After commissioning in March 1929, Mendota was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.[2] On 22 December 1939, attempted to assist the Greek steamship Aliakmon, which had grounded north of Wash Woods, Virginia. The 12inches hawser that had been secured to the vessel parted, but Mendota, having arrived a few hours later, was able to float the $200,000 vessel.[2]
As part of the Lend-Lease Act she was transferred to the Royal Navy where she was renamed HMS Culver (Y87) and commissioned on 30 April 1941.[3] On 31 October 1941, Culver picked up 25 people from the Dutch merchant vessel Bennekom which had been sunk by a torpedo from .
On 31 January 1942, while escorting convoy SL 98, Culver came under fire by the German submarine .[4] At 23:31 hours, she was struck twice, once on the port side in the forward boiler room and once further aft that likely struck the vessel's magazine. Culver broke in two and sank in less than a minute. The commander, 7 officers and 119 ratings were lost. A single officer and 12 ratings survived the sinking and were rescued by .[4]