View source for USS Attu

{{short description|Casablanca-class escort carrier of the US Navy}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= USS Attu (CVE-102) in the western Pacific, after passing through a typhoon.jpg
|Ship caption= USS ''Attu'' after weathering Typhoon Connie. Several aircraft are in disarray on deck.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1946}}
|Ship name=*''Elbour Bay''
*''Attu''
|Ship namesake=*Elbow Bay, [[Long Island (Alaska)|Long Island]]
* [[Battle of Attu]]
|Ship ordered=as a [[Casablanca-class escort carrier|Type S4-S2-BB3]] hull, [[Maritime Commission|MCE]] hull 1139{{sfn|Kaiser Vancouver|2010}}
|Ship awarded= 18 June 1942
|Ship builder=[[Kaiser Shipyards]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down= 16 March 1944
|Ship launched= 27 May 1944
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 30 June 1944
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 8 June 1946
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck= 3 July 1946
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=[[Hull classification symbol#Aircraft carrier type|Hull symbol]]: CVE-102
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honors=2 [[Battle star]]s
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate= Sold for scrap, 3 January 1947 (ultimately scrapped in 1949)
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption={{sfn|Chesneau|Gardiner|1980|p=109}}
|Ship class={{sclass|Casablanca|escort carrier}}
|Ship type=
|Ship displacement={{Casablanca class displacement}}
|Ship length={{Casablanca class length}}
|Ship beam={{Casablanca class beam}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draft={{Casablanca class draft}}
|Ship depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship power={{Casablanca class power}}
|Ship propulsion={{Casablanca class propulsion}}
|Ship speed={{Casablanca class speed}}
|Ship range={{cvt|10240|nmi}} at {{cvt|15|kn}}
|Ship boats=
|Ship complement=
*Total: 910–916 officers and men
**Embarked Squadron: 50–56
**Ship's Crew: 860
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament={{Casablanca class armament}}
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=27
|Ship aircraft facilities=
*1 × [[aircraft catapult|catapult]]
*2 × [[Elevator#Aircraft elevators|elevators]]
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=
|partof=
*[[United States Pacific Fleet]] (1944–1946)
*[[Atlantic Reserve Fleet]] (1946–1957)
|codes=
|commanders=
|operations=
*[[Operation Magic Carpet (World War II)|Operation Magic Carpet]]
|victories=
|awards=
}}
|}
'''USS ''Attu'' (CVE-102)''' was a {{sclass|Casablanca|escort carrier}} of the [[United States Navy]]. She was named after the [[Battle of Attu]] in the [[Aleutian Islands]] and was built for service during [[World War II]]. Launched in May 1944, and commissioned in June, she served as a transport carrier, ferrying aircraft, and as a replenishment carrier, supporting the [[Invasion of Iwo Jima]] and the [[Battle of Okinawa]]. Postwar, she participated in [[Operation Magic Carpet (World War II)|Operation Magic Carpet]]. She was decommissioned in June 1946, and sold for scrapping in January 1947. After a failed acquisition attempt by the [[Jewish Agency for Israel|Jewish Agency]], she was ultimately scrapped in 1949.
==Design and description==
[[File:Inboard and outboard profiles of a Casablanca-class escort carrier, 1946.png|thumb|left|A profile of the design of {{USS|Takanis Bay|CVE-89|2}}, which was shared with all ''Casablanca''-class escort carriers.]]
