Эскортный авианосец USS Wake Island: История службы (Escort Aircraft Carrier USS Wake Island: History of Service)

Casablanca class escort carrier of the US Navy

USS Wake Island (CVE 65) was a of the United States Navy. She was laid down under a United States Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1102) on 6 February 1943 at Vancouver, Washington, by the Kaiser Shipyards; launched on 15 September 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Frederick Carl Sherman, the wife of Rear Admiral Frederick Sherman; and commissioned on 7 November 1943, with Captain Hames R. Tague in command.

Following commissioning, Wake Island received supplies, ammunition, and gasoline at Astoria, Oregon, and got underway on 27 November 1943 for Puget Sound and anchored the following day at Bremerton, Washington, where she continued to load supplies and ammunition. The carrier operated in the Puget Sound area conducting structural firing tests and making stops at Port Townsend, Sinclair Inlet, and Seattle before sailing south on 6 December. She arrived at San Francisco, California on 10 December, took on fuel, and, two days later, headed for San Diego, arriving there on 14 December for shakedown and availability. Before departing, the carrier took on board the personnel and planes of Composite Squadron 69 (VC 69). On 11 January 1944, Wake Island got underway and steamed, via the Panama Canal, to Hampton Roads, Virginia, arriving at Norfolk, Virginia on 26 January. Following availability, the carrier sailed on 14 February for New York City in company with Mission Bay, Swenning, and Haverfield. On 16 February, after loading supplies and embarking Army and Navy officers for transportation, Wake Island set course for Recife, Brazil, the first stop on her voyage to Karachi, India. She arrived at Recife on 1 March and made stops at Cape Town, South Africa, and Diego Suarez Harbor, Madagascar, before arriving at Karachi on 29 March. The carrier began her return trip on 3 April and arrived back at Norfolk on 12 May. She spent the remainder of May and part of June undergoing alterations and an overhaul. She then took on board the planes and personnel of VC 58 and, on 15 June, set course toward Bermuda for duty as the nucleus of Task Group 22.6 (TG 22.6), a combined, air and surface, anti submarine, hunter killer group. The highlight of her cruise came on 2 July, when one of her Grumman TBM Avengers intercepted the U 543 was launched in off the coast of Africa between the Canary and Cape Verde Islands, making its way home after an unsuccessful patrol in the Gulf of Guinea. The pilot, Ensign Frederick L. Moore, braved heavy anti aircraft fire from U 543, while making two bombing attacks which sank the U boat. However, no evidence appeared to confirm the kill, so the carrier and her escorts spent the next two weeks hunting the already destroyed submarine. TG 22.6 began her next serious encounter with the enemy two minutes before noon on 2 August, when Douglas L. Howard sighted a U boat's conning tower some 8 mile (13 km) away. She and Fiske were detached to investigate, while all planes in the area were recalled. An Avenger, armed with depth bombs, was catapulted at 1209. At 1235, a torpedo, apparently fired by a second submarine, hit Fiske midships and broke her in two. The ships of the group managed to maneuver clear of two more torpedoes which were fired at the force. The first report of casualties listed 4 dead, 26 missing, and 55 seriously injured. Farquhar was detached to support Howard and later to pick up survivors. As the group was preparing to avenge the loss of Fiske, heavy fog and rain stopped all operations. On 4 August, TG 22.6 was dissolved, and four days later, Wake Island made rendezvous with Convoy UC 32 as it steamed westward. She left the convoy on the 11th and headed for Hampton Roads. She arrived at Norfolk on the 15th for alterations and repairs which lasted through the 25th. Following post repair trials and a brief availability, the escort carrier sailed on 29 August for Quonset Point, Rhode Island, to relieve Mission Bay on carrier aircraft qualification operation duty which lasted until 30 October. The next day, the carrier sailed for Norfolk with Lea and Babbitt as escorts, and arrived on 1 November for a period of availability.

