Capricornus made two voyages to carry cargo between San Pedro, California, and Hilo, Hawaii, from 22 July to 19 August 1944, then sailed by way of Eniwetok and Manus for the invasion of Leyte.

As she steamed north to bring her reinforcements to Leyte, there were several air raid alerts on 13 November, and Capricornus joined in splashing the lone torpedo plane which attacked her group.

For the next eight days, her men labored to deliver her priority cargo, while manning anti-aircraft guns almost continually as furious Japanese air attacks were hurled at the invasion forces.

Capricornus sailed from San Francisco on 2 June 1945 with cargo for Eniwetok, Guam, and Espiritu Santo, at which island she heard the word of Japanese surrender.

Transferred to the custody of the Maritime Administration the ship was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, at James River, Virginia.