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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Berkeley County (LST-279)
ex
 USS LST-279 (1943 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Papa - Foxtrot
 NZPF

USS Berkeley County (LST-279) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218)
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
LST-1 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 2 July 1943, at Ambridge, PA., by the American Bridge Co.
  • Launched, 19 September 1943
  • Commissioned USS LST-279, 25 October 1943, LT. Charles A. Palm, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-279 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy 6 to 25 June 1945
  • Decommissioned, 26 June 1946, at Green Cove Springs, FL., laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 5 April 1951, LCDR. W. H. Fitzgerald, in command
  • Decommissioned, 14 June 1955
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet
  • Named USS Berkeley County (LST-279), 1 July 1955
  • Transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan), 30 June 1955, renamed ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 25 April 1960
  • USS LST-279 earned one battle star for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t. (beaching displacement)
    Length 328' o.a.
    Beam 50'
    Draft
    light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft
    sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft
    landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 2 LCVP
    Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)
    Typical loads
    One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck
    Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting
    Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
    12 single 20MM gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS LST-279
    LST-279 23k USS LST-279 at anchor off Weymouth, England, circa 1945 Bob Benvenuto
    LST-279 51k USS LST-279 at New Orleans, August 1945 Bob Benvenuto
    LST-279 370k USS LST-279 at anchor during a 1950s amphibious exercise, location unknown.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 84845, courtesy of William H. Davis, 1976.    		 Mike Smolinski
    LST-279 83k USS LST-279 at anchor, date and place unknown. Bob Benvenuto
    LST-279 37k USS LST-279 at anchor, circa 1954 Bob Benvenuto
    LST-279 178k USS LST-279 under way, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218)
    LST-279 252k Ex-USS Berkeley County (LST-279) in the Republic of China service as ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218) moored pierside at Zuoying Naval Yard, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, date unknown.. Tomy Ho
    LST-279 250k
    LST-279 205k
    LST-279 216k ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218) and ROCS Jong Jaw (LST-217) (ex-USS LST-400) moored pierside at Zuoying Naval Yard, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, date unknown.  
    LST-279
    1016027911    		 166k ROCS Chung Chie (LST-218) underway, date and location unknown.
    Photo courtesy of Republic of China Navy    		 Rober Hurst
    USS Berkeley County (LST-279)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01LT. Palm, Charles A., USNR25 October 1943 - 1 August 1945
    02LT. Parker, Harry E., USNR1 August 1945 - 15 October 1945
    03LTjg. O'Bryhim, Bernard E., USNR15 October 1945 - March 1946
    04LT. Beard III, James T.USNRMarch 1946 - 26 June 1946
     Decommissioned26 June 1946 - 5 April 1951
    05LCDR. Fitzgerald, W. H.5 April 1951 - 1951
    06LT. Youngberg Jr., Arthur, USNR1951 - 14 July 1952
    07LT. Knoche, Frederick Dewey14 July 1952 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Tank Landing Ship (LST) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 22 December 2023