Authorized as part of the naval programs of 1916 and 1918, Medusa was laid down at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, on 2 January 1920.

She also embarked two officers and 20 enlisted men from aviation Observation Squadron 2 (VO-2) to repair floatplanes based on battleships and cruisers.

[1] Medusa continued her fleet support duties out of San Pedro until mid-August 1941, when she moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Medusa's antiaircraft machine gunners claimed two Japanese Aichi D3A1 dive bombers shot down during the attack.

She operated at Efate for the next 11 months, temporarily deploying to Espiritu Santo from 24 July 1943 to 4 August 1943 to fashion a temporary bow for the torpedoed light cruiser Honolulu.

[1] In mid-January 1945, Medusa departed Manus for Hollandia where she joined a convoy for San Pedro Bay in the Philippine Islands.

There she serviced ships engaged in the capture of Luzon and other Japanese-held islands in the Philippines and the Ryukyus until 6 July 1945, when she returned to Manus.

[4] On 8 December 1945[5] she reported to Terminal Island for duty in connection with the laying up of vessels in the San Diego Group of the Inactive Fleet.

On 23 May 1946, she was reported to be "worn beyond economic repair;"[2] in June 1946 it was recommended that she be stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and disposed of.

[2] Medusa received one battle star for World War II service for the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.