USS Tulagi (CVE-72)

Overview
Order	1942
Keel laying	June 7, 1943
Launch	November 15, 1943
Commissioning	December 21, 1943
Decommissioning	April 30, 1946
Whereabouts	scrapped
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 Tulagi (CVE-72), formerly USS Fortazela Bay was an escort carrier of the Casablanca-class in the service of the United States Navy during World War II . The name was chosen in memory of the battles around Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo , with which the Allied counter-offensive in the Pacific War began in August 1942. The carrier entered service on December 21, 1943 and was placed under the command of Captain Joseph Campbell Cronin.

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 7,800 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 9,000 hp .

history

commitment

After commissioning on December 21, 1943, the ship served as a supplier for air force bases in the Pacific, including Hawaii . In June 1944 the ship was moved to Europe. There the carrier took part in the invasion of southern France. Their planes destroyed several positions and supply columns on the streets. Since the end of the war in Europe was in sight, the carrier drove back to the Pacific. On its way to Luzon , the convoy of the USS Tulagi was repeatedly targeted by kamikaze attacks that could sink some ships. In the run-up to the landing on Iwo Jima , the Tulagi took part in the hunt for Japanese submarines. The last task was air support and submarine hunting off Okinawa , where she was repeatedly targeted, but was able to repel all Kamikaze pilots.

scrapping

After the war, the ship was removed from the ship register on May 8, 1946.

Web links

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