The first ship to be so named by the navy, Richland, built under US Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2161, was laid down 15 January 1944, by Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; launched 5 August 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Warren G. Brown.

The following day, 11 June, with a local pilot embarked, the ship transited the Panama Canal, sailing on orders from the Port Director, Balboa, C.Z., to proceed to Leyte Gulf, in the Philippine Islands, and there report to Commander, Seventh Fleet, for duty with Service Squadron (ServRon) Nine.

Battle practice on 22 June found the ship shooting well, with a boatswain's mate as gun captain and the Richland's gunnery officer spotting from the bridge.

On 25 June, Hills described his command's seakeeping qualities: "Built like a square rigger, she proves her shape by doing 11 kn (20 km/h; 13 mph) plus with a fair wind.

Richland's crew showed their ingenuity in "robbing" Mount 21, 20 mmm gun, of its cooling well to provide a section of pipe since the ship's allowance list did not contain any spares.

[3] After observing routine general quarters at dawn, Richland made landfall on the southern end of Aur Atoll on the morning of 7 July 1945, and zig-zagged during daylight hours.

She made landfall at Wotho Atoll at 1400 on the 8th, Eniwetok at 1000 on the 9th, and Ulithi, in the Western Carolines, at 1400 on 14 July, noting heavy squalls and staying offshore in the very low visibility conditions.

"[3] Ultimately, a quarter of an hour into the second dog watch, 1815, on 16 July 1945, Richland entered the Philippine area, and reached Leyte Gulf at noon the following day, anchoring in Berth 38 at 2130.

[3] Making landfall at Subic at 2000 on 23 July 1945, Richland received a signal as she neared the entrance of that body of water at 2110: "Nets closed, stand off till daylight."

"[3] As August 1945 began, Richland lay anchored in Berth 39, Subic Bay, ready to discharge cargo, attached to ServRon 9, Service Force, Seventh Fleet.

On 2 September, amidst those organizational concerns, an insulation fire demolished her Vapor Clarkson-manufactured auxiliary boiler, after which Lt. Hills "called for, and received," an inspection by NOB Subic Bay's maintenance officer.

After "standing by" for further orders on the 23rd, she shifted berths and received word on the 24th to prepare for an inspection by a Captain Johnson, Commander Service Division (ComServDiv) 73, which went off as planned at 0900 on the 26th.

"[3] With quick resolution of the foregoing administrative issues, Richland completed loading 100 short tons (200,000 lb; 91,000 kg) of chilled and frozen army cargo in her number four auxiliary hold on 3 October 1945.

Dropping anchor off Mindoro at 1025 on 5 October, the ship began unloading the meat she had brought from Manila, a process that continued until completed on the 7th, after which she sailed an hour before the end of the afternoon watch that day to return whence she had come.

After the ship moored at Pier 13, Manila, on 30 October to facilitate completion of the unloading, Hills personally reported the state of affairs to the ComServRon 7 operations office.

[3] Decommissioned on 23 January 1946 at Mobile and returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA), Richland was stricken from the List of Naval Vessels on 7 February 1946.