USS Sweetwater County

USS Sweetwater County (LST-1152) was a LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. She was transferred to the Republic of China Navy as ROCS Chung Ming (LST-227).^[1]

ROCS Chung Ming
History
United States
Name	LST-1152
Builder	Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca
Laid down	5 March 1945
Launched	8 June 1945
Commissioned	30 June 1945
Decommissioned	1 July 1946
Namesake	Sweetwater County
Renamed	Sweetwater County
Stricken	6 February 1959
Identification	Pennant number: LST-1152
Honors & awards	See Awards
Fate	Transferred to the Republic of China, 1958
Taiwan
Name	Chung Ming (中明)
Acquired	21 October 1958
Commissioned	21 October 1958
Homeport	Kaohsiung
Identification	Pennant number: LST-227
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class & 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

Construction and commissioning

LST-1152 was laid down on 5 March 1945 at Chicago Bridge and Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois. Launched on 8 June 1945 and commissioned on 30 June 1945.

Service in the United States Navy

During World War II, LST-1152 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. She was assigned to occupation and Far East from 1 November to 22 December 1945.^[1]

She was decommissioned on 1 July 1946 and struck from the Naval Register on 6 February 1956 after she was transferred to the Republic of China and renamed Chung Ming (LST-227).^[2] While being mothballed on 1 July 1955, she was given the name Sweetwater County.

Service in the Republic of China Navy

On 18 March 2021, she participated in a military exercise.^[3]

Awards

LST-1152 have earned the following awards:

• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp)