southern tip and labored on to westward.

Having embarked her passengers, Bingham sailed for Hawaii the following morning, arrived at Pearl Harbor on 10 October, but got underway again the following day for the west coast.

[3] Bingham made one final round trip voyage to the Philippines and back as part of the "Magic Carpet" before sailing for the east coast of the United States on 28 March 1946.

Bingham was returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) the next day and laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, Virginia.