Scrimmage was laid down on 22 February 1943 by Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company, Seattle, Washington, launched on 16 May 1943; and commissioned on 4 April 1944.

After a convoy voyage to Enewetak Atoll and back, she helped sweep an old United States minefield in the French Frigate Shoals northwest of Oahu between 6 and 15 August.

Between 27 and 31 October, she helped search for survivors at the scene of the Battle off Samar, where a few American escort carriers and their screen had withstood the attack of a superior Japanese force.

For all but the Ormoc assault, she remained on the scene after the initial landings, helping extend the mineswept areas and providing antisubmarine and antiaircraft protection to the transports.

While sweeping off Corregidor on the 14th, the minesweepers came within 5,000 yards of the island and were repeatedly straddled by Japanese fire before supporting ships silenced the enemy's guns.

She became a British merchantman named MV Giant II and was used as a cable ship; sold in March 1968 to the Dillingham Corporation and leased to the University of Hawaii as a research vessel; renamed MS Mahi; sold in 1982 to Dacor Scuba Diving to be sunk as an artificial reef; and sunk in the Pacific Ocean approximately one mile off Waianae, Hawai'i, in 90 feet (27 meters) of water.