USS Fort Marion (LSD-22)

• Namesake: USS Fort Marion (LSD-22) was named after the historic Castillo de San Marcos ("Fort Marion") in St. Augustine, Florida, which played a significant role in American colonial and military history. • Class and Role: She was a Casa Grande-class dock landing ship, designed to transport and launch landing craft and vehicles during amphibious operations. • World War II Launch: Fort Marion was launched on 22 May 1945 by the Moore Dry Dock Company in Oakland, California, just months before the end of World War II. • Commissioning and Decommissioning: She was commissioned on 29 January 1946 and first decommissioned in 1947, seeing limited action during the immediate postwar period. • Korean War Service: The ship was recommissioned in 1950 for the Korean War and played an active role in amphibious operations, including the famous Inchon landings. • Inchon Landings: During the Korean War, Fort Marion participated in the daring Inchon amphibious assault, which is credited with turning the tide of the war in favor of UN forces. • Atomic Testing: In 1952, Fort Marion supported Operation Ivy, the first full-scale test of a thermonuclear device, by transporting equipment to the test site at Eniwetok Atoll. • Vietnam War Service: She also served during the Vietnam War, providing amphibious support and participating in various operations off the Vietnamese coast. • International Transfer: After being decommissioned from the U.S. Navy in 1970, Fort Marion was transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy, where she served as ROCS Chen Hai (LSD-192). • Long Service Life: The ship had an exceptionally long and varied career, serving in three major conflicts and under two different flags before finally being retired and scrapped in 1999.