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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

LSD-22 Fort Marion

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Zulu - Gold - Zulu
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons





Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Medal (with Asia Clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (5)
Fourth Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1 Quemoy-Matsu, 1-Vietnam, 1-Laos) - Vietnam Service Medal (5) - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (9)
Fifth Row - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

USS Fort Marion (LSD-22) was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192)
Casa Grande Class Dock Landing Ship:
  • Launched, 22 May 1945, at Gulf Shipbuilding Corp, Chickasaw, AL.
  • Commissioned USS Fort Marion (LSD-22), 29 January 1946, CDR. H. A. Adams in command
  • During the Korean War Fort Marion participated in the following campaigns:
    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    North Korean Aggression
    18 September to 2 November 1950     		UN First Counter Offensive
    26 March 1951
    6 to 9 April 1951
    Communist China Aggression
    3 November to 24 December 1950     		Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952
    20 to 21 May 1952
    26 May to 14 June 1952
    25 June to 7 July 1952
    16 August to 4 September 1952
    16 to 18 October 1952
    15 to 20 November 1952
    Inchon Landing
    13 to 17 September 1950     		.

  • During the Vietnam War Fort Marion participated in the following campaigns:
    Vietnam War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Vietnam Defense
    1 October 1965
    8 October 1965
    27 October to 20 November 1965
    27 November to 24 December 1965     		Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI
    7 December 1968 to 12 January 1969
    16 to 22 February 1969
    Vietnamese Counteroffensive
    25 to 30 December 1965
    22 January to 5 February 1966
    12 to 24 February 1966
    13 to 17 June 1966     		Tet 69/Counteroffensive - Phase III
    23 February to 27 March 1969
    17 to 22 April 1969
    7 to 26 May 1969
    Vietnamese Counter Offensive - Phase III
    10 to 13 September 1967
    25 to 27 September 1967
    3 to 6 October 1967
    23 to 31 October 1967
    13 November to 4 December 1967     		.

  • Decommissioned, 13 February 1970
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 31 October 1974
  • Sold to the Republic of China, 15 April 1977, renamed ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192)
  • Decommissioned by the Republic of China Navy in May 1999
  • Final Disposition, sunk as an artificial reef, 9 December 2000
  • Fort Marion received five battle stars for Korean War service and five campaign stars for the Vietnam War
    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"
    Draft 8' 2 ½" fwd, 10' ½" aft (light draft); 15' 5 ½" fwd, 16' 2" aft (seagoing loaded)
    Speed 17 knots maximum (design speed)
    Endurance 8,000 miles @ 15 knots
    Crew Complement 17 officers, 237 men; Landing Craft: 6 officers, 30 men
    Troop Complement 22 officers, 218 men
    Well Deck Capacity (varies with mission)
  • 3 LCT (Mk V or VI) each w/ 5 medium tanks or
  • 2 LCT (Mk III or IV) each w/ 12 medium tanks or
  • 14 LCM (Mk III) each w/ 1 medium tank or 1, 500 long tons cargo or
  • 47 DUKW or
  • 41 LVT or
  • Any combination of landing vehicles and landing craft up to capacity
    Well Deck Capacity (with prefabricated "Super-Decks" installed)
  • 108 DUKWs or
  • 92 LVTs or
  • Any combination of tracked/wheeled vehicles up to capacity.
    (Note: Incapable of repairing larger landing craft and ships in this configuration)
    Aircraft LSDs 1 - 27 (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
  • 1 - 5"/.38 caliber Dual Purpose single barrel mount in open tub (w/director)
  • 2 - 40MM quad barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 2 - 40MM twin barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (w/directors)
  • 16- 20MM single barrel Anti-Aircraft mounts (local control)
    Propulsion
  • 2 - Babcock and Wilcox Boilers, D Type, 2 Drum, Single Furnace, Single Uptake,
    Oil Fired
  • 2 - Skinner Engines - steam geared turbine (geared)
  • Twin screws
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS Fort Marion (LSD-22)
    Fort Marion 166k Fort Marion (LSD-22) at anchor in San Diego bay, date unknown.
    Photo ©Jack Davidson Studios, San Diego.    		 David Buell in honor of his father CWO4 Benton E. Buell, USN (Ret), Main Propulsion Assistant USS Oak Hill
    Fort Marion 86k Fort Marion (LSD-22) with Comstock (LSD-19), and Cree (ATF-84), date and place unknown. © Richard Leonhardt
    Fort Marion 84k LVTs embarking British Royal Marine commandos leave Fort Marion (LSD-22) for the beach at Sorye Dong, North Korea, on 7 April 1951. The commandos blew up about 100 yards of railroad, in an effort to interdict enemy logistics, and were then successfully reembarked.
    US Navy photo # 428316, now in the collections of the National Archives    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Fort Marion 49k Fort Marion (LSD-22) underway, date and place unknown. James Jossman USS Fort Marion May,1968 - October, 1969
    Fort Marion 95k Fort Marion (LSD-22) underway, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands: magazine November 1958    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Fort Marion 30k Fort Marion (LSD-22) at anchor, date and place unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192)
    Fort Marion 15k ex-Fort Marion (LSD-22) in the Republic of China service as ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192) at anchor, date and place unknown. Yu-Lun Miao
    Fort Marion 24k ex-Fort Marion (LSD-22) in the Republic of China service as Chen Hai (LSD-192) underway, date and place unknown. Yu-Lun Miao
    View the Fort Marion (LSD-22)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS Fort Marion LSD-22
    The LSDs of the US Navy
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 10 August 2007