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Our History

General Information

  • The second of twenty ships in the NEWPORT class of Tank Landing Ships (LST)

  • Awarded 29 December, 1965

  • Keel laid 27 February, 1967

  • Launched 4 January 1969

  • Commissioned USS Manitowoc (LST-1180) 24 January 1970

  • Decommissioned 30 June 1993

  • Builder: Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA

  • Last homeport: Little Creek, VA

  • Leased to the Republic of China, 10 July 1996, renamed ROCS Chung Ho (LST-232)

  • Commissioned into Republic of China Navy, 8 May 1997

  • Struck from the Naval Register and simultaneously sold to Taiwan, 29 September 2000

  • Current disposition - active in the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy

  • USS Manitowoc earned two campaign stars for service during the Vietnam War

Campaigns & Dates

 

•  Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VII  27 to 29 March 1971
      19 to 21 June 1971



•  Vietnam Ceasefire   27 April to 31 May 1972
     9 June to 3 July 1972
     9 July to 26 August 1972
     31 August to 1 September 1972
     29 September to 21 October 1972



•   Urgent Fury (Grenada)  23 October to 21 November 1983

​

•  Desert Shield / Desert Storm  8 September 1990 to 23 March 1991



Awards





















Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (2)

Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (7) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal

Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Grenada, 1-Lebanon) - Vietnam Service Medal (2) - Southwest Asia Service Medal

Fourth Row - Humanitarian Service Medal (2-Beirut Lebanon Evacuation) - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Specifications

Twin "derrick arms" support a thirty-ton, cable-supported 112-foot bow ramp for the unloading of tanks and other vehicles ashore, replacing the traditional bow-door design of earlier LSTs. Vehicles from the tank deck debark via a "between decks ramp." Other features include a sliding cargo hatch, causeway pads, and stern anchor. Amphibious vehicles may also be launched from the tank deck via a stern gate. The flight deck can accomodate most Navy and Marine Corps helicopters of the period.

 

  • Displacement:  5,190 tons (lt), 8,550 tons (fl)

  • Length:   522' 3" (overall)

  • Beam:   69' 9 1/2" (max)

  • Draft:   max forward (fl) 13' 6", max aft (fl) 16' 3" 15'

  • Speed:   27 knots max.

Complement:

  • CREW: 14 Officers, 15 CPO, 226 Enlisted

  • TROOPS: 18 Officers, 21 SNCOs, 268 Enlisted

Boats:

  • 3  36' LCVPs (Landing Craft, Vehicle Personnel)

  • 1  36' LCPL (Landing Craft, Personnel)

Aircraft: 

Armament: (as built) 

  • 2  twin 3" 50 dual purpose gun mounts

Armament: (upgraded)

  • 2  .25mm chain guns

  • 6  .50 cal machine guns

  • 1  20mm Phalanx (CIWS) 

Propulsion: 

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