ATR-7 was built several miles east of Bath, Maine at the Frank Sample Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor. She was a gray ocean going tug, 165 feet long with a wooden hull. She had a very high and blunt bow of solid oak, reinforced with a large steel plate shield on the outside. On the forward deck was a 3"/50gun, above the gun deck stood the steel pilot house and bridge wings. Back of the bridge was a large steel smokestack, a boat deck with a motor launch on the port side and a motor whale boat on the starboard side. Beneath the boat deck, the long fan tail extended to the stern about 75 feet, only a few feet above the waterline, a typical feature of a vessel design for towing.

    The new crew trooped on board and were put under the charge of BM2. YN2 met the Captain, EO, BMW, and MMW. SK1 an YN2 shared a small office the size of a broom closet just off the mess hall. The interior of the ship was built of wood except for the bridge and main deck cabins. She was newly painted, had wood molding and paneling in the wardroom. Everything was most attractive in varnished birch wood, as fine as a private yacht. The crews quarters were below the main deck with three-tier bunks. The head (washroom) was on the main deck forward of the wardroom in the bow. There were three tables in the mess hall with a bench along each side, all securely bolted onto the green linoleum covered deck. Adjoining the mess hall was the galley with a large oil fired stove and stainless steel steam kettle. Really, all the necessities one would need to be quite comfortable.

At 1050 on Thursday morning 10 February 1944, Officers and enlisted men were assembled on the fan tail for the short commissioning ceremony with a cold New England winter wind sweeping off Boothbay Harbor. After dignitaries left the ship, the remainder of the day was spent getting familiar with the new home. At the end of the proceedings "Captain" assumed command and they were ready to go to sea. The commissioning pennant was unfurled in the icy winter wind of Maine. Preparations were made for getting the ship underway the following morning.