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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USNS White Marsh (T-LSD-8)
ex
 USS White Marsh (LSD-8) (1944 - 1956)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Lima - Juliet
 NYLJ
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (5) - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia / Europe clasp)
Third Row - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Philippines Presidential Unit Citation - Philippines Liberation Medal (2)

USS White Marsh (LSD-8) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191)
Ashland Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Authorized as Mechanized Artillery Transport APM-8
  • Reclassified Landing Ship Dock LSD-8, 1 July 1941
  • Laid down. 7 April 1943, at Moore Drydock Co. Oakland, CA.
  • Launched, 19 July 1943
  • Commissioned USS White Marsh (LSD-8), 29 January 1944, CDR. George H. Eppelman, USNR, in command
  • During World War II USS White Marsh (LSD-8) was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaigns and Dates Campaigns and Dates
    Marianas operation
    Capture and occupation of Saipan, 15 to 22 June 1944    		 Luzon operation
    Lingayen Gulf landings, 8 to 10 January 1945
    Western Caroline Islands operation
    Capture and occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 5 September to 14 October 1944     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April to 22 June 1945
    Leyte operation
    Leyte landings, 13 to 24 October, 31 October to 9 November and 13 to 21 November 1944     		 

  • Following World War II USS White Marsh was assigned to Occupation service in the Far East from 10 September to 26 November 1945
  • Decommissioned, 15 February 1947, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Norfolk Group
  • Recommissioned, 8 November 1950, CDR. C. B. Bright in command
  • USS White Marsh was assigned to Occupation service in Europe for the following periods:

    Navy Occupation Service Medal
    14 September 1951 to 29 January 1952
    20 January to 17 May 1954

  • Decommissioned, 8 November 1956, and transferred to operational control of MSTS
  • USS White Marsh earned five battle stars for World War II service
  • Placed in service with MSTS as USNS White Marsh (T-LSD-8)
  • Placed out of service with MSTS and placed in service with US Navy special to Taiwan, 8 November 1960
  • Placed out of service with US Navy and transferred, on loan, to Taiwan, 17 November 1960, renamed ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191)
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 15 April 1976
  • Permanently transferred to Taiwan, 1 January 1977, ex-USS White Marsh (LSD-8) served in the Nationalist Chinese Navy until replaced by ex-USS Comstock (LSD-19) in 1984
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1985
    Specifications: (as reported by Office of Naval Intelligence, 7 April 1944)
    Displacement 4,032 (light draft), 7,930 (seagoing - loaded)
    Length 457' 9" o.a.
    Beam 72'2"
    Draft
    8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft)
    15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)
    Speed 17 kts (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Complement
    Officers 17
    Enlisted 237
    Troop Accommodations
    Officers 22
    Enlisted 218
    Well Deck Capacity (varies with mission)
    three LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or
    two LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or
    fourteen LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or
    forty-seven DUKW or
    forty-one LVT or
    Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
    Aircraft (still in commission in late 40's or early 50's) were fitted/retro-fitted with a prefabricated steel grated "Portable Deck" suspended between the wing walls and supported by removable I-beam girders. The aft end of the portable deck contained a wooden helicopter platform, enabling the ship to land and launch 1 helicopter at a time. Stowage of helicopters was limited to capacity of the portable deck installed for the mission. Aircraft servicing was limited to re-fueling. With portable deck and aircraft platform installed, the Landing ship, dock was still capable of transporting, launching and repairing smaller amphibious craft and vehicles up to the size of a Landing craft, utility (LCU) in their well decks.
    Armament
    one single 5"/38 cal dual purpose gun mount in open tub (w/director)
    two quad 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)
    two twin 40mm AA gun mounts (w/directors)
    sixteen single 20mm AA gun mounts (local control)
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 11,720 Bbls
    Diesel 160 Bbls
    Gasoline 5,085 Gals
    Propulsion
    two Skinner Uniflow 5-cylinder reciprocating steam engines
    two Babcock and Wilcox oil fired D-type boilers, two drum, single furnace, single uptake, 250psi
    Ship's Service Generators
     two turbo-drive 150Kw 120V D.C.
     one Diesel-drive 100Kw 120V/240V D.C.
    twin propellers, 7,400shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS White Marsh (LSD-8)
    White Marsh
    10120808    		 266k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) launching three LCM's at White Beach, Leyte Island, Philippine Islands, 22 October 1944.
    US Army Signal Corps photo.    		 David Upton
    White Marsh 86k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Tommy Trampp
    White Marsh 978k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) at anchor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo # USN BUAER photo # 312989.    		 David Buell
    White Marsh 97k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) under way in coastal waters during the 1950s. Note the submarine passing by in the left background.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 107624.    		 Robert Hurst
    White Marsh 212k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) at anchor while lowering one of her boats, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1955.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    White Marsh 59k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) in the harbor at Malta, circa 1952.
    US Navy photo.    		 Robert Hurst
    White Marsh
    10120809    		 75k USS White Marsh (LSD-8) near Saglek Bay Labrador, Canada, 20 July 1953. Note she has a considerable list to port.
    Photo taken by Shoebee999 (real name unknown)    		 Robert Hurst
    ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191)
    White Marsh 42k Ex-USS White Marsh (LSD-8) under way while in Republic of China service as ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191), circa 1965. .
    White Marsh 35k ROCS Chung Cheng (LSD-191), at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    USS White Marsh (LSD-8)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Eppelman, George Herman, USNR29 January 1944 - 17 August 1945
    02LCDR. Hewitt Jr., John Vance, USNR17 August 1945 - 1 June 1946
    03LCDR. Bartell, Russell James, USNR1 June 1946 - 15 September 1946
    04LT. De Lancey Jr., John Blanchard, USN15 September 1946 - 15 February 1947
     Decommissioned15 February 1947 - 8 November 1950
    05CDR. Bright, Cooper Buck, USN8 November 1950 - July 1952
    06CDR. Reinhardt Jr., William Henry, USN (USNA 1941)January 1954 - November 1955
    07CDR. Flynn, Leonard John, USN (USNA 1934)November 1955 - 8 November 1956
    08CDR. Best Jr., Charles Louis, USN13 September 1960 - 17 November 1960
    Placed in service special to Taiwan, 17 November 1960
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 28 April 2023