The ship was laid down as a U.S. Navy destroyer escort designated "DE-87" by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., in Hingham, Massachusetts, on 5 July 1943 and launched on 2 October 1943.

[1] Commissioned into service in the Royal Navy as the frigate HMS Ekins (K552) on 29 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer, the ship served on patrol and escort duty.

[7] On 21 July 1944 she joined the British frigate Curzon in sinking with depth charges and Hedgehog the German submarine U-212 in the English Channel south of Brighton, England, at 50°27′00″N 000°13′00″W / 50.45000°N 0.21667°W / 50.45000; -0.21667 (U-212 sunk).

[4][8] In September 1944, Ekins was transferred to the 16th Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich, where she served as a Coastal Forces Control Frigate, in order to prevent attacks by German E-boats against convoys.

[14] On the night of 12/13 April Ekins and the Hunt-class destroyer Hambledon encountered a force of 12 German E-boats laying mines in the approaches to the Scheldt estuary.