{{main|Casablanca-class escort carrier}}
''Attu'' was a ''Casablanca''-class escort carrier, the most numerous type of [[aircraft carrier]]s ever built,{{sfn|Chesneau|Gardiner|1980|p=109}} and designed specifically to be mass-produced using prefabricated sections, in order to replace heavy early war losses. Standardized with her [[sister ship]]s, she was {{convert|512|ft|3|in|abbr=on}} [[length overall|long overall]], had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|65|ft|2|in|abbr=on}}, and a [[draft (nautical)|draft]] of {{convert|20|ft|9|in|abbr=on}}. She [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{cvt|8188|LT|lk=on}} [[Standard displacement|standard]], {{cvt|10902|LT}} with a [[Full-load displacement|full load]]. She had a {{convert|257|ft|abbr=on}} long [[Hangar#Hangars aboard ships|hangar deck]] and a {{convert|477|ft|abbr=on}} long [[flight deck]]. She was powered with two [[Skinner Unaflow]] reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing {{convert|9000|hp|lk=in}}, thus enabling her to make {{Casablanca class speed}}. The ship had a cruising range of {{convert|10240|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|15|kn}}. Her compact size necessitated the installment of an [[aircraft catapult]] at her bow, and there were two [[Elevator#Aircraft elevators|aircraft elevators]] to facilitate movement of aircraft between the flight and hangar deck: one each fore and aft.<ref name="Y'Blood34-35">{{harvnb|Y'Blood|2014|pp=34–35}}</ref><ref name="Chesneau&Gardiner109">{{harvnb|Chesneau|Gardiner|1980|p=109}}</ref>{{sfn|Hazegray|1998}}
One [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|adj=on|0}}/38]] [[Caliber (artillery)|caliber]] [[dual-purpose gun]] was mounted on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by eight [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} Bofors anti-aircraft guns]] in single mounts, as well as twelve [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} Oerlikon cannon]]s, which were mounted around the perimeter of the deck. By the end of the war, ''Casablanca''-class carriers had been modified to carry thirty 20-mm cannons, and the amount of 40-mm guns had been doubled to sixteen, by putting them into twin mounts. These modifications were in response to increasing casualties due to [[kamikaze]] attacks. ''Casablanca''-class escort carriers were designed to carry 27 aircraft, but the hangar deck could accommodate more.{{sfn|Hazegray|1998}}{{sfn|Y'Blood|2014|pp=10}}
==Construction==
Her construction was awarded to [[Kaiser Shipyards|Kaiser Shipbuilding Company]], [[Vancouver, Washington]] under a [[Maritime Commission]] contract, on 18 June 1942. She was ordered under the name ''Elbour Bay'' (a misspelling of "Elbow Bay"), as part of a tradition which named escort carriers after bays or sounds in Alaska.{{sfn|Maksel|2012}} She was renamed ''Attu'', after the [[Battle of Attu]], on 6 November 1943, as part of a new naval policy which named subsequent Casablanca-class carriers after naval or land engagements.{{sfn|Stubblebine|2011}} The escort carrier was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 16 March 1944, MC hull 1139, the forty-seventh of a series of fifty ''Casablanca''-class escort carriers. She was [[ship naming and launching|launched]] on 27 May 1944; [[Ship sponsor|sponsored]] by Mrs. George W. Steele; transferred to the United States Navy and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 30 June 1944, with [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] [[Henry Fahnestock MacComsey]] in command.{{sfn|Kaiser Vancouver|2010}}{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}
==Service history==
===World War II===
[[File:40mm guns firing on USS Attu (CVE-102) 1944.jpg|thumb|left|Gunnery drills aboard ''Attu'', circa 1944.]]
