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ROCS Chung Hai
History
United States
Name	LST-755
Builder	American Bridge Company, Ambridge
Laid down	20 May 1944
Launched	11 July 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs L. W. Day
Commissioned	3 August 1944
Decommissioned	29 May 1946
Stricken	12 March 1948
Identification	Callsign: NGFX [1]
Honors and awards	See Awards
Fate	Transferred to Republic of China, 1948
Taiwan
Name	Chung Hai (中海)
Namesake	China Seas
Acquired	29 May 1946
Commissioned	29 May 1946
Decommissioned	1 February 2010
Homeport	Kaohsiung
Identification	Callsign: BCFM Hull number: LST-201
Status	Awaiting restoration to be a museum ship
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCVPs
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	7 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

USS LST-755 was a LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was transferred to the Republic of China Navy as ROCS Chung Hai (LST-201). ^[2]

Construction and commissioning

LST-755 was laid down on 20 May 1944 at American Bridge Company, Ambridge, Pennsylvania. Launched on 11 July 1944 and commissioned on 3 August 1944. ^[3]

Service in the United States Navy

During World War II, LST-755 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She participated in the Lingayen Gulf landings from 13 January 1945 to 18 January 1945. Then she was sent to the Philippines to participate in the Mindanao Island landings from 17 to 23 April 1945. She was assigned to occupation and China from 2 to 8 September 1945 to 29 May 1946. ^[2]

She was decommissioned on 29 May 1946 and struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1948. ^[3]

Service in the Republic of China Navy

She was acquired and commissioned into the Republic of China Navy on 29 May 1946 and renamed 'Chung Hai (LST-201). ^[4]

The 79th Congress of the United States passed the China Aid Naval Act No. 512 on July 16, 1946, and was approved by President Truman, allowing the President to directly donate up to 271 warships to the Republic of China. The first batch of landing ships accepted by the bill was handed over at Qingdao Wharf. ^{[5] [6]}

This ship participated in the restoration of the sovereignty of the South China Sea Islands by the Republic of China. In 1939, the Japanese army seized control of the Dongsha, Xisha, and Nansha Islands from the French. After World War II, the Japanese troops occupying the Xisha and Nansha Islands surrendered to the national army. ^[7] The ship departed from Shanghai in March 1948, via Kaohsiung, Guangzhou, and Yulin Port, and first sent Major Peng Yunsheng, director of the Nansha Islands Management Office, and his subordinates to Taiping Island, becoming the first commander of the Republic of China Navy on Taiping Island. Then send Captain Zhang Junran, director of the Paracel Islands Management Office, and his subordinates to Yongxing Island. ^[8] The ship delivered supplies to Dongsha in early 1947 and between 1949 and 1951. ^{[9] [10]}

During the second civil war between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the ship participated in the Zhoushan Islands encirclement and suppression campaign and the Tashan campaign in the Jinzhou Relief Campaign in the Liaoxi Campaign in 1948. After the Liaoxi Warring States Army’s westward army was defeated by Lin Biao, the ship covered the Yingkou 52nd Army’s retreat. ^[6]

During the Battle of Wanshan Islands, the ship was hit by a 28-ton gunboat Jiefang on May 25, 1950. The ship and destroyer escort Taihe fired back and killed the deputy of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet.^{[ who?]} Captain Lin Wenhui, Lin Wenhui was pursued by the Central South Military Region as Navy Battle Heroes. There were 16 casualties among the 19 crew members of the Jiefang. ^{[11] [12]}

Before the battle of Yijiangshan Island in January 1955, the China Shipping Ship sent Colonel Wang Shengming who was in charge of the battle from Keelung to Yijiangshan. When it stopped on Dachen Island halfway, it was hit by two bombs from MiG-15 fighter jets on the 10th. Both bombs directly penetrated the main deck and fell into the coal pile carried in the tank without exploding. ^{[13] [14]}

On August 4, 1958, 9 torpedo boats from the First Brigade of the Sixth Torpedo Division of the PLAN entered the front line of Xiamen. At 18:30 in the 824 naval battle, the People's Liberation Army first bombarded Liuluo Bay with coastal artillery. The ship being unloaded was hit by two 130mm shells and then turned around and retreated. Ships such as Taisheng also withdrew from the range of the shore artillery and wandered into the open sea. At 19:10, six torpedo boats of the PLAN launched an attack. When they approached the 15th chain (300 meters), the National Army discovered that it was the Communists and opened fire, and at the same time evaded it urgently. At 20:25, the 105, 178, and 180 boats of the Second Squadron of the PLAN attacked the ship, and the 180 and 105 boats launched four torpedoes at the Chung Hai. In the big hole in the square, the motor and radar failed. 8 people were killed and 12 injured on the spot. However, the Chinese ship still turned right and fired at full force. At a distance of 500 meters, the 184 and 175 boats of the First Squadron of the PLAN fired a salvo, and the 103 boat launched separately. The Taisheng was hit and exploded and sank five minutes later. During the retreat of the PLAN torpedo boat, the No. 175 boat released smoke in the moonlight, which exposed its whereabouts. It was fired on by artillery of the national patrol ships Xiangjiang (PC-103), Mei Song (LSM-347) and Chung Hai. It sank after being hit 11 times. ^{[15] [16]} Three people on a sunk PLAN torpedo boat were captured and sent to Taiwan. ^[17] The history of the Chinese military warfare claimed that the PLAN ship sunk 2 enemy boats and seriously injured 1 ship in this campaign. The national army claimed sank 8 enemy torpedo boats. ^{[18] [16]} However, Taiwan’s Central News Agency and other reports have adopted the statement that one enemy ship sunk. ^{[19] [20]} The People's Liberation Army admitted that the torpedo boat 175 was sunk. ^[15]

After the 824 naval battle, the ship was towed to the U.S. naval base Subic Bay, Philippines for repairs. The bow of the ship was replaced with a new one. The total repair cost was US$500,000. The China-Singapore Plan of the Republic of China Navy replaced all Chung Hai-class with new German engines and expanded the bridges. The ship sailed for 75,126 hours and 556,728 nautical miles (1,031,060 kilometers) during her service in the ROC Navy. ^[21] She was decommissioned on 1 February 2010. ^[22]

The 2018 Cultural Assets Conference proposed to transform the Chung Hai into a museum ship, which has a precedent in other countries. ^[21] The current status is designated as Important Antiquities and cannot be dismantled and sold. ^[6]

On 19 May 2020, the ship was sold for scrap despite backlash from military historians and enthusiasts due to her poor conditions. ^[23] There was discussion by the Navy to consider using the retired ship for SINKEX. The Kinmen County Government planned to move her to Kinmen Island to be preserved there but plans fell through due to the lack of funding. ^[24] On 21 May, the shipyard's plan to scrap the ship was postponed in fear of backlash. She is currently^{[ when?]} sitting in Qijin, Kaohsiung awaiting restoration. ^{[25] [26]}

On 21 March 2021, the latest news regarding the ship is expected to settle in the Lin Mo Niang Memorial Park in Anping District, Tainan City. It will be connected with the nearby sailing ship Tainan Chenggong of Ming Zheng period and ROCS Te Yang (DDG-925). ^[27]

Awards

LST-755 have earned the following awards:

• China Service Medal (extended)
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2 battle stars)
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
• Philippine Liberation Medal (2 battle stars)

References

Sources

• United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN  978-0710607959.
• Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN  978-0710628886.
• Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.