An item reported that the Nationalist Chinese navy suffered severely during operations off the Tachen Islands:
The destroyer escort Taiping (ex-USS Decker) was sunk on 14 November 1954 probably by MTB’s off the Tachens.(1)
The destroyer escort Taiho (ex-USS Thomas) encountered on 10 January 1955 on starboard of the bridge a near miss by a fragmention bomb with as results 500 holes in her side and superstructure.(2)
The L.S.T. Chunghai was on 10 January 1955 hit by 3 rockets in the superstructure but just supericially damaged.
The L.S.T. Chung Chuan was lost on 10 January 1955 when her cago of coal and stores was set on fire. She burned out and sunk near the landing beach at Tachen.
The gunboat Ling Chiang (ex- USS PGM 13) lost on 10 January 1953 her stern blown off by a torpedo and sunk after 5 hours.
The repair ship Heng Shan hit three times by 250lb bombson 10 January 1955 causing extensive damage to her superstructure and living accommodations although her machinery was not damaged. Estimated was two months to be repaired.
Notes
1. Part of Everart-class destroyer escorts preceded by Buckley-class, laid down by Philadephia Navy Yard, USA as BDE-47 on 1 April 1942, launched on 24 July 1942, renamed USS Decker (DE-47) on 4 March 1943, commissioned between 3 May 1943-28 August 1945, transferred to Nationalist China/Taiwan on 28 August 1945, stricken US Navy on 12 March 1948, renamed ROCS Tai Ping (F-22) and sunk by Communist Chinese forces north off Tachen Islands on 14 November 1954.
2. Part of Cannon-class destroyer escorts preceded by Buckley-class succeeded by Edsall-class. DE-102. Laid down by Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on 16 January 1943, launched on 31 July 1943, commissioned between 21 November 1943-March 1946, transferred to Nationalist China/Taiwan on 14 December 1948, stricken on 22 December 1948, renamed ROCS Taiho (DE-23), decommissioned, stricken and broken up in 1972.
Source
Website Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre.
