USS Windham County (LST-1170) - Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean Service

Atlantic, Caribbean, and Mediterranean Service

LST-1170 joined the United States Atlantic Fleet at her home port, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek at Virginia Beach, Virginia, in January 1955. Following shakedown and type training, she was renamed USS Windham County (LST-1170) on 1 July 1955 and spent much of July and August 1955 in more training exercises. She then helped to support Operation Caesar, an underwater surveillance project, which lasted through the end of 1955.

On 21 February 1956, Windham County reported to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia, for overhaul and conversion.

From January 1957 to mid-March 1957, Windham County operated off the Virginia Capes area. On 14 March 1957, after a brief stop at Davisville, Rhode Island, Windham County proceeded to the Caribbean for operations off Barbados. Upon returning to Little Creek on 1 April 1957, she operated from there until 2 May 1957, when she was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea for a tour of duty with the United States Sixth Fleet. During the cruise, she made stops at Tangier, Morocco; Spain; Malta; Italy; and Gibraltar. She returned to Davisville on 1 October 1957, then headed for Little Creek, arriving there on 18 October 1957.

Windham County got underway for the Caribbean on 14 November 1957 for exercises. After returning to Little Creek on 26 November 1957, she ended 1957 undergoing routine upkeep.