A Cactus-class vessel, she was built by Marine Ironworks and Shipbuilding Corporation in Duluth, Minnesota.

After the loss of USCGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) in 1980, the Coast Guard reacquired Cowslip and recommissioned her as a replacement.

In 1995 Cowslip moved to the west coast and called Astoria, Oregon home port until her retirement.

One notable incident in Cowslip's career is a collision with the 757-foot (231 m) container ship Ever Grade that occurred in the Columbia River in 1997.

Cowslip was decommissioned for a second time in November 2002 and sold to the Nigerian Navy for use as a general purpose vessel.