"Pioneer" was returned to the Navy on 16 March 1942 and, after reconversion at the General Engineering & Drydock Company, she was recommissioned at San Francisco on 18 April, again as "Argus". The converted yacht resumed her patrols of San Francisco Bay under the auspices of the Commandant, 12th Naval District, and continued that duty for the remainder of her naval career. There were two notable events during her wartime career. The first occurred when "Argus" rescued the 60 survivors from the Liberty ship , which had been torpedoed and sunk by the on 30 October 1944. "I-12", after ramming and sinking the lifeboats and rafts, had then machine-gunned the 70 survivors in the water, killing 10. A Pan American Airways plane spotted "John A. Johnson"s remaining crew soon thereafter, and "Argus" recovered them at 21:35 on 30 October. She disembarked them at San Francisco on 3 November. and then teamed up to sink "I-12" ten days later.