Barnes was the second ship of the name. Seattle-Tacoma launched her on 22 May 1942. Mrs. G. L. Hutchinson, widow of Lieutenant Hutchinson, sponsored her. The Navy had taken her over on 1 May, still on the ways as a Maritime Commission hull. Captain C. D. Glover commissioned her on 20 February 1943. She was AVG-20, then ACV-20 from 20 August 1942, CVE-20 from 15 July 1943, and later CVHE-20.
Through the war her main work was carrying aircraft and men from the United States to the forward Pacific. She also trained pilots and qualified them for carriers, and she fought. Her planes flew several raids against Tarawa during the Gilberts operation, from 20 November to 5 December 1943.
In the autumn of 1944 she replenished the task groups of the Third Fleet during the western Carolines operation, from 6 September to 14 October, and during the Luzon attacks of 19 October. After the surrender she stayed in the Far East on occupation duty until 3 November 1945. She was home in March 1946, remained on the west coast for a time, and then went to Boston, where she was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 29 August 1946. She received three battle stars.