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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS T-LST-578
ex
USS LST-578 (1944 - 1952)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Xray - India
NEXI

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (3) - World War II Victory Medal
Bottom Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia clasp) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippine Liberation Medal (2)

USS LST-578 was transferred to the Republic of China and named ROCS Chung Pang (LST-230)

LST-542 Class Tank Landing Ship:

Laid down, 4 May 1944, at Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville, IN.

Launched, 19 June 1944

Commissioned USS LST-578, 15 July 1944, LT. D. C. Wooldridge, USN, in command

During World War II LST-578 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
Leyte operations Leyte landings, 5 to 18 November 1944	Consolidation and capture of southern Philippines Mindanao Island landings, 10 to 18 March, 24 March to 14 April, 17 to 23 April 1945
Luzon operation Lingayen Gulf landing, 4 to 19 January 1945

Following World War II USS LST-578 was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 29 January to 22 March 1946

Decommissioned, 22 March 1946 and assigned to Commander Naval Forces Far East (COMNAVFE) Shipping Control Authority for Japan (SCAJAP), redesignated Q099

Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS), 31 March 1952, placed in service as USNS T-LST-578

Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register in 1958

USS LST-578 earned three battle stars for World War II service

Sold to the Republic of China in 1958 and named ROCS Chung Pang (LST-230)

Retired from Republic of China service, decommissioned, 23 August 2018

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	Source
ROC Chung Pang (LST-230)
	30k	ex-*LST-578* in Republic of China Naval service as, *ROCS Chung Pang* (LST-230)** underway in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan, date unknown.	Larry Lin ROC Chung Shun (LST-208)
	62k	ex-*LST-578* in Republic of China Naval service as, *ROC Chung Pang* (LST-230)** at Keelung Harbor, Taiwan, date unknown.	Larry Lin ROCS Chung Shun (LST-208)
1016057807	128k	*ROCS Chung Pang* (LST-230) and and ROCS Chung Shun (LST-208), [Ex-USS LST-732]** open for Visitors in Zuoying Naval Base, Taiwan, 23 November 2014. Photo courtesy of Xuan Shisheng. This file is licensed under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication	Robert Hurst
1016057806	108k	*ROCS Chung Pang* (LST-230)** decommissioing ceremony, 23 August 2018, location unknown. Photo courtesy of Republic of China Navy	Robert Hurst
1016057803	237k	Decommissioned *ROCS Chung Pang* (LST-230)**, moored in Taiwan, date and location unknown. Photos by Chris Sattler	Dave Shirlaw
1016057804	210k		Dave Shirlaw

USS LST-578 / USNS T-LST-578
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

Commanding Officers
01	LT. Wooldridge, Darrell Cicero, USN	15 July 1944 - 2 December 1944
02	LTjg. Thompson, Harold J., USNR	2 December 1944 - 26 September 1945
03	LTjg. Mumford, Homer Ellis, USN	26 September 1945 - February 1946
04	LTjg. Becker, Franklin L., USNR	February 1946 - 22 March 1946


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 Home Port
State LST Chapters
United States LST Association

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This page is created by David W. Almond and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated 28 Februry 2025

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS T-LST-578ex USS LST-578 (1944 - 1952)

USNS T-LST-578
ex
USS LST-578 (1944 - 1952)