She was first named after John White, a settler among those who sailed with Richard Grenville, to present-day North Carolina, in 1585, to found the Roanoke Colony.

In late July, she loaded on supplies at Norfolk, and got underway for the Panama Canal Zone, via Guantanamo, Cuba, arriving 11 August, for duty with the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

[4] In October 1944, Menkar was transferred to the United States Coast Guard for Long Range Navigation (LORAN) work.

The Marianas stations proved invaluable in the amphibious assault on Iwo Jima, in February 1945, and in the bombing attacks on Japan, begun in March of that year.

[4] The cargo ship next helped tighten the LORAN network around Japan, with the construction of the Iwo Jima–Tokyo–Okinawa chain.

[4] Before construction of the third station at O Shima began, Menkar steamed for the west coast, via Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, arriving Seattle, Washington, 5 August.

[4] On 15 April 1946, she decommissioned and was delivered to the War Shipping Administration for service under MARCOM as John White.