USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80)

USS "Petrof Bay" (CVE–80) was an "Casablanca" class escort carrier of the United States Navy.

She was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington, 15 October 1943; launched 5 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. G. Atkins; acquired 18 February 1944 and commissioned the same day at Astoria, Oregon, Capt. Joseph L. "Paddy" Kane in command.Ahlstrom, John D., CAPT USNR "Leyte Gulf Remembered" "United States Naval Institute Proceedings" August 1984 pp.45-53]

outhwest Pacific Operations

"Petrof Bay" departed Naval Air Station, San Diego, California 29 March for the southwest Pacific; unloaded passengers, aircraft and cargo upon arrival Espiritu Santo 14 April, and six days later sailed for Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, arriving there 25 April. She transferred eight aircraft to other ships in the harbor.

On the morning of 29 April, she made rendezvous with fast carrier Task Force 58 to furnish replacement aircraft, prior to its first strike against the then powerful Japanese stronghold of Truk. The ship then proceeded to Majuro, arriving 3 May, and rejoined Task Force 58 after its successful strike on Truk. There she unloaded all her aircraft and most aviation spares and materiel, and took on aircraft in need of major overhaul, and salvage equipment.

With "Barnes" and three destroyers, the ship turned toward the States 7 May, arriving San Francisco Bay 20 May. At San Diego, she embarked Composite Squadron 76 commanded by Lieutenant Commander James W. McCauley for shakedown air operations. On 30 July the ship shoved off for Pearl Harbor, arriving 6 August.

The extra aircraft were unloaded and all resemblance to a ferry transport disappeared. On 12 August she was underway in Task Group 32.4. en route Guadalcanal. She anchored in Tulagi Harbor, Solomon Islands, the afternoon of 24 August. On 4 September "Petrof Bay", as a part of Task Unit 32.7.3 in company with and one on an unidentified cruiser, plus strafing runs on "Yamato", the cruisers, and destroyers. Fighters without enough fuel to return to "Petrof Bay" landed at Tacloban airfield where the received some friendly fire. Surviving torpedo planes landed on USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) of Taffy Three and USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) of Taffy Two with less than ten gallons of fuel remaining. Only one torpedo plane and two fighters returned to "Petrof Bay".

"Petrof Bay" launched a final strike at 1530 to search for and attack the enemy then in retreat. After rendezvousing with other aircraft from the CVEs, the flight proceeded to San Bernardino Strait where it found and attacked a cruiser of the "Mogami" class, scoring two torpedo hits and one probable hit. These planes also landed at Tacloban Airfield when their fuel was inadequate to return to "Petrof Bay".

At 2232, one of the destroyers in the screen had a sound contact. A 90-degree emergency turn was made and almost immediately thereafter two torpedoes straddled "Petrof Bay", one twenty yards on the port and the other passing under the overhang on the starboard side. USS|Coolbaugh|DE-217|2 attacked with depth charges and was believed successful in destroying the submarine.

On 26 October, the only remaining Japanese force within range of the CVE's aircraft was one light cruiser and four destroyers sighted in the Visayan Sea. "Petrof Bay" launched its only two remaining torpedo-bombers to participate in a strike against the five ships. One plane scored a hit with a 500 pound semi-armor piercing bomb and a near miss on the cruiser and strafed a destroyer which caught on fire and blew up.

USS Suwanee (CVE-27) was crashed by another A6M Zero at noon; and four Japanese aircraft started suicide runs on "Petrof Bay" from astern. The first aircraft exploded in mid-air from a hit from the five-inch gun aided by gunfire from other ships. The second turned to starboard, smoking, and withdrew. The third aircraft looped into the clouds, came straight down, missed and hit the water twenty feet in front of the bridge. The aircraft exploded as it hit the water, drenching the ship with gas. The fourth Japanese aircraft dove straight for the flight deck, its tail and wing were shot off as it fell aft of the fantail.

During the night of 28 October "Petrof Bay" retired to the fueling area. That night the ship returned to rendezvous with TU 77.4.2, TG 77.2 and TG 77.3, and, in company with them, triumphantly and proudly proceeded to Manus Island. All VC-76 aircrew were recovered. The squadron logged 15,000 hours of flight time through eight months of combat without a single personnel loss, while pilots were awarded seventeen Navy Crosses. CAPT Kane also received a Navy Cross.

