Shown here before the war, USS Monticello was originally the Italian liner Conte Grande.

USS Monticello AP-61

The second USS Monticello (AP-61) was built in 1928 as Conte Grande by Stabilimento Tecnico, Triestine, Trieste, Italy; as an Italian-flagged ship, interned in Brazil at the opening of World War II; purchased on 16 April 1942 by the United States; and commissioned the same day in Brazil, CAPT Morton L. Deyo in command.

Monticello sailed north for conversion to a transport at Philadelphia, completed 10 September 1942.  She left New York on 2 November for the invasion of North Africa, carrying troops to Casablanca.  Returning to New York, she sailed again on 25 December, carrying men for the various commands of the China-Burma-India Theater to Karachi, by way of the Panama Canal, Australia, and Ceylon.

The transport returned to New York on 24 April 1943, carried reinforcements to Oran on two voyages, then sailed from Africa to San Francisco by way of the Panama Canal.  Through the first half of 1944, she carried men from San Francisco to Californian ports, Australia, Hawaii, and the burgeoning bases of the South Pacific.  In June 1944, she began the first of a series of transatlantic voyages bringing men to win victory in Europe, operating with a Coast Guard crew after 6 August 1945.  She decommissioned at Norfolk on 22 March 1946 and returned to the War Shipping Administration for disposal on 27 May 1946.  She was returned to the Italian government in June 1947.

Source: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

USS Monticello LSD 35

The third Monticello (LSD-35) was laid down 6 June 1955 by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Miss.; launched 10 August 1956; sponsored by Mrs. Harry R. Sheppard, wife of Congressman Sheppard of California; and commissioned 29 March 1957, Capt. J. T. Hodgson, Jr., in command.

After outfitting and trials off the East Coast, Monticello arrived at her homeport, San Diego, 27 May 1957 to join Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, and immediately began shakedown training. She continued to operate off the Pacific coast, joining in major amphibious training operations which took her to Eniwetok in 1958 and Hawaii and Alaska in 1959, serving usually as primary control ship. Such operations, involving ships of all types along with underwater demolition teams and Marines, keep the fleet at top readiness for any challenge of diplomatic crisis or war itself.

On 14 November 1960 Monticello sailed for a 7-month deployment with the 7th Fleet in the western Pacifie. She was combat-loaded with part of a Marine renforced battalion landing team, and was alerted four times during the Laos crisis, steaming with Paul Revere (APA-248) and four escorting destroyers in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Siam. Returning to San Diego in July, Monticello joined in a joint Army-Navy-Air Force amphibious exercise at San Juan Island, Wash., in September, then returned to fleet training operations from her homeport.

Monticello sailed 18 February 1962 in JTF 8 for nuclear weapons tests at Christmas Island, first carrying cargo between Christmas Island and San Diego, and then acting as command ship during tests of antisubmarine weapons. In June, she sailed again to Christmas Island to aid in closing down the test operation, and continued to a second 7th Fleet tour of duty highlighted by a large amphibious exercise at Okinawa. She returned to San Diego and a program of training with Camp Pendleton marines, necessary overhaul, and refresher training early in Deeember.

She again joined the 7th Fleet's Amphibious Ready Group from January to October 1964, taking part in SEATO as well as U.S. exercises.

After operating on the Atlantic coast through much of 1965, Monticello headed back to the western Pacific in August. Early in 1966, she steamed to South Vietnam for operation "Double Eagle," the longest and largest amphibious operation of the Vietnam conflict up to that time. It enabled Allied forces to engage Vietcong near Thac Tru and secure a beachhead in a key area. At the operation's conclusion, 26 February, she headed for Subic Bay en route home via Hong Kong, Yokosuka, and Pearl Harbor.

After overhaul at San Pedro and training along the Pacific coast, Monticello got underway from San Diego 13 January 1967, heading for the Far East. Much action awaited her in Vietnam. She served as primary command ship for "Beacon Hill I" at Quang Tri 20 March to 2 April and "Beacon Star" there 22 April to 12 May. She joined in operation "Bell" in the latter half of May, in "Beacon Torch" and "Bear Chain" in July, and in August participated in "Kangaroo Kick," an amphibious feint off Hue, and "Belt Drive," again at Quang Tri. Relieved at Danang in September. Monticello returned to San Diego 13 October. After an overhaul that lasted until early 1968, Monticello conducted refresher training and local operations out of San Diego. In November of that year, she once again deployed to Vietnam where she remains into 1969.

[NOTE: Monticello was decommissoned 1 Oct 1985 and transferred to the Maritime Administration on 2 Aug 1991. Her name was struck from the Navy list 24 February 1992 and she was sold 29 Sept. 1995.]

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