USS Corregidor (CVE-58)
Encyclopedia
USS Corregidor (CVE-58) was an Casablanca class
escort carrier of the United States Navy
.
She was laid down as Auguilla Bay (AVG-58), was reclassified ACV-58 on 20 August 1942 and launched as Corregidor on 12 May 1943 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, of Vancouver, Washington
, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. Hallett. She was reclassified CVE-58 on 15 July 1943, acquired by the Navy on 31 August 1943; and commissioned the same day, Captain
R. L. Bowman in command.
on 26 October 1943, Corregidor joined Carrier Division 24 (CarDiv 24) at Pearl Harbor
for air strikes in the Gilbert Islands
invasion from 10 November-6 December. She returned to San Diego to undergo repairs and load aircraft
and men, then resumed operations out of Pearl Harbor with her division. From 22 January-3 March 1944, she sailed in the Marshall Islands
operation, providing air cover for the invasion of Kwajalein
.
Corregidor put to sea on 11 March 1944 for Guadalcanal
, arriving there on 21 March. With the 3rd Fleet, she sortied on 30 March to provide air cover for the landings on Emirau Island
, returning to Port Purvis on 14 April. Two days later, she sailed to join the 7th Fleet
for air operations at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura)
between 22–26 April, then put in to Manus Island
for replenishment and antisubmarine patrols until 4 May. Embarking Commander, Carrier Division 24 for the Marianas operation, Corregidor provided combat air patrols and anti-aircraft support for the invasion of Saipan
from 15–25 June, with her aircraft accounting for at least eight enemy planes. She covered the logistics force off Eniwetok from 1–3 July, then aided in the softening up bombardment of Guam
and provided air cover for the invasion until 28 July, when she returned to San Diego for overhaul.
She worked on qualifying pilots in carrier operations at Pearl Harbor from 12 October-21 November 1944. On 26 October, she formed as a hunter-killer group with EscDiv 64, around to check out reported enemy submarine
movements between Pearl Harbor and California. On 2 January 1945, this group moved to patrol the area between Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok to protect heavy Allied shipping, returning to Pearl Harbor on 13 February.
Corregidor sailed from Pearl Harbor on 27 February to search for an overdue plane carrying Lieutenant General
M. F. Harmon, USA, arriving at Majuro
on 20 March. From 21 March-27 April, she conducted an anti-submarine patrol in the vicinity of Japanese-held Wotje and Maloelap in the Marshalls, then off Eniwetok.
, conducting carrier pilot qualifications until the end of the war. From 2 October 1945-10 January 1946, she alternated this duty with three voyages from Pearl Harbor to San Diego to return homeward-bound servicemen. Corregidor cleared San Diego on 18 January 1946 for Norfolk, Virginia
, arriving there on 4 February. Here she was placed out of commission in reserve on 30 July 1946.
. She ferried men, aircraft, and aviation cargo to NATO nations under the Mutual Defense Assistance Plan, but also made five voyages through the Panama Canal
to bring men and cargo to the United Nations
forces in Korea
in 1952-1954. Corregidor was reclassified T-CVU-58 on 12 June 1955. When the Lebanon crisis broke in the summer of 1958, Corregidor was at Brindisi
, Italy
, and immediately lifted two reconnaissance planes of the 24th Infantry Division, and 10 helicopters to support the landings in Lebanon
. Returning to the United States
, the ship suffered hull damage in the Atlantic Ocean
due to high seas on the night of 2 April 1958. She was transiting from Barcelona, Spain to NAS Pensacola, Florida, with 20 officers and 150 enlisted men. She made an emergency stop-over in the Azores
.Corregidor was decommissioned on 4 September 1958, and sold for scrap on 28 April 1959.
Casablanca class escort carrier
The Casablanca class escort aircraft carriers were the greatest number of not only escort carriers, but also any size aircraft carrier ever built to a like-design by any nation at any time. Fifty were laid down, launched and commissioned within the space of less than two years - 3 November 1942...
escort carrier of 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...
.
She was laid down as Auguilla Bay (AVG-58), was reclassified ACV-58 on 20 August 1942 and launched as Corregidor on 12 May 1943 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, of Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. J. Hallett. She was reclassified CVE-58 on 15 July 1943, acquired by the Navy on 31 August 1943; and commissioned the same day, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
R. L. Bowman in command.
World War II
Clearing San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 26 October 1943, Corregidor joined Carrier Division 24 (CarDiv 24) at 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...
for air strikes in the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
invasion from 10 November-6 December. She returned to San Diego to undergo repairs and load aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and men, then resumed operations out of Pearl Harbor with her division. From 22 January-3 March 1944, she sailed in the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
operation, providing air cover for the invasion of Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
.
Corregidor put to sea on 11 March 1944 for Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, arriving there on 21 March. With the 3rd Fleet, she sortied on 30 March to provide air cover for the landings on Emirau Island
Emirau Island
Emirau Island, also called Emira, is an island in the Bismarck Archipelago located at . It is currently part of the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea. The local language is a dialect of the Mussau-Emira language...
, returning to Port Purvis on 14 April. Two days later, she sailed to join the 7th Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
for air operations at 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....
between 22–26 April, then put in to Manus Island
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
for replenishment and antisubmarine patrols until 4 May. Embarking Commander, Carrier Division 24 for the Marianas operation, Corregidor provided combat air patrols and anti-aircraft support for the invasion of 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...
from 15–25 June, with her aircraft accounting for at least eight enemy planes. She covered the logistics force off Eniwetok from 1–3 July, then aided in the softening up bombardment of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and provided air cover for the invasion until 28 July, when she returned to San Diego for overhaul.
She worked on qualifying pilots in carrier operations at Pearl Harbor from 12 October-21 November 1944. On 26 October, she formed as a hunter-killer group with EscDiv 64, around to check out reported enemy submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
movements between Pearl Harbor and California. On 2 January 1945, this group moved to patrol the area between Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok to protect heavy Allied shipping, returning to Pearl Harbor on 13 February.
Corregidor sailed from Pearl Harbor on 27 February to search for an overdue plane carrying Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
M. F. Harmon, USA, arriving at Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
on 20 March. From 21 March-27 April, she conducted an anti-submarine patrol in the vicinity of Japanese-held Wotje and Maloelap in the Marshalls, then off Eniwetok.
Post-War
Returning to Pearl Harbor on 4 May 1945, Corregidor was assigned duty as a training ship in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, conducting carrier pilot qualifications until the end of the war. From 2 October 1945-10 January 1946, she alternated this duty with three voyages from Pearl Harbor to San Diego to return homeward-bound servicemen. Corregidor cleared San Diego on 18 January 1946 for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, arriving there on 4 February. Here she was placed out of commission in reserve on 30 July 1946.
Korea
Recommissioned on 19 May 1951, Corregidor was assigned to operate with the Military Sealift CommandMilitary Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
. She ferried men, aircraft, and aviation cargo to NATO nations under the Mutual Defense Assistance Plan, but also made five voyages through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
to bring men and cargo to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces 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...
in 1952-1954. Corregidor was reclassified T-CVU-58 on 12 June 1955. When the Lebanon crisis broke in the summer of 1958, Corregidor was at Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and immediately lifted two reconnaissance planes of the 24th Infantry Division, and 10 helicopters to support the landings in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the ship suffered hull damage in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
due to high seas on the night of 2 April 1958. She was transiting from Barcelona, Spain to NAS Pensacola, Florida, with 20 officers and 150 enlisted men. She made an emergency stop-over in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
.Corregidor was decommissioned on 4 September 1958, and sold for scrap on 28 April 1959.