Drew was named for a county in Arkansas. Oregon Shipbuilding at Portland launched her on 14 September 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract. Mrs. G. De Garmo was the sponsor. Commissioning day was 22 October 1944, and the commanding officer was Commander D. H. Swinson, USNR.
Passengers boarded at San Pedro, California, for a sailing on 10 December 1944 that ended at Seattle, where cargo was loaded. Honolulu was the next sailing, on the 18th. Pearl Harbor was behind her on 8 January 1945. Cargo went ashore at Guam and at Ulithi during the passage to Leyte, where she arrived on 10 February. Training and rehearsal landings followed. On 21 March she sailed for the Okinawa invasion, and on 26 March began putting troops ashore at Kerama Retto and on other small islands off the main island. Assault troops landed from her on 16 April. The next day she returned to Okinawa carrying casualties. On 19 April her boats staged a demonstration along the Okinawa shore. The next day she returned to Ie Shima carrying reinforcements, then brought more casualties back across to Okinawa. Ulithi and a brief overhaul were next after she sailed on 26 April.
San Francisco was the port on 14 June 1945. Soldiers went west with her from the coast to Manus. Once the war had ended she made two voyages to Japan, outward with occupation troops and homeward with veterans. Tacoma was the final arrival of that duty, on 16 December 1945.
On 10 May 1946 the Navy placed her out of commission. The Maritime Commission received her on 19 May for disposal. One battle star was credited for her part in the war.