USS Champion is the fourth ship in the Avenger-class of Mine Countermeasures Ships. MCM 4 was planned by the Puget Sound NSY, Bremerton, Washington, and on December 23, 1983, Marinette Marine, Wisconsin was awarded a contract to build the ship. It was delivered to the Navy on January 7, 1991. Since September 30, 1996, it is an active part of the Naval Reserve Force.

July 8, 2002 More than 500 Sailors will test their mine warfare proficiency during Gulf of Mexico Exercise (GOMEX) 02-2 scheduled for July 15-26. GOMEX marks the transition of a mine warfare readiness group from training to ready-to-deploy status and includes integrated surface, air and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) mine countermeasures operations. The exercise will be conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, near Corpus Christi operating areas. Another exercise, Mercury 02, will be conducted in conjunction with GOMEX. USS Champion, and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) will join the coastal minehunters USS Osprey (MHC 51), USS Heron (MHC 52), USS Pelican (MHC 53) and USS Falcon (MHC 59), for the exercise.

December 4, The Champion, currently deployed to the eastern Pacific, recently visited port of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. MCM 4 departed Oct. 17 for a six-month deployment to the eastern Pacific.

May 12, 2003 USS Champion, recently welcomed Lt. Cmdr. Warren Buller as its new commanding officer. Buller succeeded Lt. Cmdr. Philip Roos, who is set to serve on the current events staff for U.S. Pacific Command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

May 22, 2009 USS Champion, USS Devastator (MCM 6) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) arrived at new homeport of Naval Base San Diego in accordance with the Defense Base Relocation and Closure Commission. The three mine countermeasures ships participated Thursday in Navy search efforts for the HH-60 Seahawk helicopter that went down May 19 off the coast of southern California and Mexico.