Her task was to carry stores, refrigerated items, and equipment to ships in the fleet, and to remote stations and staging areas.

Palisana was laid down by the Pennsylvania Shipyards, Inc., Beaumont, Texas, 28 August 1944 under contract with the U.S. Maritime Commission; launched 21 October 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Hugh R. Jones; delivered to the U.S. Navy on a bareboat charter basis on 22 March 1945; commissioned 16 April 1945.

Following shakedown, Palisana took on cargo in Mobile, Alabama, transited the Panama Canal 18 May and proceeded to Pearl Harbor where she joined ServRon 8, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Under continuing threat of air attack, she remained at Okinawa until 13 August when she returned to Ulithi.

She was then leased by the Maritime Commission for commercial service, to the Alaska Steamship Co., and renamed Spirit.