Like all AKAs, Ottawa was designed to carry military cargo and landing craft, and to use the latter to land weapons, supplies, and Marines on enemy shores during amphibious operations. The second Ottawa was laid down as a Type C2-S-AJ3 ship on 5 October 1944 under a Maritime Commission Contract (MC hull 1698) by North Carolina Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, North Carolina; launched on 29 November 1944, sponsored by Mrs. William S. Pritchard; acquired and commissioned at the Charleston Navy Yard on 8 February 1945, Lt. Comdr. Jackson Mizell, USNR, in command.