Uvalde, Uvalde County
Constructed and commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1944, the "USS Uvalde" was a C-2 type cargo ship named to honor former United States Vice-President John Nance Garner and the county of his residence. The "Uvalde" was built by the Moore Drydock Company of Oakland, California, with an overall length of 459 feet. The "Uvalde" served the United States Navy during World War II and was most active in the campaigns of the Pacific Theater. After the war ended, the ship provided troop and cargo transport to vital outposts in the Western Pacific and earned the Occupation Service Medal for operations in Chinese waters. After service as part of the United Nations Force in the Korean Conflict, the "Uvalde" became part of the reserve fleet. In 1961, the ship was reactivated in response to the events of the Cold War, including the Berlin and Cuban Missile Crises. After earning numerous service awards and citations, the "USS Uvalde" was decommissioned in 1968, the City of Uvalde, which had remained interested in the ship's service record over the years, gladly accepted the Navy's offer of several items of the vessel's equipment. The anchor and bell displayed at this site are reminders of the history of the ship and her crew. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.