SS Grand Canyon State Naval Carrier Editorial Photo

Grand Canyon State was laid down on 20 March 1964, as the combination breakbulk-container ship SS President Polk, ON 500484, IMO 6510899, a Maritime Administration type (C4-S-1aq) hull under MARAD contract (MA 164). Built by National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, CA, hull no. 338, she was launched on 23 January 1965, and delivered to MARAD on 4 November 1965, for service with American President Lines. She was converted to a MARAD type (C6-S-1qc) container ship, in 1973, and continued to be operated by APL until delivered to the Maritime Administration in 1982 for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). In 1985-1987 she was converted to a type (C6-S-MA1qd) Crane Ship by Dillingham Corporation, San Francisco, CA. She was placed in service as SS Grand Canyon State (ACS-3) 27 October 1987, assigned to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Ready Reserve Force, (RRF).[1] The Grand Canyon State is assigned to the Maritime Propositioning Squadron Three and is maintained in a 5-day readiness status (ROS-5)