Tularosa was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 2069) on 31 October 1944 at Bayonne, New Jersey, by the East Coast Shipyards, Inc.; launched on 17 December 1944; sponsored by Miss Patricia Hefferman; acquired by the Navy on 4 January 1945; and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 10 January 1945.

A few days later, she called at Aruba to take on gasoline and diesel oil; then set her course, via the Panama Canal, for the west coast; and arrived at San Diego, California, on 8 April.

She continued her duties into 1946, departed Pearl Harbor on 30 January, and returned to the west coast on 12 February.

The ship remained in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet until 7 January 1964 when she was sold to the National Metal & Steel Corp of Terminal Island, California, for $16,500.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.