USS Grant County (LST-1174) was a built for the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during the late 1950s. Named after counties in fifteen states, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

Grant County was laid down by Avondale Marine Ways, Inc. of Avondale, Louisiana

Avondale, Louisiana

Avondale is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. The population was 5,441 at the 2000 census...

 15 March 1956; launched 12 October 1956; sponsored by Mrs. John Martin Higgins; and commissioned 17 December 1957 with Lieutenant Commander R. B. Nichols in command.

1958–1964

After shakedown, Grant County performed amphibious exercises along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean

Caribbean

The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...

 throughout 1958. From 1958 to 1962 the LST excelled in training and experimental amphibious operations in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and on two occasions the Mediterranean. Following operations with Marines

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 at Camp Pendleton in October, 1962 Grant County was dispatched to Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 for assignment during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...

. Her constant training paid dividends, for the show of strength displayed by the Navy averted an atomic catastrophe, and once again left undisputed America's claim to superiority of the sea. When the crisis eased, Grant County resumed her training, and remained on alert in the event of another flare-up.

1965–1966

In May, 1965 the Communist threat to the Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

 struck again, this time in the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. President Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...

 ordered marines to the Caribbean island to protect American interests and help stabilize the government. When the situation showed signs of diminishing, Grant County departed Little Creek, Virginia 1 June for the Caribbean. She embarked Marines and Seabees stationed in the Dominican Republic and returned them to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. On 3 October she sailed for another Mediterranean deployment and participated in amphibious exercises before returning home 31 March 1966. During the next four months Grant County participated in intermittent amphibious exercises along the Atlantic Coast and in the Caribbean. During August she made two runs to the Dominican Republic to return troops and equipment to the United States. She continued shuttle runs along the East Coast until 1 December when she began a three-month overhaul.

1967–1972

In March, 1967 she resumed training and readiness operations with amphibious forces, and ranged the seas from the Virginia Capes

Virginia Capes

The Virginia Capes are the two capes, Cape Charles to the north and Cape Henry to the south, that define the entrance to Chesapeake Bay on the eastern coast of North America....

 to the Caribbean while maintaining the efficiency and readiness of her crew and equipment.

Decommissioning and sale

Decommissioned on 15 January 1973, Grant County was transferred to the Brazilian Navy

Brazilian Navy

The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...

 that same date where she served as Duque de Caxias (G-26). Struck from the Naval Vessel Register

Naval Vessel Register

The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...

 30 December 1977, she was sold to Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

under the Security Assistance Program 1 February 1980. Decommissioned by the Brazilian Navy on 8 February 2000, her final fate is unknown.