USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73)

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photo
period of service Gösch
Keel laying: July 10, 1943
Launch: November 22, 1943
Commissioning: December 28, 1943
Whereabouts: Sunk October 25, 1944 65 km east of Samar
11 ° 30 ′ 50.4 ″  N , 126 ° 12 ′ 0 ″  E
Technical specifications
Displacement: 7,800  ts
Length: 156 m
Width: 19.90 m
Drive:
Speed: 19 knots (35 km / h)
Crew: 860
Armament: 1 × 5-inch gun
16 × 40-mm flak
20 × 20-mm flak
Airplanes: 28

The Gambier Bay (CVE-73) was a Casablanca-class escort aircraft carrier of the United States Navy during World War II . She was baptized on November 22, 1943 by H. C. Zitzewitz in Vancouver WA .

Early use

After its commissioning on December 28, 1943, it completed test drives off San Diego under the command of Captain Hugh H. Goodwin, before setting off on February 7, 1944 with 400 embarked soldiers for Pearl Harbor . Subsequently, it was used for personnel and material assignments.

First combat missions

On May 1, Gambier Bay set out for the Marshall Islands to join Task Force 52.11 under Rear Adm. H. B. Sallada, which was preparing for the invasion of the Mariana Islands . During the first Saipan landings , which began on July 15, the ship's flight squadrons flew air support for the Marines , and the air defense was able to hold off an attack by 47 Japanese aircraft against the task group.

In the further course the carrier had further assignments in Saipan, Tinian and Guam. After a supply stay in the Marshall Islands, he participated in the conquest of Peleliu and Manus.

Attack on the Philippines

Together with the escort aircraft carrier Kitkun Bay , and accompanied by six destroyers, the Gambier Bay escorted freighters and dropships into the Gulf of Leyte , where they joined the escort carrier task force (TG 77.4) of Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague on September 19 to participate in the invasion of the Philippines to participate. Together with five other escort carriers and seven destroyers, the Gambier Bay belonged to the "Taffy 3" group, which gave air support to the landing groups and ensured air sovereignty over Leyte.

The battle of Samar

The burning Gambier Bay

The Japanese responded to the American advances by sending their entire fleet to the Leyte Gulf . The Japanese units approached in three groups and were discovered by American air surveillance on October 24th. The southern and middle group of the Japanese units were devastated by air and sea attacks , so that Admiral Halsey and his carrier group turned north to intercept the third unit, while Taffy 3 continued to operate aerial surveillance off Samar .

However, due to a misunderstanding, Halsey's entire fleet withdrew, leaving San Bernardino Street unguarded, where the units of the decimated Japanese unit were still located. This fleet still consisted of 20 ships, including numerous cruisers under Admiral Kurita , which came across Taffy 3 on 25 October. The air units of Gambier Bay and the other carriers flew air strikes against the superior enemy squadron and were able to sink three cruisers and severely damage another. The Gambier Bay , however, was under direct fire from the Japanese cruisers, which had meanwhile come very close, so that even the single 127 mm cannon of the carrier could intervene in the battle. The destroyers of Taffy 3 tried again and again to smoke the carrier and thus evade enemy fire. In addition, after they ran out of torpedoes, they carried out numerous mock attacks on the Japanese units, only to then fire a shot from their guns. At 9:07 a.m. Gambier Bay capsized and finally sank. 800 seamen were rescued from Leyte by landing and patrol boats .

The further course

Shortly after the sinking of Gambier Bay , the flight squadrons of the "Taffy 2" called for help arrived. Admiral Kurita rallied his ships and withdrew from the battle. During his retreat, other ships of his association were sunk or badly damaged in the following days.

literature

  • Edwin Palmer Hoyt: The Men of the Gambier Bay: The Amazing True Story of the Battle of Leyte Gulf . The Lyons Press, Guilford CT 2002, ISBN 1-58574-643-6 .

Web links

Commons : USS Gambier Bay  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files