USS LST-537

Model of ROCS Chung Ting
History
United States
Name	LST-537
Builder	Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville
Laid down	27 October 1943
Launched	31 December 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. Robert C. Dean
Commissioned	2 February 1944
Decommissioned	29 May 1946
Stricken	12 March 1948
Identification	Callsign: NEAX[1]
Honors and awards	See Awards
Fate	Transferred to Republic of China, 1946
Taiwan
Name	Chung Ting (中鼎)
Acquired	29 May 1946
Commissioned	29 May 1946
Decommissioned	18 February 1989
Identification	Hull number: LST-203
Status	Decommissioned
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-491-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) (light) 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) (full (seagoing draft with 1,675 short tons (1,520 t) load) 2,366 long tons (2,404 t) (beaching)
Length	328 ft (100 m) oa
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded: 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward; 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Full load: 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) forward; 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft Landing with 500 short tons (450 t) load: 3 ft 11 in (1.19 m) forward; 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) aft
Installed power	2 × 900 hp (670 kW) Electro-Motive Diesel 12-567A diesel engines 1,700 shp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	1 × Falk main reduction gears 2 × Propellers
Speed	12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range	24,000 nmi (44,000 km; 28,000 mi) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) while displacing 3,960 long tons (4,024 t)
Boats & landing craft carried	6 x LCVPs
Capacity	1,600–1,900 short tons (3,200,000–3,800,000 lb; 1,500,000–1,700,000 kg) cargo depending on mission
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	13 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	Varied, ultimate armament 2 × twin 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns 4 × single 40 mm Bofors guns 12 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons

USS LST-537 was a LST-491-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 Ting (LST-203).^[1]

Construction and commissioning[edit]

LST-537 was laid down on 27 October 1943 at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company, Evansville, Indiana. Launched on 31 December 1943 and commissioned on 2 February 1944.^[2]

Service in the United States Navy[edit]

During World War II, LST-537 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She then participated in the Invasion of Normandy from 6 to 25 June 1944. She was assigned to occupation and China from 2 to 22 January 1946.^[1]

She was decommissioned on 29 May 1946 and struck from the Naval Register, 12 March 1948.^[2]

Service in the Republic of China Navy[edit]

She was acquired and commissioned into the Republic of China Navy on 29 May 1946 and renamed Chung Ting (LST-203).^[3]

Chung Hai was decommissioned on 12 March 1989.^[4]

Awards[edit]

LST-537 have earned the following awards:

• China Service Medal (extended)
• American Campaign Medal
• European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1 battle star)
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)

Citations[edit]

Sources[edit]

• 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.