USS Dukes County (LST-735)

USS Dukes County (LST-735) was an LST-542-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named after Dukes County, Massachusetts, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. In 1957 she was decommissioned and leased to the Republic of China. In 1962 she was commissioned into Republic of China Navy service.

LST-735 off Wonsan, Korea c. 1953
History
United States
Name: USS LST-735
Builder: Dravo Corporation, Neville Island, Pittsburgh
Laid down: 30 January 1944
Launched: 11 March 1944
Commissioned: 26 April 1944
Decommissioned: March 1946
Recommissioned: 3 November 1950
Renamed: USS Dukes County (LST-735), 1 July 1955
Decommissioned: 1957
Stricken: 1 November 1974
Honours and
awards:
Fate: Leased to the Republic of China, May 1957
Stricken: 1 November 1974
Fate: Sold to the Republic of China, 1974
History
Republic of China
Name: ROCS Chung Hai (LST-219)
Acquired: May 1957
Namesake: Kaohsiung City
Renamed: ROCS Kao Hsiung (AGC-1, later LCC-1), 1968[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement:
  • 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) light
  • 3,640 long tons (3,698 t) full
Length: 328 ft (100 m)
Beam: 50 ft (15 m)
Draft:
  • 8 ft (2.4 m) forward
  • 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) aft
Propulsion: 2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Troops: Approximately 140 officers and enlisted men
Complement: 8-10 officers, 100-115 enlisted men
Armament:

Service history

United States Navy

LST-735 was laid down on 30 January 1944 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by the Dravo Corporation of Neville Island; launched on 11 March 1944; sponsored by Mrs. G. W. Fearnside; and commissioned on 26 April 1944 at New Orleans, Louisiana with Lieutenant Theodore F. Aldous in command.

During World War II, LST-735 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following operations: capture and occupation of Saipan (August 1944); Lingayen Gulf landing (January 1945); Zambales-Subic Bay (January 1945); and the assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto (March through June 1945).

LST-735 was decommissioned in March 1946 and reactivated on 3 November 1950 when she performed service during the Korean War and after with Commander Mine Forces, Pacific. Assigned as a minesweeper support ship in July 1951, she made a Korean War deployment in 1952-53 and had additional Western Pacific tours in 1953-54 and 1955–56. Renamed USS Dukes County (LST-735) 1 July 1955.

LST-735 earned four battle stars for World War II service and three for Korean service.

Republic of China Navy

The ship was subsequently decommissioned (date unknown) and leased to the Republic of China (Taiwan) in May 1957 and again renamed Chung Hai (LST-219). She was outfitted in January 1962 as an amphibious command ship and renamed Kao Hsiung (AGC-1, later LCC-1). Struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1974, she was sold to Taiwan.

Kao Hsiung later underwent refurbishment along with the rest of the ROCN's fleet of tank landing ships and is still serving with the ROC Navy and was visited in March 2012 by Fleet Master Chief John Minyard of Pacific Fleet Command. He reported that she is in outstanding condition and is battle ready. In 2016 she was selected to host as Mark 41 Vertical Launching System test bed for Taiwan. In November 2019 it was reported that she had been decommissioned and was being used as a test ship for the Hsun Lien naval combat system project and had been fitted with a large phased array radar system and the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.[2]

Notes
  1. Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. Jane's Fighting Ships 1972–1973. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973. p. 313.
  2. Everington, Keoni. "Mysterious radar ship spotted off coast of S. Taiwan". www.taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 2 December 2019.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

LST-735 off Wonsan, Korea c. 1953. A Sikorsky H-19 "Chickasaw" helicopter (left) and a Sikorsky H-5 model (right) sit atop her deck.
ROCS Kao Hsiung (AGC-1) off her namesake port, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 2010.


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