Next, "Petrof Bay", as a part of Task Unit 77.4.5, departed for the traffic lanes leading to Leyte 19 November arriving in the area 23 November.

In mid-January 1945 the ship was detached from Task Group 77.3 and ordered to report for duty to Task Group 77.4, to prevent runs being made by the enemy from and into Manila. Direct support was furnished 29 January–30 January for the landings in the San Narciso and San Antonio areas.

Iwo Jima

With the reconquest of Luzon well underway, "Petrof Bay" departed for Ulithi.

The fortress island of Iwo Jima stood in the path of the advancing Americans and was needed as a base for fighter escorts for the B–29 raids on Tokyo and the Japanese Empire. After being in port for only five days. "Petrof Bay" departed Ulithi, underway for Iwo Jima. On 15 February she arrived at the objective area in company with Task Group 52.19, the Advance Movement Group.

As the battleships, cruisers and destroyers began shelling the island, aircraft from the CVEs began strafing and bombing attacks. The troop transports arrived 18 February and the Marines established a beachhead the next day. Aircraft from "Petrof Bay" supported these landings and furnished the troops with air support during the operation, making 786 air sorties.

By 7 March the airstrip on Iwo Jima was fully operational and the ship was ordered to retire to Ulithi via Guam. Iwo Jima was the last operation for the ship's original squadron, VC–76, and at Guam they were disembarked and VC–93 embarked 10 March.

Okinawa

As a part of TU 52.1.2 the ship departed 21 March, escorting TG 54.1, Fire Support Group, to furnish air cover and air support in the invasion and capture of Okinawa. As Marines landed on Kerama Retto, "Petrof Bay's" new squadron got its first taste of combat during strikes supporting the operation. Anti-aircraft fire was exceptionally heavy and accurate. The day before the landings on Okinawa the escort carrier's aircraft supported landings on Kiese Shima. Thereafter, she launched daily strike groups, patrols and special missions.

"L" Day was 1 April, Easter Sunday, and the landings on Okinawa were made at 0830 with slight opposition. Aircraft from "Petrof Bay" preceded the troops.

The unit was ordered to attack and neutralize Sakishima Gunto 13 April, and the first strike was launched from 228 miles. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered and two aircraft were shot down, but the pilots rescued. On 16 April the formation was back southeast of Okinawa.

During the period from 9 May until 26 May the ship furnished direct air support, on-target air and anti-submarine patrol. During the Okinawa operation "Petrof Bay's" combat air patrol shot down 17 enemy aircraft.

On 26 May "Petrof Bay" departed for Guam, where she arrived and entered Apra Harbor 30 May. Composite Squadron 93 was disembarked and Composite Squadron 90 embarked for transportation to Pearl Harbor. On 19 June "Petrof Bay" moored at the Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island, San Pedro, Calif., for a general overhaul.

Postwar

"Petrof Bay" sailed for Pearl Harbor 14 August. The next day, Japan accepted the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. The carrier proceeded to Tokyo Bay, returning to the States 11 October with veterans of the Pacific war. Docking at San Pedro, she disembarked the veterans, picked up a load of replacements and again set out for Pearl Harbor. By 31 October, she was again in San Francisco. She sailed out through the Golden Gate and proceeded on a southwesterly course to the Marianas. Arriving at Guam 13 December, the carrier loaded another group of veterans into her emergency quarters and sailed home, arriving San Pedro 18 January 1946.

Departing San Pedro, she steamed south, touching at San Diego, and transiting the Panama Canal, steamed up the eastern seaboard to Norfolk. From there she headed northward again, mooring at Boston, Mass. 23 February. On 31 July 1946. she was placed out of commission, in reserve, in the Boston Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was reclassified CVU–80 on 12 June 1955. She was struck from the Navy Vessel Register 27 June 1958, and sold 30 July 1959 to J. Berkurt and scrapped.

"Petrof Bay" received five battle stars for World War II service.

External links

* [http://wgordon.web.wesleyan.edu/kamikaze/books/ships/cline/index.htm Escort Carrier WWII: War in the Pacific on the Aircraft Carrier USS Petrof Bay] - review of book by Rick Cline

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