Converted at Todd Galveston Dry Dock Co., Merapi hastened through shakedown and departed Mobile, Alabama, 11 April, for the Pacific Ocean war zone.

A return to the United States in the latter half of 1953 preceded assignment to the mid Pacific logistic support group home ported at Pearl Harbor.

For 3 months Merapi provided food stocks to the ships engaged in the evacuation of civilians and troops from North Vietnam to Saigon in Operation Passage to Freedom.

Interruptions also occurred March to July 1956 as AF-38 appeared in support of the nuclear testing exercise Operation Redwing, and the following April as she sailed on a good will visit to Australia.

Her crew was eligible for the following medals shown in order of precedence: This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.