USS ''LST-578'' was a in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. She was transferred to the

Republic of China Navy The Republic of China Navy (ROCN; ), also called the ROC Navy and colloquially the Taiwan Navy, is the maritime branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF). The service was formerly commonly just called the Chinese Navy during World Wa ...

as ROCS ''Chung Pang'' (LST-230).

Construction and commissioning

''LST-578'' was

laid down Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It is often marked with a ceremony attended by dignitaries from the shipbuilding company and the ultimate owners of the ship. Keel laying is one o ...

on 5 May 1945 at

Chicago Bridge and Iron Company CB&I is a large engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company with its administrative headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas. CB&I specializes in projects for oil and gas companies. CB&I employs more than 32,000 people worldwide. In Ma ...

Seneca Seneca may refer to: People and language * Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname * Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America ** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people Places Extrat ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. Launched on 8 June 1945 and commissioned on 30 June 1945.

Service in United States Navy

During World War II, ''LST-578'' was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She then participated in the Leyte landings from 5 to 18 November 1944. In 1945, she took part in the Lingayen Gulf landing from 4 to 17 January, the Mindanao Island landing from 10 to 18 March, 24 March to 14 April and 17 to 23 April 1945. She was assigned to occupation and China from 20 October 1945 to 29 June 1946. She was decommissioned on 1 July 1946 and assigned to

Commander Naval Forces Far East U.S. Naval Forces Japan/Navy Region Japan (CNFJ/CNRJ) is a dual-hatted command with command and control authority of all shore installations and assigned forces of the United States Navy in Japan as well as the responsibility to liaise with the Ja ...

(COMNAVFE)

Shipping Control Authority for Japan Freight transport, also referred as ''Freight Forwarding'', is the physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo. The term shipping originally referred to transport by sea but in American English, it has been ext ...

(SCAJAP), redesignated ''Q099''. She was later transferred to the

Military Sea Transportation Service Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...

(MSTS), 31 March 1952, placed in service as USNS ''T-LST-578''. She was struck from the

Naval Register A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval author ...

on 6 February 1956 after she was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ''Chung Pang'' (LST-230).

Service in Republic of China Navy

On 23 August 2018, she was decommissioned. On 29 July 2019, her together with her sister ship Chung Kuang served as a target ship for multiple

F-16s The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...

fired

Harpoon missiles The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile manufactured by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security). The AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and later AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Mi ...

and was hit. In the exercise of Han Kuang 36 on July 15, 2020, she served as a target ship for

. She refused to sink during the exercise. After the exercise ended on July 17, she was towed back to the naval pier in Qijin,

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...

. The side of the hull has at least two holes visible from the missiles.

Awards

''LST-578'' have earned the following awards: *

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3

battle stars A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

) *

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wor ...

Navy Occupation Service Medal The Navy Occupation Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy which was "Awarded to commemorate the services of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel in the occupation of certain territories of the enemies of the U.S. durin ...

(with Asia clasp) *

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States mil ...

Philippine Liberation Medal The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on 20 December 1944, and was issued as the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. The d ...

(2 battle stars)

Gallery

File:ROCN Chong Bang (LST-230) and Chong Shun (LST-208) Opened for Visitors in Zuoying Naval Base 20141123a.jpg, Bow view of ROCS ''Chung Pang'' and ROCS Chung Shun File:ROCN Chong Bang (LST-230) and Chong Shun (LST-208) Opened for Visitors in Zuoying Naval Base 20141123b.jpg, ROCS ''Chung Pang'' alongside ROCS Chung Shun File:ROCN Chong Bang (LST-230) Bridge Close up 20141123.jpg, ROCS ''Chung Pang'''s LCVPs and bridge File:ROCN Chong Bang (LST-230) Shipped in Keelung Port Rear Right View 20131227.jpg, ROCS ''Chung Pang'''s aft

Citations

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:LST-578 LST-542-class tank landing ships Ships built in Evansville, Indiana World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States LST-542-class tank landing ships of the Republic of China Navy 1944 ships