USS Steamer Bay
 USS Steamer Bay underway
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Steamer Bay |
| Namesake | Steamer Bay, Etolin Island, Alaska |
| Ordered | as a Type S4-S2-BB3 hull, MCE hull 1124[1] |
| Awarded | 18 June 1942 |
| Builder | Kaiser Shipyards |
| Laid down | 4 December 1943 |
| Launched | 26 February 1944 |
| Commissioned | 4 April 1944 |
| Decommissioned | January 1947 |
| Out of service | 4 February 1946 |
| Stricken | 1 March 1959 |
| Identification | Hull symbol: CVE-87 |
| Honors and awards | 6 Battle stars |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping 29 August 1959 |
| General characteristics [2] | |
| Class and type | Template:Sclass- |
| Displacement |
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| Length | |
| Beam |
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| Draft | 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m) (max) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) |
| Range | 10,240 nmi (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | 27 |
| Aviation facilities | |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Operations: | |
USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87) was a Template:Sclass- of the United States Navy. It was named after Steamer Bay, located within Etolin Island. Launched in February 1944, and commissioned in April, she served in support of the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, the Invasion of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa. Postwar, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet. She was decommissioned in January 1947, when she was mothballed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Ultimately, she was sold for scrapping in August 1959.
Design and description
Steamer Bay was a Casablanca-class escort carrier, the most numerous type of aircraft carriers ever built,[3] and designed specifically to be mass-produced using prefabricated sections, in order to replace heavy early war losses. Standardized with her sister ships, she was 512 ft 3 in (156.13 m) long overall, had a beam of 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m), and a draft of 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m). She displaced 8,188 long tons (8,319 t) standard, 10,902 long tons (11,077 t) with a full load. She had a 257 ft (78 m) long hangar deck and a 477 ft (145 m) long flight deck. She was powered with two Uniflow reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing 9,000 horsepower (6,700 kW), thus enabling her to make 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). The ship had a cruising range of 10,240 nautical miles (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Her compact size necessitated the installment of an aircraft catapult at her bow, and there were two aircraft elevators to facilitate movement of aircraft between the flight and hangar deck: one each fore and aft.[4][3][5]
One 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose gun was mounted on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by 8 Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft guns in single mounts, as well as 12 Oerlikon 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, which were mounted around the perimeter of the deck.[5] By the end of the war, Casablanca-class carriers had been modified to carry thirty 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, and the amount of Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) guns had been doubled to sixteen, by putting them into twin mounts. These modifications were in response to increasing casualties due to kamikaze attacks. However, Liscome Bay was sunk before this would become apparent. Casablanca-class escort carriers were designed to carry 27 aircraft, but the hangar deck could accommodate more. During the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, the Invasion of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa, she carried 16 FM-2 fighters, and 12 TBM-3 torpedo bombers, for a total of 28 aircraft.[6][7][8]
Construction
The escort carrier was laid down on 4 December 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract, MC hull 1124, by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington. She was launched on 26 February 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Henry S. Kendall; transferred to the United States Navy and commissioned on 4 April 1944, Captain Myron Steadman Teller in command.[1][9]
Service History
World War II
Steamer Bay held sea trials in Puget Sound and sailed for San Diego on 2 May. On the 14th, she headed for the New Hebrides, carrying the men and aircraft of Marine Air Group (MAG) 61. She arrived at Espiritu Santo on the 30th, unloaded, and began her return voyage to San Diego on 2 June. The carrier was on the west coast from 20 June to 19 July when she again steamed west, with 298 marines and 72 aircraft, bound for the Marshall Islands.
Steamer Bay arrived at Majuro on 1 August to discharge her cargo and passengers. She was routed back to Pearl Harbor and attached to the 3d Fleet as a carrier of replacement aircraft. Seventy-two planes were loaded on board; and the ship steamed for Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, on 21 August. During the next two and one-half months, the carrier supplied replacement aircraft and pilots to Task Force (TF) 38 which was supporting the operations in the Palau and Philippine Islands. She spent the period from 15 November to 5 December at Pearl Harbor undergoing repairs and training. The ship returned to Seeadler Harbor on 17 December 1944 and was assigned to Task Group (TG) 77.4, the San Fabian Carrier Group, which sortied on 1 January 1945.
The group (Taffy 2), consisting of six escort carriers under the command of Rear Admiral Felix Stump, supported the Lingayen landings. While steaming through the Sulu and South China seas toward the Lingayen beaches, during the first week of January 1945, the group was the target of numerous enemy air attacks. Of the six carriers, Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) was sunk on 4 January by a kamikaze plane; and Manila Bay (CVE-61) and Savo Island (CVE-78) were damaged the next day. During the landings, the CVE's launched over 1,400 aircraft sorties in support of ground forces. Steamer Bay remained in the Philippine Islands with the 7th Fleet until she got underway on 31 January for Ulithi.
Steamer Bay anchored there from 5 February to 10 February, when she departed with units of the 5th Fleet for the invasion of Iwo Jima. She was with four other escort carriers which arrived at their assigned area of operations, 50 miles west of Iwo Jima, on 16 February. Their mission was to neutralize Japanese bases in the Nanpō Islands until 19 February (D-Day) and then provide air cover and direct support for the marines during the landings and the struggle for the strategic island.
Steamer Bay was relieved on 7 March and arrived at San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on the 12th. She sailed for the Ryukyus on 27 March and arrived in the operating area south of Okinawa on the morning of 1 April. She remained off Okinawa until 26 May when she sailed to Apra Harbor, Guam, for repairs. On 10 June, the carrier was ordered to join the 3d Fleet east of Miyako Jima and assist in neutralizing Japanese airfields in Sakishima Gunto. She conducted air strikes against the fields from 14 June to 22 June, when she sailed for Ulithi.
Steamer Bay stood out of Ulithi, on 3 July, with the Logistics Support Group resupplying the fast carrier forces during operations against the Japanese mainland. On the 20th, she was detached and sailed, via Guam and Pearl Harbor, for the west coast, arriving at San Diego on 10 August.
Post war
Steamer Bay was in drydock when hostilities with Japan ended, and she was given additional bunks to accommodate veterans returning from overseas. She sailed for Pearl Harbor, on 28 September, on her first “Magic Carpet” assignment.
Steamer Bay was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet on 4 February 1946 and berthed at Tacoma, Washington. In January 1947, she was placed in reserve, out of commission. Her designation was changed from CVE-87 to CVHE-87 on 12 June 1955. The carrier was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959 and sold to Hyman-Michaels Co., Chicago, Illinois, on 29 August 1959 for scrap.
See also
References
- ^ a b Kaiser Vancouver 2010.
- ^ Chesneau & Gardiner 1980, p. 109
- ^ a b Chesneau & Gardiner 1980, p. 109
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, pp. 34–35
- ^ a b Hazegray 1998.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 276
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 321
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 348
- ^ DANFS 2016.
Sources
Online sources
- "Steamer Bay (CVE-87)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 3 March 2016 suggested (help) - "Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 27 November 2010. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 16 June 2019 suggested (help) - "World Aircraft Carriers List: US Escort Carriers, S4 Hulls". Hazegray.org. 14 December 1998. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
Bibliography
- Chesneau, Robert; Gardiner, Robert (1980), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, London, England: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 9780870219139
- Y'Blood, William (2014), The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan (E-book), Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, ISBN 9781612512471
External links
- Photo gallery of USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87) at NavSource Naval History