USS Varuna (AGP-5) was a Portunus-class motor torpedo boat tender of the United States Navy during World War II.

Launched on 9 December 1942, sponsored by Mrs. R. J. Mitchell, the ship was renamed Varuna and redesignated AGP-5 on 13 January 1943, and completed as an LST by Dravo Corp. on 26 March 1943.

Following her shakedown in the Gulf of Mexico, Varuna sailed for the Pacific on 4 October and proceeded via Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the Panama Canal which she transited on the 22nd.

She reached Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, on the 11th and then moved to Tulagi where she unloaded her cargo of motor torpedo boat (MTB) base equipment.

Located half-way between New Ireland and Bougainville — both occupied by the Japanese and both well north of the nearest Allied bases — Green Island served as a staging area for the five MTB squadrons attached to Varuna.

These PTs were earmarked to harass the Japanese seaborne supply lane from New Britain, New Ireland, and the Shortland Islands, and to assist in the blockade of Rabaul.

Returning to Green, she loaded men and equipment of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron (MTBRon) 27, and departed her erstwhile base on the 24th, reaching Manus in the Admiralties two days later.

Although initially slated to stage from there, a change of plan routed Varuna and her PT boats to Mios Woendi on the northern tip of New Guinea.

Arriving in Naval Base Kossol Roads on 1 October, the MTB tender set up shop providing support services for the PT's which had been assigned the task of patrolling the large fleet anchorage there.

Varuna remained at Kossol Roads until the day after Christmas 1944, when she sailed for San Pedro Bay, Leyte, arriving on 29 December.

Following a period of repairs which included a dry-docking, the MTB tender anchored off Samar to prepare for the impending strike against the Japanese-held island of Borneo.