The purpose of this study is to predict and understand the hydrodynamic forces and their nonlinear behaviors of fluid motion around the submerged plate oscillating near a free surface. To achieve this objective, we have developed a composite grid method for the solution of a radiation problem. The domain is divided into two different grids; one is a moving grid system and the other is a fixed grid system. The moving grid is employed for the body fitted coordinate system and moves with the body. This numerical method is applied to calculation of radiation forces generated by the submerged plate oscillating near a free surface. In order to investigate the characteristics of the radiation forces, the forced heaving tests have been performed with several amplitudes and different submergences near a free surface. These experimental results are compared with the numerical ones obtained by the present method and a linear potential theory. As a result, we can confirm the accuracy of the present method. Finally, the effect of nonlinear and viscous damping has been evaluated on the hydrodynamic forces acting on the submerged plate.