USS LST-717

History
United States
Name	LST-717
Builder	Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co., Jeffersonville
Laid down	20 June 1944
Launched	29 July 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Lou Anne Malsie
Commissioned	23 August 1944
Decommissioned	12 June 1946
Stricken	12 March 1948
Identification	Callsign: NFTE
Fate	Transferred to the Republic of China, 1946
Taiwan
Name	Chung Yeh (中業)
Acquired	12 June 1946
Commissioned	12 June 1946
Fate	Transferred to China, 1953
China
Acquired	1953
General characteristics
Class and type	LST-542-class tank landing ship
Displacement	1,625 long tons (1,651 t) light 4,080 long tons (4,145 t) full
Length	328 ft (100 m)
Beam	50 ft (15 m)
Draft	Unloaded : 2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) forward 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) aft Loaded : 8 ft 2 in (2.49 m) forward 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) aft
Propulsion	2 × General Motors 12-567 diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	2 × LCVPs
Troops	16 officers, 147 enlisted men
Complement	7 officers, 104 enlisted men
Armament	8 × 40 mm guns 12 × 20 mm guns

USS LST-717 was a LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was transferred to the Republic of China Navy as ROCS Chung Yeh.

Construction and commissioning

LST-717 was laid down on 20 June 1944 at Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Company, Jeffersonville, Indiana. Launched on 29 July 1944 and commissioned on 23 August 1944.

Service in United States Navy

During World War II, LST-717 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater. She then participated in the Palawan Island landings from 1 to 7 March 1945 and Mindanao Island landings from 17 to 23 April 1945. She was assigned to occupation and China from 2 September 1945 to 12 June 1946.

She was decommissioned on 12 June 1946 and was struck from the Naval Register on 12 March 1946. On 12 June 1946, she was then transferred to the Republic of China under the lend-lease program and renamed Chung Yeh.

Service in Republic of China Navy

On 13 November 1947, she was stranded on the Changshan Island.

She was then incorporated into People's Liberation Army Navy in 1953 after her repair.

Awards

LST-717 have earned the following awards:

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1 battle star)
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)
• Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
• Philippine Liberation Medal (1 battle star)

Sources

• United States. Dept. of the Treasury (1962). Treasury Decisions Under the Customs, Internal Revenue, Industrial Alcohol, Narcotic and Other Laws, Volume 97. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Moore, Capt. John (1984). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984-85. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710607959.
• Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.
• Fairplay International Shipping Journal Volume 222. United Kingdom: Fairplay Publishing Limited. 1967.