On 23 January 1942 the Navy reacquired her on bareboat charter; she recommissioned 13 February 1942 as AF-16, Capt. C. L. Andrews in command. Serving as a provision store ship, "Pastores" carried food and war material for the Allies. Serving under Com Service Force Atlantic in 1942, "Pastores" proceeded into the submarine-infested Caribbean. On 16 June she picked up 36 survivors of , victim of . Later in the month, she stopped Italian tankers "Arcola" and "Taigeter" but, after investigation, let them pass. "Pastores" supplied forces on Trinidad, Cuba, Bermuda, and other Caribbean islands with fresh food and returned to the United States with full cargoes of sugar. "Pastores" continued this duty until transiting the Panama Canal in November 1943 to join the war against Japan.