USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56)

	; USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56)
Overview
Order	1942
Keel laying	December 9, 1942
Launch	April 19, 1943
Commissioning	August 7, 1943
Whereabouts	torpedoed and sunk on November 24, 1943
Technical specifications
displacement	7800 ts (standard) ; 10,400 ts (application)
length	156.2 m
width	32.9 m
Draft	6.9 m
crew	860
drive	4 piston steam engines, 9000 HP on two propellers
speed	19 kn
Range	10,200 nm at 15 kn
Armament	1 × 127 mm gun; 8 × 40mm twins ; 20 × 20 mm MK ;
Planes	28

The USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) was an escort carrier of the Casablanca-class in the service of the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific. The carrier entered service on August 7, 1943 and was under the command of Capt. ID Wiltsie posed. Originally she was supposed to be handed over to the British Royal Navy , but due to the large losses of her own she had to remain in the United States .

Data

The carrier had a crew of 860 men and could carry 28 aircraft. The dimensions were 156 meters long, 33 meters maximum width and 19.9 meters high. With a displacement of 7800 tons , it was able to achieve a top speed of 20 knots with two drive shafts and four piston steam engines with a total of 9000 hp.

commitment

After some training trips off the US west coast, the USS Liscome Bay was assigned to TF 52, Northern Attack Force, under the command of Richmond K. Turner , to support the attack on the Gilbert Islands . The carrier was in action off Makin and Tarawa , the aircraft attacked Japanese airfields and fortifications. After the islands were secured, the USS Liscome Bay was anchored off Makin for several days to allow her crew to recover.

Sinking

On the morning of November 24, 1943, the ship was attacked by a Japanese submarine . A single torpedo hit the rear of the ship. The carrier was torn apart by a huge explosion, hurling debris up to 3 miles. It began to tip quickly to starboard and sank at 5.33 a.m. 644 men were killed, including Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix , Commander of Task Group 52.3, Commander Captain Wiltsie, and Doris Miller , the first African American to be awarded the Navy Cross .

literature

James L. Noles, Jr .: Twenty-Three Minutes to Eternity: The Final Voyage of the Escort Carrier USS Liscome Bay . University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa 2004. ISBN 0817313699

Web links

Commons : USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) - Collection of pictures, videos, and audio files

History of Liscome Bay in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (English)
Pictures of Liscome Bay at navsource.org