USS Whitesides...

I read that USS Whiteside was present in Tokyo Bay during the surrender ceremonies. No AKAs were lost due to enemy action either despite aerial attack and torpedoing. Pretty tough ships.

here is a wikipedia link:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Whiteside_(AKA-90)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Whiteside_(AKA-90)

Wikipedia entry here

http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/02/02090.htm

Navsource entry here,  much of it is repeated from Wiki 

You might want to look at the HP Models offering of the later-war AKAs (Arneb AKA-56 & Capricornus AKA-57).  They will be 1:700 scale resin/no brass.

http://www.hp-models.com/index.php?newlang=eng