ɹˈɪtʃɚd kˈeɪ. kˈɔːl wʌz lˈeɪd dˌaʊn ˌɔn twˈɛnti wˈʌn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ, ˌʌndɚɹ ɐ mˈæɹɪtˌaɪm kəmˈɪʃən mˈɑːɹkɑːm kˈɑːntɹækt, ˌɛmsˈiː hˈʌl tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, baɪ ðə sənt. dʒˈɑːnz ɹˈɪvɚ ʃˈɪpbɪldɪŋ kˈʌmpəni, dʒˈæksənvˌɪl, flˈɔːɹɪdə; ʃiː wʌz spˈɑːnsɚd baɪ mˈɪsɪz. lˈiː ˈɛs. wˈaɪt, ɐ jˈɑːɹd ɛmplˈɔɪiː, ænd wʌz lˈɑːntʃt ˌɔn fˈɪftiːn ˈeɪpɹəl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ.
Richard K. Call was laid down on 21 February 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2473, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Lee S. White, a yard employee, and was launched on 15 April 1944.