Anzio was a Casablanca-class escort carrier, the most numerous type of aircraft carriers ever built, and designed specifically to be mass-produced using prefabricated sections to replace heavy early war losses. Standardized with her sister ships, she was 512ft 3in (156.13m)long overall, had a beam of 65ft 2in (19.86m), and a draft of 20ft 9in (6.32m). She displaced8,188 long tons (8,319t)standard, 10,902 long tons (11,077t) with a full load. She had a 257ft (78m) long hangar deck and a 477ft (145m) long flight deck. She was powered by two Skinner Unaflow reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing 9,000hp (6,700kW), thus enabling her to make 19kn (35km/h; 22mph). The ship had a cruising range of 10,240nmi (18,960km; 11,780mi) at a speed of 15kn (28km/h; 17mph). Her compact size necessitated the installment of an aircraft catapult at her bow, and there were two aircraft elevators to facilitate movement of aircraft between the flight and hangar deck: one each fore and aft.[2][3][4]
One 5in (127mm)/38caliberdual-purpose gun was mounted on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by eight Bofors 40mm (1.6in) anti-aircraft guns in single mounts, as well as twelve Oerlikon 20mm (0.79in) cannons, which were mounted around the perimeter of the deck. By the end of the war, in response to increasing casualties due to kamikaze attacks, Casablanca-class carriers had been modified to carry thirty Oerlikon cannons[5] and sixteen Bofors guns; the doubling of the latter having been accomplished by putting them into twin mounts. Sensors onboard consisted of a SGsurface-search radar and a SKair-search radar. Although Casablanca-class escort carriers were intended to function with a crew of 860 and an embarked squadron of 50 to 56, the exigencies of wartime often necessitated the inflation of the crew count. Casablanca-class escort carriers were designed to carry 27 aircraft, but the hangar deck could accommodate more, which was often necessary during transport or especially training missions due to the constant turnover of pilots and aircraft.[2][6][7]
Her construction was awarded to Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract on 18 June 1942. She was laid down as MCE hull 1094, the third of a series of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers on 12 December 1942. Her initial hull symbol ACV-57 designated her as an auxiliary aircraft carrier. On 22 January 1943, she received her initial name of Alikula Bay, but she was subsequently renamed Coral Sea on 3 April. She was launched on 1 May; sponsored by Mrs. Martha Richards Fletcher, the wife of Vice admiralFrank Jack Fletcher. On 15 July, the U.S. Navy revised the classification of their escort carriers to reflect their combatant status, providing Coral Sea with her wartime hull symbol of CVE-57.[16] Problems with her boilers delayed her commissioning twice,[17] but she was transferred to the Navy on 27 August.[18]
TBF-1 Avengers of Composite Squadron (VC) 33, based on Coral Sea, on patrol over Makin Island, 20 November 1943.
At 05:00 on 20 November, the bombardment of Makin began, commencing the first major U.S. thrust into the central Pacific. Just 76 hours later, Tarawa and Makin had both been captured. Coral Sea's aircraft aided the operation, providing close air support and bombing Japanese positions.[20] With the islands secured, U.S. naval forces began retiring, but Carrier Division 24 stayed behind to suppress pockets of resistance.[21] On 24 November, the Japanese Kaidai-typecruiser submarineI-175 fired a set of four Type 95torpedoes at the broadside of the unsuspecting task force. Two of the torpedoes narrowly missed Coral Sea, but one torpedo hit Liscome Bay at 05:10, setting off its munitions stores and blowing apart the entire stern of the carrier. The tremendous explosion sent debris hurtling onto the surrounding ships, including Coral Sea, where a sailor reported being hit by a fire extinguisher.[22]Liscome Bay sank in only 23 minutes, with the ultimate loss of 702 men, including Rear Admiral Mullinix.[18][23]
On 28 November, Coral Sea left Makin.[24] The initial combat performance of the Casablanca-class carriers had been inauspicious. Of the 71 aircraft that Carrier Division 24 had brought to the front, 20 aircraft had been lost with the sinking of Liscome Bay. The inexperience of the air crews was evident, with 16 aircraft written off due to accidents, which cumulatively killed 4 aircraft crewmen and 6 deck personnel. Only one aircraft had been lost in combat, an Avenger from Coral Sea which had strayed too close to the explosion of an ammunition dump on the morning of 20 November.[25][26] She returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 December, where she took on passengers and aircraft to ferry back to the West Coast. She departed on 8 December, arriving at Alameda, California on 14 December, where she replenished her aircraft, putting back to sea on 22 December. She entered Pearl Harbor on 28 December, where she rejoined Carrier Division 24, with Manila Bay replacing Liscome Bay.[9] There, she prepared for the impending assault on Kwajalein.[18]
Coral Sea was underway on 3 January 1944, conducting exercises off Hawaii through early January. After a final fitting out, she sailed out on 22 January in Task Group 52.9, arriving in Kwajalein on 31 January, two days after aircraft of the Fast Carrier Task Force had begun pounding airfields on the atoll. She provided direct and indirect air support for the amphibious landings. On 5 February, the escort carriers were ordered, one at a time, into Kwajalein lagoon to refuel and rearm.[27][28] On 24 February, she set course for Eniwetok, but she was later recalled to Pearl Harbor, arriving on 3 March.[18]
Solomon Islands and New Guinea
After a brief respite, Coral Sea got underway again on 11 March and proceeded to the Solomon Islands. She anchored at Tulagi on 21 March, refueling and resupplying before sailing again on 30 March for Emirau Island alongside Corregidor. On 2 April, they relieved Manila Bay and Natoma Bay, which had been supporting the 4th Marine Regiment as they landed on Emirau. Her time at Emirau was uneventful, save for a Mitsubishi G4Mmedium bomber shot down by two of her fighters on 6 April.[29][30] She concluded her tour at Emirau on 11 April, returning to Tulagi on 15 April and leaving the next day to assist in the Western New Guinea campaign. On 19 April, she joined Task Group 78.2, which was formed to cover the landings at Aitape. Her aircraft commenced strikes on D-Day, 22 April, but found little opposition. Thus, Task Group 78.2 was able to relieve the fast carriers in supporting the landings at Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay, but they found similarly sparse resistance. With the beachhead secured, Coral Sea entered Seeadler Harbor on 4 May, where her engines were evaluated.[31] She was sent back to Espiritu Santo on 7 May for extensive repairs to her forward main engine, necessitating the replacement of several broken piston rings. It was not until 2 June that she was deemed combat-ready again.[18][32]
Mariana Islands
Coral Sea's action report depicting the action on 17 June.
