USS YMS-443, a 320-ton auxiliary motor minesweeper, was built at Kingston, New York. Commissioned in December 1944, she saw routine wartime service in the Central Pacific before participating in the later stages of the Ryukyus campaign. With the arrival of peace, she was involved in mine clearance operations in Japanese waters until returning to the United States in March 1946. Later in that year, YMS-443 was again sent to the Central Pacific to clear mines. In February 1947, she was redesignated a motor minesweeper (AMS) and renamed Redhead (AMS-34).

In 1948, Redhead again went to Japan, where she continued sweeping the persistent wartime mines. She played an active mine countermeasures role off Korea beginning in July 1950, shortly after the outbreak of the war there, and also carried out blockade patrols. Redhead remained in Korean waters after the July 1953 cease-fire. In 1954, she was converted to a coastal minehunter and was redesignated AMCU-48 (changed to MHC-48 in February 1955). Returning to the U.S. waters in May 1955, Redhead operated off the west coast until decommissioned in December 1957. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in November 1959 and subsequently disposed of.