Originally laid down as the net tender Allthorn of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated before being launched.

Originally planned as the Ailanthus-class net laying ship Allthorn (YN-94), she was laid down on 31 October 1943 at Slidell, Louisiana by the Canulette Shipbuilding Company.

[1][2] ATA-216 served in the Pacific Theater and, after the surrender of Japan, briefly in the Occupation Service in the Far East, until 20 October 1945.

[2][3] In 1948 the tug was sold to unidentified American interests and renamed Kara Gay,[2] and then registered in 1951 to Walter H Wilms & Company of Portland, Oregon, allocated Official Number 262382, and renamed El Sol.

[3] After three years she was bought by the Portland Tug & Barge Company, and then resold in 1956 to the New York City-based De Long Corporation, which registered her in Panama, still with the same name, El Sol.