She was launched on 14 November 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Fred R. E. Dean, then moved in an incomplete state to New Orleans, where she was completed by Pendleton Shipyards.

Based at the Eastern Sea Frontier base at Tompkinsville, Staten Island, New York, and attached to Escort Division 38, Bath departed on 6 January 1945 in the escort of a convoy bound for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and returned to New York on 25 January 1945.

Returning to New York City, Bath underwent repairs and alterations at the Mariners' Harbor shipyard of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation on Staten Island, and received orders to the Pacific Ocean on 11 June 1945.

[12] In February 1946, the United States began negotiations for the return of ships loaned to the Soviet Union for use during World War II.

[13] Reverting to her former name and placed out of commission in reserve at Yokosuka, Bath remained inactive there until loaned to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on either 13[2] or 23 December 1953.

Naval Vessel Register, and the United States transferred the ship to Japan permanently on 28 August 1962.