Four causeway sections could be mounted aft (two on the port side and two on the starboard) of the superstructure directly adjacent the flight deck; these were linked together to form a pontoon bridge which allowed offloading of vehicles when the ship was not to beach herself.

These causeway sections were also lashed to the stern gate as needed; "steel beach" was a popular recreational activity for the crew while she was deployed.

For helicopter operations, the ship had a 250 square yards (209.0 m2) landing pad aft of the smoke-stacks and twin 10 short tons (9.07 t) capacity cargo winches.

Her keel was laid on 7 November 1970 at San Diego, California by the National Steel & Shipbuilding Co. She launched on 24 July 1971, sponsored by Mrs. Richard Capen.

In September 1979 after fire broke out in the port and starboard engine room of HNLMS Tonijn, Harlan County assisted in towing the submarine to Gibraltar.

Over her career, Harlan County routinely deployed to the Mediterranean, Western Africa, and South America, while also conducting amphibious training operations along the east coast of the United States and in the Caribbean.

Harlan County served during several notable actions during her career: she was stationed off the coast of Lebanon in 1983 when the Marine barracks in Beirut was bombed; several of her crew volunteered for a "Search and Rescue Detail."

On 11 October 1993, Harlan County was sent to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to land a contingent of UN police trainers and pave the way for an agreed-upon United Nations intervention.