Although she was launched on 22 July 1989, her construction contract with Pennsylvania Shipbuilding was cancelled on 31 August 1989.

However, construction problems continued, and that contract also was canceled, on 15 August 1993, when the ship was 84 percent complete.

The Navy decided that completion of Henry Eckford as an oiler was no longer necessary, and considered converting her into an ammunition ship, but the conversion was found to be cost-prohibitive.

She was struck from the Navy List on 10 November 1997, and her title was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 2 February 1998.

On 19 July 2011, Henry Eckford departed for Brownsville, Texas, to be recycled by International Shipbreaking Limited.