USS ''LST-629'' originally was a

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 ...

built 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 ...

and in commission from 1944 to 1946 and again in the late 1952. She was sold to the

Republic of Singapore Navy The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is the naval service branch of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) responsible for defending the country against any sea-borne threats, and the protection of its sea lines of communications, that would comprom ...

and renamed RSS ''Excellence'' (L-202).

Construction and commissioning

USS ''LST-629'' was laid down on 13 April 1944 at

Seneca, Illinois Seneca is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, LaSalle and Grundy County, Illinois, Grundy counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,353 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 2,371 at the 2010 United States c ...

, by the

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 ...

. She was launched on 8 July 1944 and commissioned on 28 July 1944.

Service in United States Navy

1940s

During

, ''LST-629'' was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign and participated in

Invasion of Lingayen Gulf The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf ( fil, Paglusob sa Golpo ng Lingayen), 6–9 January 1945, was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 6 January 1945, a large Allied force commanded by Admira ...

from 8 to 18 January 1945. She also participating in the Mindanao Islands landing from 17 to 23 April 1945. ''LST-629'' participated in Okinawa Gunto Operations, the invasion of southern

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

on 12 to 30 June 1945. ''LST-629'' was assigned to China service from 20 to 26 December 1945 and was decommissioned on 4 March 1946, assigned for

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 (SCAJAP) and redesignated as Q083.

1950s–1960s

''LST-629'' was 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 and redesignated as USNS T-LST-629.

Service in Republic of Singapore Navy

1970s

''T-LST-629'' was on loan since 1 July 1971 but finally sold to

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

on 5 December 1975 and was renamed as ''RSS Excellence'' (L-202). ''Excellence'', along with four other ex-US Navy LSTs sold to Singapore by the US at around the same period of time, served as part of the RSN's 191 Squadron of the 3rd Flotilla, with its main roles being transporting Singapore Army troops and personnel to training facilities abroad (in foreign countries such as Taiwan), rescue-and-aid operations, supply missions as well as for officer-cadet training programmes conducted overseas.

1980s–1990s

In 1999, ''Excellence'', along with RSS ''Intrepid'', was deployed to

Timor Leste East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-wester ...

to provide logistic support to the Australian-led

INTERFET The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took ...

peacekeeping operations. ''Excellence'' and her four sister ships were decommissioned from 2000 following the commissioning of RSS Endurance (207).

2000s–2010s

All four ex-US Navy LSTs are employed as floating sea-defense barricades for

Changi Naval Base Changi Naval Base (CNB), officially known as the RSS ''Singapura'' – Changi Naval Base, is a naval base of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). Located about 1.5 kilometres east of Changi Air Base (East) and 3.5 kilometres east of Singapore ...

.Decom LSTs as CNB floating defense barricade
/ref>

Awards and honors

China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a service medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted by Navy Department General Order No. 176 on 1 July 1942. The medal recognized service in and around China before a ...

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 awards) *

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 ...

Philippines Presidential Unit Citation The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Philippines 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 awards)