Mato Grosso was commissioned as USS Compton on 4 November 1944, Sergipe was commissioned as USS James C. Owens on 17 February 1945, Alagoas was commissioned as USS Buck on 28 June 1946, Rio Grande do Norte was commissioned as USS Strong on 8 March 1945 and Espírito Santo was commissioned as USS Lowry on 8 March 1945.[2][3]
After World War II, they were in a mothball state, but were later handed over to Brazil based on the Brazil-US Ship Loan Agreement. Only the lead ship had not undergone FRAM, thus the ships having different armaments and configurations.[1]