The ship was laid down on 9 June 1943 at San Pedro, California, by the Western Pipe and Steel Company; launched on 26 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Miriam Engle Bright, Lt.(jg.)

Standing out San Diego, California, on 19 September with SS John B. Floyd, Bright escorted her to Hawaii and then carried out training in the Hawaiian operating area well into November.

A week after her last hunter-killer cruise on 30 April 1945, Bright sailed from Eniwetok for Saipan, where she reported to the Commander, Task Force (TF) 51 for duty in the Escort Pool.

The destroyer escort took station in the transports' anti-submarine screen on 11 May and was so engaged on the 13th when she took a low-flying Mitsubishi A6M5 "Zeke" under fire at 1919, scoring hits on the plane's engine and port wing.

Towed to Kerama Retto for emergency repairs, Bright got underway in convoy on 22 May and, proceeding via Ulithi and Eniwetok, arrived at Pearl Harbor on 14 June.

Reactivated on 18 March 1950 for transfer to France under the Mutual Defense Assistance Pact (MDAP), Bright was turned over to the French at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 11 November 1950.