During the Battle of the Bulge early in 1945, the Nazis sent their submarines as well as their soldiers into action, staking all in their last stand. German U-boats desperately tried to halt the flow of men and material to the French ports. During this critical period "LST-983" was constantly at sea from Portland to Le Havre and Rouen, carrying 500 or more troops on each trip to be thrown into battle. On the night of 12 January 1945 submarines attacked her convoy as she was returning from Le Havre with seven other LSTs, but excellent defense by Canadian escorts drove off the U-boats. By V-E Day, "LST-983" had made 46 trips to the Continent. Five more voyages were made, from Tilbury to Ostend, Belgium. On the last passage she left Tilbury, entered Germany on 25 May, loaded troops, and five days later sailed northward through the North Sea to Oslo, Norway carrying British occupation troops. From Norway, she proceeded to Plymouth for repairs before returning to the United States. She arrived in Norfolk, Virginia on 17 July 1945, bringing home 103 men freed from German prisons and PT-199 which had been secured to her main deck for the crossing.