Chilton (APA-38) served as an attack transport of the Bayfield class. Western Pipe and Steel at San Francisco launched her on 29 December 1942, and she was commissioned on 7 December 1943.
On 16 March 1945 she departed Leyte. On 26 March she put troops ashore at Kerama Retto, a step taken ahead of the assault on Okinawa.
She remained with Transport Squadron 17 and kept supporting the beachheads through 30 April.
Kerama Retto and those April days off the beachheads were her assault duty in 1945. One battle star stands on her wartime record.