Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS De Soto County (LST-1171)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Oscar - Delta
 NIOD

USS De Soto County (LST-1171) was transferred to Italy, renamed Nave Grado (L9890)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba)
Bottom Row - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) - Vietnam Service Medal
LST-1171 De Soto County Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 15 September 1956, at Avondale Marine Ways, Inc. Avondale, LA.
  • Launched, 28 February 1957
  • Commissioned USS De Soto County (LST-1171), 10 June 1958, LCDR. D. A. York in command
  • During the Vietnam War USS De Soto County participated in the following campaign:
    Vietnam War Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Summer - Fall 1969
    9 to 11 September 1969
  • Decommissioned, 17 July 1972, and loaned to Italy, renamed Nave Grado (L9890)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 8 May 1992
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping by the Italian government in 1989
    Specifications:
    Displacement 3,560 t.(lt) 7,823 t (fl)
    Length 445'
    Beam 62'
    Draft 16' 8"
    Speed 17.5 kts.
    Complement 10 Officers, 174 Enlisted
    Troop Capacity 575
    Boats four LCVP landing craft
    Cargo Capacity 28 medium tanks or vehicles to 75 tons on 288" long tank deck
    Liquid Cargo Capacity 100,000 gal. (US) diesel or jet fuel, plus 7,000 gal. petrol for embarked vehicles
    Armament 3 twin 3"/50 gun mounts
    Propulsion 6 Nordburg diesel engines, 2 shafts, controllable pitch propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS De Soto County (LST-1171)
    De Soto County 35k USS De Soto County (LST-1171) underway, circa 1965, location unknown.  
    De Soto County 30k USS De Soto County (LST-1171) underway in the Caribbean Sea, circa 1958 Pete Reenstra
    USS De Soto County LST-1171 web site
    De Soto County 25k USS De Soto County (LST-1171) underway, date and location unknown. Pete Reenstra
    De Soto County LST-1171
    Web Site
    De Soto County 1074k USS De Soto County (LST-1171) moored outboard of USS Mountrail (APA-213) at Genoa, Italy, 31 December 1967. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Nave Grado (L9890)
    De Soto County 67k Ex-USS De Soto County (LST-1171) in Italian service as Nave Grado (L9890) at Brindisi, 9 March 1986, during Exercise Sardinia-86. Photo by Ignacio Lopez ex member Armada Espanola
    De Soto County 92k Nave Grado (L9890) underway, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst

    For more photos and information about USS De Soto County, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
  • Crew and Miscellaneous Images
  • Welcome Aboard Pamphlet
  • The USS LST Ship Memorial
  • USS De Soto County LST-1171
  • LST-1171 Class
  • LST Home Port
  • State LST Chapters
  • United States LST Association
    • Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 4 March 2011