Pinkney served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations and returned home safely post-war with six battle stars but missing 18 crew members who were killed in action.

USS Pinkney (APH-2) was laid down as Alcoa Corsair (MC hull 176), 3 June 1941, by the Moore Dry Dock Co., Oakland, California; launched 4 December 1941; sponsored by Miss Ruth Grove; designated for U.S. Navy use and assigned the name Mercy.

Following extensive fitting out and shakedown, USS Pinkney, an Evacuation Transport, departed San Diego, California, for Pearl Harbor and the South Pacific Ocean, 27 January 1943.

In mid-February, she arrived at Espiritu Santo, whence she sailed to Purvis Bay to deliver reinforcements and replacements to the veteran units of the fight for Tulagi and Gavutu.

Throughout the remaining battles for the Solomon Islands, among them Munda, Vella Lavella, Shortlands, Bougainville, and the numerous engagements in the "Slot", she brought men, food and ammunition forward and evacuated casualties from field hospitals to better facilities on New Caledonia and in New Zealand.

On 9 January 1945, she landed Army troops on the Lingayen beaches, and, once again, assumed responsibilities for the care and evacuation of casualties, this time to Leyte.

On 1–2 April, USS Pinkney participated in the feints against southern Okinawa, then shifted to the Hagushi assault area where she landed U.S. Marine combatant and hospital units on the 10th.

Rescue tugs and landing craft moved in to assist in fire fighting, but the flames continued for another three hours, by which time USS Pinkney had lost 18 of her crew and had taken on a heavy list to port.

Elden H. Johnson, 31 October 1947, she remained with the Army Transportation Service (ATS) until returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission, thence to the U.S. Navy, 1 March 1950.

Final Disposition: scrapped in 1971 USS Pinkney (APH–2) earned six battle stars during World War II: Qualified on-board personnel were authorized the following: Also awarded: