USS Dodge County (LST-722)

USS Dodge County (LST-722) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after counties in Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.

LST-722 was laid down on 15 July 1944 at Jeffersonville, Indiana by the Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Company; launched on 21 August 1944; sponsored by Miss Rosemary Furey; and commissioned on 13 September 1944.

Service history
During World War II, LST-722 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: Palawan Island landings (February and March, 1945) and Mindanao Island landings (April, 1945). Following the war, LST-722 performed occupation duty in the Far East until April 1946. She was decommissioned on 13 July 1946.

Recommissioned on 16 November 1951, the ship was assigned to the Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, for duty. On 1 July 1955 LST-722 was redesignated USS Dodge County (LST-722). She was decommissioned again on 3 January 1956.

Dodge County was recommissioned once again in 1961, and participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, October to December 1962. Upon completion of this duty she was assigned again to the Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She was decommissioned for the final time in October 1969, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 September 1974.

The ship was transferred and sold to Thailand under the Security Assistance Program on 1 November 1975 and renamed HTMS Prathong.

LST-722 earned one battle star for World War II service.