De Soto County was designed under project SCB 119 and laid down 15 September 1956 at Avondale, Louisiana by Avondale Marine Ways, Inc.; launched on 28 February 1957; sponsored by Mrs. C. Horton Smith; and commissioned on 10 June 1958.

For almost the entire length of her active service, De Soto County was assigned to the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.

She interspersed operations off the east coast of the United States with frequent deployments to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

Decommissioned on 17 July 1972, De Soto County was transferred to the Italian Navy where she served as Grado (L 9890).

Struck from the Naval Vessel Register 8 May 1992, the ship was sold for scrapping by the Italian government in 1989.