:USS LST-574
{{Short description|LST-542-class tank landing ship}}
{{coord|22.1037500|120.6891944|display=title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:ROCS Chung Yung (LST-210).jpg | Ship caption = ROCS Chung Yung }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country = United States | Ship flag = {{USN flag|1946}} | Ship name = LST-574 | Ship builder = Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville | Ship laid down = 16 April 1944 | Ship launched = 5 June 1944 | Ship sponsor = | Ship commissioned = 26 June 1944 | Ship decommissioned = 17 June 1946 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = yes | Ship namesake = | Ship struck = 3 July 1946 | Ship identification = *Callsign: NEWU
| Ship honors = See Awards | Ship fate = Sold to commercial service, 1947 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = title | Ship country = Taiwan | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|ROC|naval}} | Ship name = *Chung Yung
| Ship namesake = | Ship acquired = 1 May 1949 | Ship commissioned = 1 May 1949 | Ship decommissioned = 16 October 1997 | Ship identification = *Hull number: LST-210 | Ship renamed = | Ship homeport = | Ship struck = | Ship fate = Sunk as artificial reef, 10 November 2002 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Header caption = | Ship class = *{{sclass|LST-542|tank landing ship}} | Ship displacement = *{{convert|1625|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} light
| Ship length = {{convert|328|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}} | Ship draft = *Unloaded :
| Ship depth = | Ship propulsion = 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders | Ship speed = {{convert|12|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = | Ship boats = 2 × LCVPs | Ship troops = 16 officers, 147 enlisted men | Ship complement = 7 officers, 104 enlisted men | Ship sensors = | Ship armament = *8 × 40 mm guns
| Ship armor = | Ship notes = }} |
USS LST-574 was a {{sclass|LST-542|tank landing ship}} in the United States Navy during World War II. Commissioned in 1944, she participated in some of the last amphibious landings of the war. Following World War II, she served in China and the occupation of Japan before being decommissioned in 1946. She was transferred to the Republic of China Navy in 1949 as ROCS Chung Yung (LST-210) and participated in the final phases of the Chinese Civil War. She was decommissioned again in 1997 and sunk as an artificial reef in 2002.
Construction
LST-574 was laid down on 16 April 1944 at the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company in Evansville, Indiana. She was launched on 5 June 1944 and commissioned on 26 June 1944.{{Cite web|title=Tank Landing Ship LST|url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160574.htm|access-date=2021-08-21|website=www.navsource.org}}
Service in the United States Navy
File:USS LST-574 on 19 June 1945.jpg
During World War II, LST-574 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She participated in the Leyte landings from 5 to 18 November 1944. In 1945, she took part in the Lingayen Gulf landings from 4 to 18 January and Mindanao Island landing from 10 to 11 March. She was assigned to China and the occupation of Japan from 2 September 1945 to 25 May 1946.
She was decommissioned on 17 June 1946 and struck from the Naval Register on 3 July 1946. She was sold to the Philippines for commercial service on 5 November 1947 but was later resold to the Republic of China in March 1949 and renamed Chung Yung (LST-210).
Service in the Republic of China Navy
Chung Yung participated in the Battle of Guningtou in October 1949, where she used her significant firepower (2x2 40mm guns, 6x1 40mm guns, 8x1 20mm guns) to destroy beached PLA landing craft. The ship was scheduled to leave a day before the battle after offloading its cargo, but she remained, officially due to "bad weather". The real reason for why the ship remained in the area was that it was running a side business of smuggling brown sugar from Taiwan island in exchange for peanut oil. However, there was not enough peanut oil on the whole island for the deal, so the ship was forced to stay for another day while waiting for more peanut oil to be produced, making it the accidental hero of the battle.{{cite web |url=http://60.250.180.26/taiwan/4302.html |title=201 中海 |publisher=60.250.180.26 |access-date=2015-05-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101062543/http://60.250.180.26/taiwan/4302.html |archive-date=2013-11-01 |url-status=dead }}
Chung Yung was decommissioned on 16 October 1997 and sunk as an artificial reef on 10 November 2002 off Pingtung County.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
In 2003, underwater observations by Wu Musheng and others on 18 September and 3 December found that the ship was completely seated on the seabed. There were cement block reefs on the bow and stern, and the electric pole reefs in the cabin were also intact and undamaged. No discarded fishing nets were found in the reef. They noticed large numbers of marine life living around the reef.{{Cite web|last=Wang|first=Min|date=2011-01-23|title=osama 甲子園: 中榮軍艦礁|url=http://hong-osama.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post_23.html|access-date=2021-09-12|website=osama 甲子園}}
There are many medium and large benthic fishes gathered in the reef area, and migratory fish schools have also been found. Some local fishermen formed a "Warship Reef Area Protection Patrol Team" to protect the integrity of the reef and prevent illegal fishing practices, achieving good results and receiving the support of other fishermen.
Awards
LST-574 has received the following awards:
- China Service Medal (extended)
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3 battle stars)
- World War II Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
- Philippines Presidential Unit Citation
- Philippines Liberation Medal (2 battle stars)
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book|author=United States. Dept. of the Treasury|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BnfPAAAAMAAJ|title=Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|year=1962}}
- {{cite book|last=Moore|first=Capt. John|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85|publisher=Jane's Information Group|year=1984|isbn=978-0710607959}}
- {{cite book|last=Saunders|first=Stephen|title=Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010|publisher=Jane's Information Group|year=2009|isbn=978-0710628886}}
- {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4b8eAQAAMAAJ|title=Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222|publisher=Fairplay Publishing Limited|year=1967|location=United Kingdom}}
{{LST-542 class tank landing ship|500}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LST-574}}
Category:LST-542-class tank landing ships
Category:Ships built in Evansville, Indiana
Category:World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States
Category:LST-542-class tank landing ships of the Republic of China Navy