On the 11th, she stood out of Norfolk in company with Shamrock Bay and escorts bound via the Panama Canal for the west coast. The carrier entered San Francisco Bay on 28 November, and moored at the Naval Air Station Alameda, California, where she embarked two new aircraft squadrons before heading for Hawaii the following day. She moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor on 5 December, detached squadrons VC 9 and VPB 149, and disembarked personnel, planes, and equipment. Ten days later, Wake Island, her flight deck laden with cargo and unable to launch or receive planes, got underway for the Admiralty Islands with escorts Richard M. Rowell and O'Flaherty. She arrived at Manus Island on 27 December, discharged all cargo and passengers, sailed for the Palau Islands, and arrived at Kossol Roads on New Year's Day 1945. Late that evening, she loaded ammunition from a barge and got underway at 0642, bound for the Philippines and the forthcoming invasion of Luzon, in company with a tremendous fleet which had gathered for the operation. Two days later, Wake Island passed through Surigao Strait and launched both SNAP (anti snooper air patrol) and LCAP (local combat air patrol) aircraft. On 4 January 1945, she was operating in the Sulu Sea and launched a three hour SNAP. The American planes sighted a single engine Japanese float plane on the water off the southeastern tip of Panay Island. It appeared to be in the hands of a salvage crew. Two of the scout planes made two strafing runs each and left the plane riddled and the salvage crew dispersed. The Fleet entered Panay Gulf about 100 mile (161 km) southeast of Manila. Wake Island's surface search radar was jammed by enemy transmission, and the escort carrier went to general quarters at 1714. One minute later, a Japanese single engine plane appeared overhead in a steep diving attack on Ommaney Bay, some away. Fire immediately flared from that carrier's flight and hangar decks, and after 20 minutes, her crew abandoned Ommaney Bay under a dense cloud of black smoke. She burned with explosions of ammunition and was finally scuttled astern of the fleet by a torpedo from an American destroyer. On 5 January, Wake Island received 19 survivors of Ommaney Bay who had been rescued by Maury. The ship went to general quarters with bogies on the radar screen, but three threatened raids failed to develop. At 1502, eight LCAP fighters from Wake Island pounced upon a division of Japanese Army fighters. When the melee was over, the Americans claimed three certain kills and a probable without suffering any loss themselves. In all, Wake Island launched three LCAP's during daylight. At 1655, the ship again went to general quarters to repel an air attack and for the next hour was under severe attack. At one time, six single engine planes were simultaneously diving on carriers off Wake Islands port side. Five were knocked down by anti aircraft fire, narrowly missing their targets, but one managed a hit on Manila Bay. She caught fire and dropped behind, but her efficient damage control efforts enabled her to resume her position in the formation in only 51 minutes, with her flight deck out of commission. During the attack, at least 10 enemy planes splashed within of Wake Island, and her own anti aircraft gunners claimed three. On 13 January, two enemy planes attacked Salamaua, cruising about 8 mile (13 km) astern of Wake Island. One of the attackers was shot down, but the other scored a hit which briefly slowed that carrier. She soon regained speed and controlled a fire on her hangar deck without losing her position in the formation. Four days later, Wake Island was detached and left Lingayen Gulf in TG 77.14, a force consisting of eight escort carriers and their screen to retire to Ulithi, Caroline Islands. She anchored at Ulithi's southern anchorage from 23 to 31 January, undergoing availability and preparing for further operations. During this period, her home port was changed from Norfolk to Puget Sound, Bremerton, Washington.

On 10 February 1945, the carrier got underway to join TG 52.2, which had been established to provide air cover and support while escorting major units to the Volcano Islands and then to furnish naval gunfire, spotting, and direct air support for landing forces. The following day, she steamed to an area off Saipan Tinian where rehearsals for the invasion took place. On 13 February, Wake Islands commanding officer, Capt. Austen V. Magly, was designated OTC of Task Unit 52.2.1 (TU 52.2.1). On 14 February, the carrier set course for Iwo Jima and, two days later, arrived at her operating area 49 mile (79 km) from the southwestern tip of Iwo Jima. Shortly after daylight, the heavy bombardment group began shelling shore installations on the island. Planes from Wake Island flew spotting sorties, attacked defensive works with rocket fire, and flew local antisubmarine patrols and hydrographic observation flights over the beaches. D day for the invasion of Iwo Jima was 19 February; and on that day, Wake Island operated as before, flying 56 spotting sorties and firing 87 rockets. Bismarck Sea, a carrier in her group, was sunk by a kamikaze attack on 21 February. The next day, Wake Island was detached and ordered to proceed to a rendezvous point east of Iwo Jima. There, she refueled on 23 February and set course to return to the operating area east of Iwo Jima. The following day, she took station some 35 mile (56 km) from the southern tip of Iwo Jima and flew 55 spotting sorties, expending 205 rockets. In the ensuing weeks, Wake Island continued her operations supporting the Marines. On 5 March, she received a message of special interest from Commander, TU 52.2.1, Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague: "If your ship is as good as your Air Department and Squadron, it is a standout. I have seen nearly all the combat CVEs' work and I must say the Wake tops them all for efficiency, smoothness and good judgement. I hope we are together again." After 24 consecutive days of operations, Wake Island retired on 8 March from her station off Iwo Jima and rendezvoused with Saginaw Bay west of the island. The next day, they headed for Ulithi and arrived there on 14 March.

The carrier spent the next five days at anchor, preparing for another operation. She got underway on 21 March to supply air support for forces about to invade Okinawa. On 25 March, she arrived in the operating area roughly 60 mile (97 km) south of Okinawa Jima and began sending flights over Kerama Retto beaches and Okinawa. Wake Island continued her support of the campaign through the initial landings at Okinawa on 1 April. On the 3rd, the carrier was operating southeast of Okinawa. At 1722, she completed the landing of her fifth spotting sortie, and all her planes were back on board. Eight minutes later, she went to general quarters, and enemy bogies were reported. At 1742, a violent wave hit the ship while planes were being moved for spotting on the flight deck. Two General Motors FM 2 Wildcats were thrown off the flight deck into the water. Two fighters were flipped over on their backs, and two others received severe damage when tossed about. At the same instant, two Wildcats broke loose from their lashings on the hangar deck and collided, with major damage to both. At 1744, a Japanese single engine aircraft plunged at the ship from a high angle and missed the port forward corner of the flight deck, exploding in the water abreast the forecastle. Thirty seconds later, a second similar aircraft whistled down on the starboard side at tremendous speed, narrowly missing the bridge structure and plunging into the water about 10 feet (3 m) from the hull. The aircraft exploded after impact, ripping a hole in the ship's side below the waterline, about 45 feet (14 m) long and about 18 feet (5 m) from top to bottom, and making many shrapnel holes. In 1946, Wake Island prepared for inactivation. She was decommissioned on 5 April; struck from the Naval Vessel Register on the 17th; and subsequently sold for scrap to the Boston Metals Company, Baltimore, Maryland, on 19 April 1946.

Wake Island earned three battle stars during World War II.