LST-553 was laid down on 24 January 1944 at Evansville, Indiana, by the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company.

She was launched on 16 March 1944, sponsored by Miss Agnes L. Maulding, and commissioned on 22 April 1944.

Following the war, LST-553, commanded by Lieutenant William George Keat, conducted minesweeping operations in the waters surrounding the Home Islands of Japanin the Port of Yokohoma and performed occupation duty in the Far East (South China Sea) until late January 1947.

Minesweeping Operations were conducted with mattresses padding the wheel house to buffer personnel from detonating mines, and occupation duties included survey visits by ships officers to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[1] LST-553 was decommissioned on 13 February 1947 and transferred to the United States Army at Yokohama, Japan, the same day.