USS Fort Marion

History
United States
Name	Fort Marion
Namesake	Fort Marion in Florida
Builder	Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.
Launched	22 May 1945
Commissioned	29 January 1946
Decommissioned	13 February 1970
Stricken	31 October 1974
Fate	Sold to Taiwan, 15 April 1977
Taiwan
Name	ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192)
Acquired	15 April 1977
Decommissioned	May 1999
Fate	Sunk as artificial reef, 9 December 2000
General characteristics
Class and type	Casa Grande-class dock landing ship
Displacement	7,930 tons (loaded),; 4,032 tons (light draft);
Length	457 ft 9 in (139.5 m) overall
Beam	72 ft 2 in (22.0 m)
Draft	8 ft 2½ in (2.5 m) fwd,; 10 ft ½ in (3.1 m) aft (light);; 15 ft 5½ in (4.7 m) fwd,; 16 ft 2 in (4.9 m) aft (loaded);
Propulsion	2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 Skinner Uniflow Reciprocating Steam Engines, 2 propeller shafts - each shaft 3,700 hp, at 240 rpm total shaft horse power 7,400, 2 11 ft 9 in diameter, 9 ft 9 in pitch propellers
Speed	17 knots (31 km/h)
Range	8,000 nmi. at 15 knots; (15,000 km at 28 km/h);
Boats & landing ; craft carried	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;
Capacity	22 officers, 218 men
Complement	17 officers, 237 men (ship);; 6 officers, 30 men (landing craft);
Armament	1 × 5 in / 38 cal. DP gun;; 2 × 40 mm quad AA guns;; 2 × 40 mm twin AA guns;; 16 × 20 mm AA guns;
Aircraft carried	modified in 1953 to accommodate helicopters on an added portable deck

USS Fort Marion (LSD-22) was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy. She was named for the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida, which was named Fort Marion from 1821 till 1942.^[1]

^ Sister ship USS San Marcos (LSD-25) was named for the same landmark, under its original name, which was restored in 1942.

[1] Sister ship USS San Marcos (LSD-25) was named for the same landmark, under its original name, which was restored in 1942.

[1]

History

United States
Name	Fort Marion
Namesake	Fort Marion in Florida
Builder	Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.
Launched	22 May 1945
Commissioned	29 January 1946
Decommissioned	13 February 1970
Stricken	31 October 1974
Fate	Sold to Taiwan, 15 April 1977
Taiwan
Name	ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192)
Acquired	15 April 1977
Decommissioned	May 1999
Fate	Sunk as artificial reef, 9 December 2000
General characteristics
Class and type	Casa Grande-class dock landing ship
Displacement	7,930 tons (loaded), 4,032 tons (light draft)
Length	457 ft 9 in (139.5 m) overall
Beam	72 ft 2 in (22.0 m)
Draft	8 ft 2½ in (2.5 m) fwd, 10 ft ½ in (3.1 m) aft (light); 15 ft 5½ in (4.7 m) fwd, 16 ft 2 in (4.9 m) aft (loaded)
Propulsion	2 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 Skinner Uniflow Reciprocating Steam Engines, 2 propeller shafts - each shaft 3,700 hp, at 240 rpm total shaft horse power 7,400, 2 11 ft 9 in diameter, 9 ft 9 in pitch propellers
Speed	17 knots (31 km/h)
Range	8,000 nmi. at 15 knots (15,000 km at 28 km/h)
Boats & landing craft carried	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
Capacity	22 officers, 218 men
Complement	17 officers, 237 men (ship); 6 officers, 30 men (landing craft)
Armament	1 × 5 in / 38 cal. DP gun; 2 × 40 mm quad AA guns; 2 × 40 mm twin AA guns; 16 × 20 mm AA guns
Aircraft carried	modified in 1953 to accommodate helicopters on an added portable deck