She remained in the vicinity of Kwajalein for the first 15 days of February, then spent the next nine days helping out at Eniwetok. 2023 United States Navy Memorial. Please keep in mind that this list does only include records of people who submitted their information for publication on this website. An enemy battleship was then sighted and taken under fire, initial range 2,200 yards. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); On 28 October 1946, the carrier was placed in a reserve status with the Sixteenth Fleet at Boston and, just over two months later, on 8 January 1947, was placed out of commission. That force, Kuritas, immediately began a surface engagement with Rear Adm. Clifton A. F. Spragues Taffy 3, the northernmost group of escort carriers. On 2 October, Suwannee Captain Charles C. McDonald and Rear Admiral William Sample, who headed COMCARDIV 22 on board Suwannee, took off in a Martin PBM Mariner to maintain their flight qualifications and never returned. The resulting fire burned for several hours, but was finally brought under control. (CVE-27) HELL. Our hope is that through this web site we can help the nation to know the sacrifices these men made to guarantee the freedoms we have today. Please keep in mind that this list does only include records of people who submitted their information for publication on this website. She fired on a cruiser to starboard and, in turn, took a terrific pounding from battleship Hiei on her port side. U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives Carrier plane strike on Balikpapan, Borneo. At about 0200, San Francisco trained her guns on a second battleship. BOBBITT, Edgar Solon Electrician's Mate Second Class. Flight deck poster made by an AMM, B.L. Following two voyages from Espiritu Santo, one to Tulagi and the other to Kwajalein, Suwannee arrived off Saipan, in mid-June. Three Japanese destroyers conduct a coordinated torpedo attack of US Forces. Then it was back to Operation Magic Carpet, on 4 December. A. W. Gardes in command 10 January 1947: Decommissioned at the Naval Repair Base, San Diego, Cal. WWII VF-60 USN Fighter Pilot DFC Group USS SUWANNEE , TAFFY 1 Your ORIGINAL HOMETOWN and State are asked for because that confirms who you are in your shipmate's memories. Her keel was laid down on June 3, 1938; she was launched March 4, 1939. HullNumber.com does not share your information. Port quarter aerial view of USS Suwannee (CVE-27) underway, March 1943. The survivors, 40 percent of the crew, were picked up and taken to Guadalcanal. With Oldendorfs old battleships fighting in Surigao Strait and Halseys Third Fleet scurrying north, Suwannee, with the other 15 escort carriers and 22 destroyers and escort vessels (DE), formed the only Allied naval force operating off Leyte Gulf when Admiral Kurita Takeos First Striking Force penetrated the unguarded San Bernadino Strait into the Philippine Sea. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman. Re-designated as an aircraft escort vessel, AVG-27, on 14 February 1942, and Suwannee was decommissioned on 20 February 1942 at Newport News, Virginia, to begin the conversion process. On 16 June, she headed for San Pedro Bay, in Leyte Gulf. J. Calo, USNR; Lieutenant Robert M. Hunt, USNR; and VT-40 Executive Officer, Lieutenant Junior Grade Suwannee. In the two attacks Suwannee suffered the loss of 13 officers and 80 enlisted men, and the wounding of 13 officers (including Capt. HullNumber.com. Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-349243. On 4 August 1944 she cleared the Marianas for Eniwetok and Seeadler Harbor, reaching the latter port on the 13th. By the time we arrived on the forecastle, the flow of gasoline had mostly consumed itself, and flames were only erupting and flickering from combustible areas of water and oil. SUWANNEE (CVHE-27) Crew Roster. Just after noon on the 26th, another group of kamikazes jumped Taffy 1. BRACEY, George Steward Third Class. Suwannee provided air support for the assault forces at Leyte Gulf with antisubmarine and combat air patrols and strikes against Japanese installations ashore. Originally classified as an "Aircraft Escort Vessel", AVG-27, on 14 February 1942, she was reclassified an "Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier", ACV-27, 20 August 1942, before finally being classified as an "Escort Carrier", CVE-27, 15 July 1943. Jim Joyce (far right) and Friends . http://navylog.navymemorial.org/Portals/0/images/ships-tribute/NSB94211136.jpg Monssen DD 436 11 13 1942 1942-11-13 00:00:00.000 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal In what would later be called the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal the heavily outnumbered US forces sighted the Japanese fleet headed toward Henderson Field to bombard it and cripple Allied air operations long enough to sneak in 11 of their transports to relieve their beleaguered comrades fighting on the island.