On 3 February Ostara was underway for the Boston Navy Yard with a pre-commissioning crew from her sister ship Polana aboard for training.

After a shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay she left the Norfolk area and proceeded, via the Panama Canal, to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 23 March.

Upon arrival at Guam passengers and cargo were discharged and the ship proceeded to Saipan, where she underwent emergency hull repairs.

Returning to Guam 23 September Ostara moved to Saipan and then departed, with units of the 6th Marine Division aboard, for Qingdao, China.

On 1 November she left Manila for Haiphong, French Indochina, and after arriving embarked 928 enlisted men and 54 officers of the 52nd Chinese army for transportation to Qinhuangdao, China.

Two days later she departed for San Diego, (Editor's note: the DANFS entry seems to be missing something here) the Panama Canal, and arrived Norfolk, Va., 23 January 1946.