The ship was built by the Brown Shipbuilding Company in Houston, Texas and was commissioned into the United States Navy (USN) as USS LSM-547 on 25 January 1946.

From 1960 to 1971 she performed routine duties in support of the Australian Army, and carried equipment between ports in Australia, New Guinea, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Clive Steele was laid down at Brown Shipbuilding Company, in Houston, Texas, and commissioned into the United States Navy (USN) as USS LSM-547 on 25 January 1946.

32 Small Ship Squadron was disbanded in early 1972, after which the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) became responsible for all seagoing activities of the Defence Force.

Once the ships sailed from their Sydney Base, operational control was run via the Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSTFLT).

All accommodation spaces were below deck with poor ventilation with several sections of three tiered bunks in cramped and crowded conditions giving no room to roll over.

Above the bunks were pipes lagged with asbestos, which would rain down on the sleeper during heavy seas, covering him in white dust.

On the Clive Steele's final voyage to Vietnam in 1970 one of the bow doors fell off whilst in transit.

Attacked in the Mekong Delta while sailing between Can Tho and Vung Tau on 5 January 1969, the ship was hit by three B40 RPG rockets.