Upon being commissioned, ''Attu'' underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast to [[San Diego, California|San Diego]]. On 7 August, she departed San Diego, transporting aircraft and passengers to [[Pearl Harbor]]. She then took on another load of aircraft and personnel, and proceeded west, making stops at [[Guadalcanal]] and [[Espiritu Santo]]. Upon finishing her transport run, she got underway on her return trip on 31 August. She arrived at San Diego on 13 September, where overhaul was conducted. On 28 September, she sailed north to [[Alameda, California]], where she loaded fuel, supplies, and replenishment aircraft.{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}
She departed the West Coast on 1 October, bound for [[Finschhafen]], [[New Guinea]], arriving there on 18 October. She then stopped at [[Seeadler Harbor]] in [[Manus Island]], before returning via Pearl Harbor back to Alameda. She departed yet again on 23 November, bound for Pearl Harbor. Upon arriving, she began ferrying supplies and troops between Pearl Harbor and [[Guam]]. She finished her duties and returned to San Diego on 4 January 1945. After a short period of rest, she sailed again on 20 January, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 27 January. There, she conducted gunnery exercises in the waters off of [[Oahu]]. She concluded her exercises and steamed for [[Enewetak Atoll]] on 1 February. Pausing briefly, she proceeded onwards to [[Ulithi]]. On 16 February, she departed Ulithi, and was assigned to Task Group 50.8.4 (Logistics Support Group), along with the escort carriers {{USS|Admiralty Islands|CVE-99|2}}, {{USS|Bougainville|CVE-100|2}}, and {{USS|Windham Bay|CVE-92|2}}. This task group was responsible for ferrying and transferring replenishment aircraft to the frontline [[United States Fifth Fleet|Fifth Fleet]] and its carriers, which were supporting the [[Invasion of Iwo Jima]].{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}{{sfn|Y'Blood|2014|p=350}}
[[File:Wrecked aircraft on USS Attu (CVE-102) after typhoon in June 1945.jpg|thumb|left|Wrecked aircraft strewn about the flight deck of ''Attu'' following Typhoon Connie.]]
After transferring all of her aircraft, ''Attu'' returned to Guam for replacement of her aircraft and supplies. She then sailed westwards again, and served as a replenishment carrier again, this time in support of the [[Battle of Okinawa|landings]] on [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]]. This time, her task group was responsible for resupplying both the escort carriers and the fleet carriers operating over the island. On 4 June, were being refueled by tankers, east of Okinawa. Throughout the day, winds began to pick up, and refueling operations had ceased by the time tropical storm force winds were reported in the late afternoon. In fact, ''Attu''{{'}}s task group was directly in the path of [[1945 Pacific typhoon season#Typhoon Connie|Typhoon Connie]], which was proceeding northwards. As [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[William Halsey Jr.]], the commander of the Third Fleet, got word of the typhoon, his orders ended up driving a large part of his fleet directly into the path of the incoming storm. Amazingly, Halsey had previously blundered his way into [[Typhoon Cobra]], with much damage and loss of life, in December 1944. As part of the Logistics Support Group, ''Attu'' witnessed the worst of the damage, weathering the [[eyewall]] of the storm.{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}{{sfn|Y'Blood|2014|pp=398}}
As night fell, it became evident that the task group could not avoid encountering the typhoon. The storm's eyewall struck on the early morning of 5 June, and by 3:30, hurricane-force winds had already been reported. At around 4:00, some flags tore off ''Attu'', and wrapped around her radarscope, rendering her blind to the location of the other ships around her. Consequently, she only narrowly avoided, with careful manipulation of the engines, a collision with the tankers. Her crew noted that the bow once came as close as {{cvt|50|ft}} to a catastrophic collision with a tanker's stern. The typhoon's winds blew several aircraft on board her flight deck off her side, and rendered inoperational or otherwise damaged many more. As she passed through the eye of the storm, the crew managed to unfurl the flags blocking her radar, enabling her to pass through the second half of the storm without much further damage.{{sfn|Y'Blood|2014|pp=399⁠–401}}
On 10 June, Captain Paul Hubert Ramsey took over command of the vessel. In early July, she retired back to San Diego for much belayed repairs of her typhoon damage. On 24 July, with repairs quickly concluded, she steamed westwards. She was sailing through a fueling area in the West Pacific when news of the [[Japanese surrender]] broke.{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}
===Post-war===
