 "YMS-268" was laid down 1 December 1942 by Kruse & Banks Shipbuilding Co., North Bend, Oregon; launched 15 April 1943; sponsored by Mrs. J. H. Granger; and commissioned 31 July 1943.After shakedown along the west coast, "YMS-268" trained minesweeper crews out of San Pedro, California, throughout the most of the war, contributing to the war effort by increasing the efficiency of American minesweeping operations throughout the world.Following 2 years of training operations, the minesweeper arrived Pearl Harbor 26 May 1945 for deployment to the western Pacific.