Sheridan moved from Oakland to
San Francisco on 31 August 1943; and, on 7 September, got underway for shakedown. Returning to San Francisco on 26 September, she loaded cargo and sailed for the western
Pacific on 1 October. On 18 October, she delivered cargo at
Nouméa; and, on the 25th, she arrived at
Wellington, New Zealand, where she embarked marines and their equipment.
Invasion of Tarawa Departing New Zealand on 1 November, she underwent
amphibious training at
Efate Island from the 7th to the 9th and sailed from there on the 13th for the invasion of the
Gilbert Islands.
Sheridan arrived off
Tarawa early in the morning of 20 November 1943 and began debarking troops shortly before noon and cargo in mid-afternoon. The next day, she began reembarking troops, boats, and casualties. Sailing on 24 November, she arrived on 2 December at
Pearl Harbor, where she discharged her casualties and was inspected by
Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. On 5 December, she disembarked cargo and marines at
Hilo,
T.H., and then proceeded to the
west coast, arriving at
San Diego on 13 December.
Invasion of Kwajalein Sheridan participated in practice landings at
Oceanside, California, from 15 to 17 December 1943, and then welcomed the new year, 1944, with more exercises at
San Clemente from 1 to 5 January. She then received her combat loadout of troops and supplies and sailed from San Diego on 13 January. Stopping at
Maui, T.H., just long enough to fuel, she arrived off the beaches of
Kwajalein Atoll on 31 January. Her troops participated in the landings at
Roi on 1 February while
Sheridan remained off the beaches offloading cargo and acting as a temporary hospital ship pending the arrival of
hospital ship . The transport sailed on 8 February, offloaded troops and cargo at Maui on 16 February, and then moved to Pearl Harbor on 17 February to receive needed repairs.
Invasion of Saipan On 28 February,
Sheridan began an intensive period of amphibious training at Maui, which lasted, with two short breaks, until 19 May. On 30 May, she sailed from Pearl Harbor with a task force bound for the
Marianas. Arriving at
Eniwetok on 9 June,
Sheridan transferred troops to assigned
LSTs and sailed on 11 June for
Saipan. Arriving on 15 June, she debarked troops and cargo; and then embarked a large group of casualties on the 18th. She completed offloading cargo on 20 June and sailed from Saipan the following day. After picking up more casualties at Eniwetok on 25 and 26 June, she arrived at Pearl Harbor on 3 July.
Invasion of Guam Sheridan embarked Army troops there on 4 July and sailed on the 9th. Touching at Eniwetok on the 17th, she arrived at
Guam on the 22nd, a day after the initial landings, and debarked her troops the following day. The ship departed Guam on 28 July, touched at Eniwetok on 1 August, and arrived at Pearl Harbor on the 10th. There, she received repairs, and then embarked Army troops and equipment for the reconquest of the
Philippines.
Invasion of Leyte After a week of amphibious training at Maui from 1 to 7 September,
Sheridan departed Pearl Harbor on the 15th, and, after stops at Eniwetok and
Manus, arrived on 20 October in the transport area off
Leyte where she put her troops ashore in the first waves. Completing general unloading on the 22nd, she sailed for
Humboldt Bay the same day. After remaining there from 27 October to 5 November, she arrived at
Noemfoor Island on the 7th to load Army Air Force personnel and equipment, which she delivered at Leyte on the 18th.
Invasion of the Philippines Arriving at Manus on the 24th,
Sheridan sailed on the 28th for
Torokina,
Bougainville Island, where she arrived on 1 December. There, she combat-loaded Army troops; and then underwent extensive training in amphibious operations, moving to
Huon Gulf,
New Guinea for the final rehearsal on the 19th. Returning to Manus on the 21st, she sailed on 31 December 1944 as part of an assault group bound for
Lingayen Gulf. The force encountered heavy air opposition during the approach on 8 January 1945, but
Sheridan arrived unscathed and landed her troops early the next day. She then took on board 108 Navy casualties and survivors mainly from the
escort carrier , and sailed the same day for Leyte, arriving on the 12th. There, she embarked troops, and, after a landing rehearsal on 25 January, put them ashore on the 29th at
La Paz, Philippine Islands, which turned out to be under the control of friendly guerrillas. The transport anchored in San Pedro, P.I., on 1 February and remained there until late March while the war moved closer to the
Japanese homeland.
Invasion of Okinawa On 14 March 1945,
Sheridan loaded troops for her final assault landing, the one on
Okinawa. After training in the Philippines, the transport sailed with an assault force on 27 March and put her troops ashore in the first waves at Okinawa on 1 April.
Repairs and training Departing Okinawa on the 5th, she touched at Guam and Pearl Harbor and then arrived at San Francisco on 29 April for a major overhaul. Repairs were carried out between 4 May and 26 June by the United Engineering Co., San Francisco.
Sheridan then proceeded to San Diego on 1 July for refresher training in amphibious operations, returning to San Francisco on the 12th. Sailing three days later, she delivered her passengers at
Samar, P.I., on 6 August after stops at Eniwetok,
Ulithi, and Leyte. == After hostilities ==