In the early 1940s a series of Allaquippa-class district tugs (YT) were ordered from Gulfport Boiler & Welding Works of Port Arthur, Texas by General Motors for transfer before completion to the United States Navy.

They were powered by a 1000 bhp diesel-electric engine, supplied by General Motors, and driving a single propeller.

[1][3] She was acquired by the U.S. Navy at the Moroccan Sea Frontier on 16 May 1943 and placed in service as the harbor tug USS Resolute (YT-458).

Assigned duty in North African waters, she was reclassified as a "large harbor tug" and redesignated YTB-458 on 15 May 1944.

[5] On 19 July 1967 Malabar capsized and sank while assisting the 51,270 DWT British tanker Mobil Enterprise outside the port of Diego Suarez.