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USS Bataan (CVL-29)
Encyclopedia
USS Bataan (CVL-29/AVT-4), originally planned as USS Buffalo (CL-99) and also classified as CV-29, was an 11,000 ton Independence class
light aircraft carrier
which was commissioned in the United States Navy
during World War II
.
, sponsored by Mrs. George D. Murray, wife of Rear Admiral
Murray; and commissioned on 17 November 1943, with Captain V. H. Schaeffer in command
After shakedown, she reported to the Pacific Fleet. In her initial engagement with the Japanese, Bataan's planes supported the attack on Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura
), New Guinea
, between 21 April and 24 April 1944. Following this action were strikes against Truk, Satawan, and Ponape (29 April – 1 May 1944); Saipan
, Marianas (11 June – 10 August); 1st Bonins raid (15–16 June); Battle of the Philippine Sea
(19–20 June), and the 2nd Bonins raid (24 June).
Bataan then returned to the United States
for repairs. Repairs completed, she joined TF 58 and participated in the fleet raids in support of the Okinawa operation (17 March – 30 May 1945), during which her aircraft assisted in the sinking of Yamato
on 7 April 1945 and I-56 on 18 April 1945, in 26°42′N 130°38′E. Retiring to the Philippines
, Bataan joined the 3rd Fleet for operations against the Japanese home islands (10 July – 15 August). Bataan was assigned to Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan
's Task Group 38.3 (TG 38.3) built around Bataan, Essex
, Ticonderoga
, Randolph
, and Monterey
).
Bataan returned to the United States, arriving at New York
17 October 1945, and was assigned to "Magic Carpet" duty. On 10 January 1946 she arrived at Philadelphia to prepare for inactivation. Bataan went out of commission in reserve on 11 February 1947.
cargo and personnel, and departed on 16 November for Tokyo Bay
. She arrived in Korea
n waters on 15 December, and until June 1951 her aircraft flew strikes in support of the ground forces.
Bataan departed for the west coast 2 June 1951 and, after a brief stop at San Diego, steamed to Bremerton, Washington
, on 9 July for overhaul. She returned to San Diego on 20 November, and on 27 January 1952 departed for Yokosuka, Japan
, and thence to Buckner Bay, Okinawa. She conducted air exercises and other training maneuvers off Okinawa until 29 April, when she sailed for Korean waters. Bataan continued operating between Japan and Korea
throughout the summer of 1952 carrying personnel and supplies to the fighting area and launching strikes against the enemy. She left the fighting zone on 11 August for San Diego. On 27 October the carrier once again stood out for the Far East
and operated off Korea until 10 May 1953, when she departed for San Diego.
She remained in the San Diego area undergoing overhaul and training until 31 July. Then she sailed via Pearl Harbor
to Kobe
and Yokosuka, Japan, and then back to the United States where she reported for inactivation on 26 August 1953. She went out of commission in reserve on 9 April 1954 at San Francisco, California
. She was stricken from the Navy List on 1 September 1959, and was sold for scrapping in May 1961.
service.
Independence class aircraft carrier
The Independence class aircraft carriers were a class of light carriers built for the United States Navy that served during World War II.This class were a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's interest in Navy shipbuilding plans...
light aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
which was commissioned in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War II
Buffalo (CL-99) was reclassified CV-29 and renamed Bataan on 2 June 1942, reclassified CVL-29 on 15 July 1943; launched on 1 August 1943 at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New JerseyCamden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, sponsored by Mrs. George D. Murray, wife of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Murray; and commissioned on 17 November 1943, with Captain V. H. Schaeffer in command
After shakedown, she reported to the Pacific Fleet. In her initial engagement with the Japanese, Bataan's planes supported the attack on Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura
Jayapura
Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
), New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, between 21 April and 24 April 1944. Following this action were strikes against Truk, Satawan, and Ponape (29 April – 1 May 1944); Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Marianas (11 June – 10 August); 1st Bonins raid (15–16 June); Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
(19–20 June), and the 2nd Bonins raid (24 June).
Bataan then returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for repairs. Repairs completed, she joined TF 58 and participated in the fleet raids in support of the Okinawa operation (17 March – 30 May 1945), during which her aircraft assisted in the sinking of Yamato
Japanese battleship Yamato
, named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was the lead ship of the Yamato class of battleships that served with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She and her sister ship, Musashi, were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, displacing...
on 7 April 1945 and I-56 on 18 April 1945, in 26°42′N 130°38′E. Retiring to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Bataan joined the 3rd Fleet for operations against the Japanese home islands (10 July – 15 August). Bataan was assigned to Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan
Gerald F. Bogan
Gerald Francis Bogan was a United States Navy Admiral.Bogan authored a confidential memorandum that was leaked by Captain John G. Crommelin during the Revolt of the Admirals in September 1949. His memo described the situation in the Navy as follows, "The morale of the Navy is lower today than at...
's Task Group 38.3 (TG 38.3) built around Bataan, Essex
USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Essex was an aircraft carrier, the lead ship of the 24-ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning the...
, Ticonderoga
USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
USS Ticonderoga was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for historic Fort Ticonderoga, which played a role in the American Revolutionary War...
, Randolph
USS Randolph (CV-15)
USS Randolph was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. The second US Navy ship to bear the name, she was named for Peyton Randolph, president of the First Continental Congress. Randolph was commissioned in October 1944, and served in several campaigns in the Pacific...
, and Monterey
USS Monterey (CVL-26)
USS Monterey was an Independence-class light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, in service during World War II and used in training for several years thereafter....
).
Bataan returned to the United States, arriving at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
17 October 1945, and was assigned to "Magic Carpet" duty. On 10 January 1946 she arrived at Philadelphia to prepare for inactivation. Bataan went out of commission in reserve on 11 February 1947.
Korea
Bataan was recommissioned on 13 May 1950 at Philadelphia. In July 1950, she stood out for San Diego, and upon arrival she loaded Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
cargo and personnel, and departed on 16 November for Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
. She arrived in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n waters on 15 December, and until June 1951 her aircraft flew strikes in support of the ground forces.
Bataan departed for the west coast 2 June 1951 and, after a brief stop at San Diego, steamed to Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
, on 9 July for overhaul. She returned to San Diego on 20 November, and on 27 January 1952 departed for Yokosuka, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and thence to Buckner Bay, Okinawa. She conducted air exercises and other training maneuvers off Okinawa until 29 April, when she sailed for Korean waters. Bataan continued operating between Japan and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
throughout the summer of 1952 carrying personnel and supplies to the fighting area and launching strikes against the enemy. She left the fighting zone on 11 August for San Diego. On 27 October the carrier once again stood out for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
and operated off Korea until 10 May 1953, when she departed for San Diego.
She remained in the San Diego area undergoing overhaul and training until 31 July. Then she sailed via Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
to Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
and Yokosuka, Japan, and then back to the United States where she reported for inactivation on 26 August 1953. She went out of commission in reserve on 9 April 1954 at San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. She was stricken from the Navy List on 1 September 1959, and was sold for scrapping in May 1961.
Awards
Bataan received six battle stars for her World War II service and seven for her Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
service.
External links
- USS Bataan at Nine Sisters Light Carrier Historical Documentary Project