Acacia was laid down by Fabricated Shipbuilding Corporation and Coddington Engineering Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the mine planter USAMP General John P. Story, for the U.S. Army, sometime around 1 October 1918.

The original intent was for these vessels to serve a dual purpose: mine planter in case of a war, and lighthouse tender during peacetime.

Each had a turtleback forecastle installed and their anchors were mounted high to prevent the ship from being hung up on a buoy she was servicing.

Although the ship was designated as a lighthouse tender she was also used to perform construction and repair of stations, small structures, piers, etc.

After the San Felipe hurricane on 13 September 1928, the crew nicknamed themselves "The Acacia Construction Company" because of the number of repairs they performed.

[3] The ship's main mission was to place and repair aids to navigation equipment, in which they maintained approximately 255 during her time in service.

The vessel and its crew were given up for lost after the ship had run aground off San Juan Harbor Entrance 25 July 1938.