 The ship was acquired by the Navy 2 March 1947; and commissioned at Guam 3 August 1947, Lieutenant (junior grade) P. G. Pattern in command.She was first classified as a Miscellaneous Auxiliary (AG) then reclassified as a Light Cargo Ship, "AKL-2", 31 March 1949.While based at Guam, "Deal" carried cargo to the small islands in the Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the Caroline Islands until arriving at Pearl Harbor 11 August 1949.