Following the end of the war, she sailed back to California, arriving on 11 November. On 25 November, she joined the "Magic Carpet" fleet, which repatriated U.S. servicemen from throughout the Pacific. She cruised around the Pacific, making stops and returning U.S. servicemen back to the mainland. She completed her "Magic Carpet" duties, and was discharged in early 1946.{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}
By May 1946, ''Attu'' was slated for disposal by the Navy. She sailed for [[Norfolk, Virginia]], passing through the [[Panama Canal]] and making a stop at [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. She was decommissioned on 8 June, and she was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register|Navy list]] on 3 July.{{sfn|DANFS|2016}}
After ''Attu'' was decommissioned, she was acquired by representatives of the [[Jewish Agency for Israel|Jewish Agency]] in New York. The representatives, led by [[Yehuda Arazi]], planned to use the ship to transport up to 10,000 Jews to Palestine, where they wanted to establish a Jewish state. In addition, they planned to utilize the carrier to ferry a large quantity of armaments for the [[Haganah]], the paramilitary precursor of what would become the Israeli Defense Forces in 1948. An initial payment of about $10,000 ({{Inflation|US|10000|1948|fmt=eq}}) was arranged, and a refit was scheduled to prepare the ship. However, the [[United States Department of State]] discovered the plan and cancelled the deal; this allowed ''Attu'' to be [[Ship breaking|scrapped]] in 1949. ''Attu'' received two [[battle star]]s for her World War II service.{{sfn|Slater|1970}}{{sfn|Lask|1970}}
==References==
{{Reflist|20em}}
==Sources==
===Online sources===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite DANFS | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/attu.html| title = Attu (CVE-102)| publisher = Naval History and Heritage Command | date = 27 April 2016| access-date = 8 November 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191105182505/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/attu.html|archive-date=2019-11-05| ref = {{sfnRef|DANFS|2016}}}}
* {{cite web| url = http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/kvancouver.htm| title = Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA| publisher =  www.ShipbuildingHistory.com| date = 27 November 2010| access-date = 14 June 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190616103407/http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/kvancouver.htm|archive-date=2019-06-16|ref = {{sfnRef|Kaiser Vancouver|2010}}}}
* {{cite web | url = https://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_esc2.htm| title= World Aircraft Carriers List: US Escort Carriers, S4 Hulls| publisher= Hazegray.org | date= 14 December 1998| access-date= 1 July 2019| ref= {{sfnRef|Hazegray|1998}}}}
* {{cite web | last = Maksel| first = Rebecca| url = https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/how-do-you-name-an-aircraft-carrier-22717003/| title= How Do You Name an Aircraft Carrier?| publisher= [[Air & Space/Smithsonian]] | date= 14 August 2012| access-date= 23 December 2019}}
* {{cite web | last = Stubblebine| first = Daniel| url = https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=776| title= Escort Carrier Makin Island (CVE-93)| publisher= ww2db.com | date= June 2011| access-date= 23 December 2019}}
{{refend}}
===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation|last= Chesneau|first= Robert|last2= Gardiner|first2 = Robert|title= Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|year= 1980 |publisher= Naval Institute Press |location= [[London]], [[England]]|isbn= 9780870219139}}
* {{citation|last= Slater|first= Leonard|title= The Pledge|year= 1970 |publisher= [[Simon & Schuster]] |location= [[New York City]], [[United States]]|isbn= 9780671204655}}
* {{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/15/archives/books-of-the-times-operation-madball-sort-of.html|title=Books of The Times |last=Lask |first=Thomas|date=1970-05-15 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2019-11-10|language=en-US}}
* {{citation|last= Y'Blood|first= William|title= The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan|year= 2014 |publisher= Naval Institute Press |location= [[Annapolis]], Maryland|type = [[E-book]]|isbn= 9781612512471}}
{{refend}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Attu (CVE-102)}}
* {{navsource|03/102|USS Attu (CVE-102)}}
* [https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cve102-45/index_005.htm Cruise Book of USS ''Attu'' (CVE-102)]
{{Casablanca class escort carrier}}
{{Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Attu}}
[[Category:Casablanca-class escort carriers]]
[[Category:World War II escort aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in Vancouver, Washington]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:S4-S2-BB3 ships]]