Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Memorandum by Rear Admiral S. S. Murray 80 to General Marshall
Subject: Transfer of U. S. Naval Vessels to Chinese Navy Under Lend Lease.
1. Prior to requesting authorization from the Chief of Naval Operations to turnover the next group of U. S. Naval vessels to the Chinese Navy, the Commander Seventh Fleet requests your concurrence in the following tentative schedule of transfers under lend lease:
| 30 | November | 1 LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) |
| 7 | December | 1 LST (Landing Ship Tanks) |
| 14 | December | 1 LSM (Landing Ship Medium) |
| 21 | December | 1 LST (Landing Ship Tanks) |
| 28 | December | 1 LSM (Landing Ship Medium) |
2. The above landing craft are all of troop or vehicle transporting types. As used by the Chinese, each is capable of transporting approximately the following number of Chinese troops:
| 1 LST— | 1000 |
| 1 LSM— | 400 |
| 1 LCI— | 200 |
The two LST’s will make a total of nine LST’s and complete the turnover of this type to the Chinese Navy. The two LSM’s will make a total of six LSM’s, and the LCI will make a total of six LCI’s they will have received. This will leave two more of each of these two types for turnover to complete those for a total of eight LSM’s and eight LCI’s scheduled ultimately. The Chinese Navy crews for the above five amphibious craft will be trained and ready to take over by the scheduled dates.
3. The last landing craft capable of transporting troops transferred to the Chinese Navy was the LSM 431 on 14 September. LST 1017, which was scheduled for turnover to the Chinese Navy in September, has not been transferred yet. Commander Seventh Fleet expects to turn LST 1017 over to the Chinese Navy about 20 November. The above two ships were previously cleared by you and the Navy Department for transfer under lend lease.
- Senior member, U. S. Naval Advisory Survey Board.↩