On 28 November 1942, while anchored off Guadalcanal's Lunga Point, Alchiba was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-16, setting fire to her forward holds. She was run aground to prevent sinking, and the blazes were extinguished after five days of hard work. However, on 7 December the ship was again torpedoed, probably by a Japanese midget submarine, opening up her after hull and starting more fires. Again, Alchiba's crew controlled the flooding and flames. Her wounds were patched up sufficiently for her to return to the United States for permanent repairs, which lasted until August 1943. Meanwhile, in February 1943, she had been reclassified as an attack cargo ship, with the new hull number AKA-6.

During the rest of 1943 and into March 1944, Alchiba performed logistics duties in the South Pacific, also taking part in the invasion of Bougainville in November 1943. Following an overhaul in mid-1944, the ship was plagued by recurrent engine troubles, was in and out of shipyards for the next year, and completed only one voyage to the south Pacific during this time. In July and August 1945, Alchiba crossed the ocean to deliver cargo to bases in the central and western Pacific. She stayed in the former combat zone until late October and then returned to the U.S., reaching the east coast by way of the Panama Canal in mid-December. USS Alchiba was decommissioned in January 1946. Transferred to the Maritime Commission in July of that year, she was sold to commercial interests in 1948.

Battlefleet has returned with another fine merchant ship, this one captures this important Guadalcanal veteran in style.