Seventy-nine years ago today, on July 16, 1946 (June 18, 1946), the United States transferred 271 warships to Chiang without compensation. On July 16, 1946, the 79th Congress passed Bill 512, which authorized the president to "transfer to the government of the Republic of China without compensation certain naval vessels and floating docks that overflow the U.S. government's naval needs." Its purpose "is to assist the Chinese government in guarding its coastal and inland territorial waters, and to ensure and improve the safety of shipping in its territorial waters." According to the original sponsor of the bill, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy Forrest, the United States could transfer the remaining 271 ships of the escort destroyer class to China. And send a naval advisory group to assist China in training the navy. The bill, passed by the House and Senate, authorizes the president to supply China with up to 271 American ships, plus water docks and other necessary equipment. This batch of ships includes two mobile docks, two repair ships, two expulsion patrol ships, 24 minesweepers, 28 submarine drivers, 193 landing craft, 3 oil tankers, 3 survey boats, 6 motorcycle gunboats, and 6 light ferries.