The keel for the Gyatt was laid on the 7th day of September 1944 and in six months and one week it was launched (15 April 1945). The USS Gyatt was designed by Gibbs and Cox, New York, New York and was built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Port Newark, New Jersey. The ship was commissioned twelve weeks and two days later (2 July 1945). On the 9th and 10th day of July 1945 a port side-starboard side commissioning dance was held at the Hotel Regis in New York City. The ship was placed under the command of Commander Albert D. Kaplan (2 July 1945 to 6 June 1946). Total time required to build the Gyatt was nine months, three weeks, and four days. The cost in 1945 dollars was $8,947,809.