>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” (1968) Vol. 3, pp.664-666. KLEINSMITH Charles Kleinsmith, born 28 September 1904 in Zionville, Pa., enlisted in the Navy 26 October 1922 as an apprentice seaman. Until honorably discharged 5 October 1926 as Fireman Second Class, he served on board several ships, including battleships WYOMING (BB-32) and MARYLAND (BB-46). Kleinsmith reenlisted 20 December 1928, and during the next 11 years, he had duty on board light cruisers MILWAUKEE (CL-5), CINCINNATI (CL-6) and HONOLULU (CL-48), and heavy cruiser PORTLAND (CA-33). He reported on board aircraft carrier SARATOGA (CV-3) 27 December 1939 and transferred to carrier YORKTOWN (CV-5) 31 October 1940. During the Battle of Midway 4 June 1942, Kleinsmith maintained auxiliary power on YORKTOWN after an intense enemy bombing attack extinguished the fires in all boilers but one. Despite the stifling fumes, intense heat, and imminence of explosion, he performed courageously, enabling the fighting carrier to attain speed necessary for launching planes to oppose a Japanese aerial torpedo attack. At the end of the attack, Chief Watertender Kleinsmith was missing and presumed dead. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. APD-134 Displacement: 1,450 t. Length: 306’ Beam: 36’10” Draft: 13’6” Speed: 23.6 k. Complement: 204 Armament: 1 5”; 6 40mm; 6 20mm; 2 depth charge tracks; Class: CROSLEY Originally designated DE-718, a RUDDEROW-class destroyer escort, KLEINSMITH was redesignated as APD-134 on 17 July 1944; launched 27 January 1945 by Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City, Mich.; sponsored by Mrs. Mary Agnes Kleinsmith; and commissioned at New Orleans 12 June 1945, Lt. Comdr. Alden J. Laborde in command. After shakedown out of Guantanamo Bay, KLEINSMITH arrived Norfolk 21 July. Departing 4 August for the Pacific, the high-speed transport steamed via San Diego and Pearl Harbor and reached Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 1 October. She operated between Okinawa and the Japanese home islands until 21 February 1946; then she sailed from Sasebo via the Marshalls and Pearl Harbor, arriving San Francisco 24 March with 118 returning veterans embarked. Departing 10 April, she proceeded via the Panama Canal to the East Coast, arriving Norfolk 1 May. Based at Norfolk and Little Creek, Va., during the next 6 years, KLEINSMITH operated along the Atlantic coast from Labrador to Venezuela while conducting amphibious and antisubmarine operations. She served primarily as an amphibious command ship; many of her cruises carried her into the Caribbean, where she operated out of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guantanamo Bay. Returning from the Caribbean 13 February 1951, KLEINSMITH departed Little Creek 5 March on the first of four deployments to the Mediterranean. Arriving Gibraltar 15 March with UDT personnel embarked, she deployed with the mighty 6th Fleet and participated in amphibious operations that ranged from Oran, Algeria, to Phaleron Bay, Greece. After serving as amphibious control ship, she departed Gibraltar 26 June for the United States, arriving Little Creek 6 July. On 19 July 1952 she departed for a 4-month deployment with the 6th Fleet and supported its important peacekeeping activities off the troubled lands of the Mediterranean. Returning to Little Creek 29 January 1955, KLEINSMITH resumed operations along the eastern seaboard to the Caribbean. On 9 January 1957 she again departed for duty with the 6th Fleet and for almost 3 months operated in the Eastern Mediterranean. In response to an urgent request from King Hussein of Jordan, whose government was threatened with leftist-oriented, Egyptian-supported subversion, KLEINSMITH departed La Spezia, Italy, 25 April for the Levantine Coast. Arriving off Beirut, Lebanon, 30 April, she joined ships of the 6th Fleet in a formidable display of seapower, designed to show U.S. determination that the integrity and independence of nations in the Middle East would be guaranteed against Communist subversion or aggression. Remaining on station until 3 May, she then departed Rhodes, Greece, 18 May and returned to Little Creek 1 June. In less than 3 months, KLEINSMITH sailed once again for the Mediterranean, arriving Palermo, Sicily, 15 September. During the previous August, a pro-Soviet takeover of the Syrian Army had threatened the stability of the Middle East. The high-speed transport proceeded to the Eastern Mediterranean 19 September and operated there to prevent aggression and to preserve peace. She departed Barcelona, Spain, 4 November arrived Little Creek 17 November. In 1958, KLEINSMITH continued her activities along the Atlantic coast. While operating out of Guantanamo Bay 24 October, she rescued 56 U.S. citizens and 3 foreign nationals at Nicaro, Cuba, where they were endangered by military operations between the Cuban Army and the Castro rebels. From 27 May to 3 August 1959, she cruised to the Great Lakes via the newly opened St. Lawrence Seaway. On 1 April 1960, KLEINSMITH departed Little Creek for the Pacific. Steaming via San Diego, Pearl Harbor, and Guam, she arrived Tsoying, Taiwan 15 May. KLEINSMITH decommissioned 16 May and was transferred the same day to the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China. At present she serves in the Nationalist Chinese Navy as TIEN SHAN (APD-215). [TIEN SHAN was not formerly purchased by Taiwan until 1974. Her pennant number was subsequently changed to 615, then to 815. She was disarmed, except for a twin 40mm mount and was assigned to the Customs Service Coastal Patrol Command for fisheries and economic exclusion zone patrol. TIEN SHAN was stricken in 1993. “Conway’s All The World’s Fighting Ships, 1947-1995,” p.457. “Conway’s” says ex-KLEINSMITH was acquired in June 1967. “Jane’s Fighting Ships, 1966-67,” p.253; “1969-70,” p.211; “1990-91,” p.536 “Jane’s, 1969-70,” says the original designation for TIEN SHAN was APD-315. “Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 1993,” p.695; “1995,” p.732; “1998-99,” p.854.] Transcribed by Michael Hansen mhansen2@home.com