USS Graham County

Last updated
Graham County AGP-1176 with Antelope PG-86 and Ready PG-87 alongside.jpg
USS Graham County (AGP-1176) with Antelope (PG-86) and Ready (PG-87) alongside, date and location unknown.
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameUSS Graham County
Namesake Graham County
Builder Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia
Laid down4 February 1957
Launched9 September 1957
Commissioned17 April 1958
Decommissioned1 March 1977
ReclassifiedAGP-1176 (Patrol Craft Tender), 1972
Stricken1 March 1977
FateSold for scrap, 1 March 1978
General characteristics
Class and type De Soto County-class tank landing ship
Displacement
  • 3,560 long tons (3,617 t) light
  • 7,823 long tons (7,949 t) full load
Length446 ft (136 m)
Beam62 ft (19 m)
Draft17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion
Speed17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried		4 LCVPs
Capacity
  • 28 medium tanks or vehicles to 75 tons on 288 ft (88 m) tank deck
  • 100,000 gal (US) diesel or jet fuel, plus 7,000 gal fuel for embarked vehicles
Troops410 officers and enlisted men
Complement170 officers and enlisted men
Armament3 × twin 3"/50 caliber gun mounts
Underway 1964 USS Graham Cty LST-1176.jpg
Underway 1964

USS Graham County (LST-1176/AGP-1176) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during the late 1950s. Named after counties in Arizona, Kansas, and North Carolina, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Contents

Graham County was designed under project SCB 119 and laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of Newport News, Virginia 4 February 1957; launched 9 September; sponsored by Mrs. Ralph Otis Davis; and commissioned 17 April 1958.

Service history

After shakedown Graham County continued tests and repairs throughout 1958. Assigned to the Atlantic amphibious force, the LST engaged in training exercises along the Atlantic coast until late November, 1960 when she embarked a detachment of marines and sailed for her first extended deployment. Touching ports in the Caribbean and Brazil, she sailed on to Africa, arriving Monrovia, Liberia 5 January 1961. She stopped at other ports in Africa including the Congo, where she embarked 500 Guinean troops of the U.N. peacekeeping force for transport to their country. Graham County returned to Little Creek, Virginia 17 May. Following the assassination of Dominican Republic President Rafael Trujillo on 30 May 1961 the LST, together with units of the fleet, steamed toward the Caribbean ready to assist if needed. Returning in early July, she resumed training operations for the next two years.

On 10 January 1964, Graham County with 170 marines on board departed Little Creek for amphibious exercises in the Mediterranean. Training was postponed, however, when the Cyprus crisis erupted; and Graham County, along with other units of Amphibious Squadron 4, rushed to the scene prepared for any mission. After 78 consecutive days in the area, she resumed her training exercises with the fleet. Returning home 21 June, Graham County resumed amphibious operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean for the rest of the year. Assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, Graham County conducted operations off the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean and Mediterranean for the next 14 years. Redesignated USS Graham County (AGP-1176) in 1972, her primary mission became the support of patrol gunboats, and her home port was changed to Naples, Italy.

Decommissioned on 1 March 1977 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register that same day, Graham County was sold by MARAD 1 March 1978 and subsequently scrapped.

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Austin</i> (LPD-4)

The third USS Austin (LPD-4) was the lead ship of her class of amphibious transport dock ships in the United States Navy. Austin was named in honor of the city of Austin, Texas which in turn was named in honor of Stephen F. Austin, a Texian patriot during the Texas War for Independence and the first Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas.

USS <i>Charles H. Roan</i> (DD-853) Gearing-class destroyer

USS Charles H. Roan (DD-853) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship was named after Charles Howard Roan, a United States Marine who lost his life in action on the island of Palau during World War II.

USS <i>Hyman</i> Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

USS Hyman (DD-732), was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Ashland</i> (LSD-1) WWII US dock landing ship

USS Ashland (LSD-1) was the lead ship of her class—the first dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was the first Navy ship to be named for Ashland, the estate of Henry Clay, in Lexington, Kentucky.

USS York County (LST-1175) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during the late 1950s. The lead ship of her class of seven, she was named after counties in Maine, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>John Willis</i> Dealey-class destroyer escort

USS John Willis (DE-1027) was a Dealey-class destroyer escort in the United States Navy in service from 1957 to 1972.

USS <i>William M. Wood</i> (DD-715) Gearing-class destroyer, sunk as a target

USS William M. Wood (DD/DDR-715) was a Gearing-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the final year of World War II. She was in commission for 31 years, from 1945 through 1976, serving in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. She was the second Navy ship named for Navy Surgeon-General William M. Wood (1809–1880).

USS <i>Johnston</i> (DD-821) Gearing-class destroyer

USS Johnston (DD-821) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Lieutenant John V. Johnston, who served in the Navy during the American Civil War.

USS <i>Grant County</i>

USS Grant County (LST-1174) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during the late 1950s. Named after counties in fifteen states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Wood County</i>

USS Wood County (LST-1178) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during the late 1950s. Named after counties in Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Bamberg County</i>

USS LST-209 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like most of the ships of her class, she was not originally named, and known only by her designation. From June to August 1951 she served a stint as a part of the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), manned by a civilian crew, and renamed USNS T-LST-209. She was recommissioned under her original name 24 August 1951, and renamed USS Bamberg County (LST-209) on 1 July 1955. She was named for Bamberg County, South Carolina, the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Middlesex County</i> Tank landing ship of the US Navy

USS Middlesex County (LST-983) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia, she was the only United States Navy vessel to bear the name.

USS Terrebonne Parish (LST-1156), originally USS LST-1156, affectionately nicknamed the "T-Bone" by her early crew, was a Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy in 1952. The lead ship in her class, she was named for Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, the only U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. The ship was later transferred to Spain and renamed Velasco (L-11), and was scrapped in 1994.

USS <i>Suffolk County</i>

USS Suffolk County (LST-1173) was a De Soto County-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during the late 1950s. Named after counties in Massachusetts and New York, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Lake County</i>

USS Lake County (LST-880) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in twelve U.S. states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Montgomery County</i>

USS Montgomery County (LST-1041) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in 18 U.S. states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

USS <i>Wahkiakum County</i> US naval vessel (1953–1970)

USS Wahkiakum County (LST-1162), previously USS LST-1162, was a United States Navy landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1970, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Wahkiakum County (T-LST-1162) from 1972 to 1973.

USS <i>Walworth County</i> United States Navy tank landing ship

USS Walworth County (LST-1164), previously USS LST-1164, was a United States Navy landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1971, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Walworth County (T-LST-1164) from 1972 to 1973.

USS <i>Waldo County</i> United States Navy landing ship tank

USS Waldo County (LST-1163), previously USS LST-1163, was a United States Navy landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1970, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Waldo County (T-LST-1163) from 1972 to 1973.

USS <i>Traverse County</i>

USS Traverse County (LST-1160), previously USS LST-1160, was a United States Navy landing ship tank (LST) in commission from 1953 to 1970, and which then saw non-commissioned Military Sealift Command service as USNS Traverse County (T-LST-1160) from 1972 to 1973.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships .The entries can be found here and here.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.