Following the completion of repairs, Coral Sea arrived at Kwajalein on 8 June, which served as the staging point for the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign.[11] The invasion fleet sortied out on 10 June, and on 15 June, she provided air support for the initial landings on Saipan by the 2nd Marine Division. On 16 June, she was briefly dispatched for the planned recapture of Guam, but en route, the landings were postponed until mid-July, and she returned to Saipan on the afternoon of 17 June.[18][33]
At 17:50, on the evening of 17 June, a large raid of an estimated 20–30 Japanese aircraft was detected by radar about 110mi (180km) away. The four escort carriers of Coral Sea's task group scrambled 44 fighters between them to intercept the raid, but they had little success in screening the ships. The Japanese strike force arrived at 18:48, around sunset, and at 18:51, a Yokosuka D4Y Suiseidive bomber chose Coral Sea as its target. Diving towards her bow, its aim was off, with the bomb missing 100ft (30m) to her starboard quarter. Following the bomb was the Suisei, which splashed 300yd (270m) behind her. Just two minutes later, a torpedo bomber approached from her port at an altitude of only 50ft (15m). Hit by a flak explosion, it broke apart and careened into the water 400ft (120m) from Coral Sea. Ten minutes later, another plane was shot down 2,000yd (1,800m) from her port quarter as it angled for an attack.[34][35]
Coral Sea's action report depicting the action on 18 June.
On 18 June, at 16:15, another group of an estimated 30–50 Japanese planes were detected by radar 97mi (156km) to the south of Coral Sea. This time, the fighters proved to be more effective, with her embarked squadron (VC-33) claiming eight Kawasaki Ki-61s and two Yokosuka P1Y Gingas shot down, and six other planes damaged.[36] Nonetheless, at 17:55, eight Yokosuka P1Y Gingas broke through the screen from the task group's starboard and made a run towards the escort carriers. One plane, hit by antiaircraft fire, appeared to veer for her flight deck, crashing 300yd (270m) short. Another was brought down 800yd (730m) from her port bow. A Ginga dropped a torpedo at Coral Sea from an estimated 1,500 to 2,500yd (1,400 to 2,300m) away, which missed. Alarmingly, one Ginga passed just 50ft (15m) above her flight deck, having prematurely dropped its bomb 30ft (9.1m) off her starboard beam. Under heavy fire from her antiaircraft guns, it crashed 1,500yd (1,400m) off her port quarter. By 17:58, the attack was over. All eight of the attacking aircraft had been brought down, seven by antiaircraft fire and one by Coral Sea's fighters.[37][38][39]
Coral Sea's action report depicting the action on 19 June.
At 06:13 the next morning, four dive bombers were detected on radar 26mi (42km) from the task group. The Japanese formation, passing in-between two combat air patrols, made an attack run on the escort carriers at 06:19, just as Coral Sea was launching emergency fighters. Approaching from ahead and masked by the rising sun, one plane made for Coral Sea, releasing its bomb high and missing 100ft (30m) short of her bow. Two of the other planes dropped their bombs astern of Gambier Bay, while the last was driven off as it attempted to attack Corregidor.[40] As the Japanese squadron attempted to make good their escape, two were shot down by fighters.[38][41]
Coral Sea replenished at Eniwetok on 28 June and rendezvoused on 4 July with Task Group 53.7 for the postponed landings on Guam. She arrived off Guam on 9 July, launching preparatory air strikes and softening positions. She returned to Eniwetok on 15 July for replenishment, but upon leaving port on 17 July, her "damnable" engines gave in, and she was ordered back to anchor. Ultimately, she was sent back to the West Coast, setting off on 23 July.[42] She stopped at Kwajalein on 25 July to unload her embarked squadron and munitions, transiting via Pearl Harbor and arriving back at San Diego on 9 August. She entered drydock on 31 July for repairs and overhaul.[43] On 15 September, Coral Sea received word that she was to be renamed to Anzio, clearing up the name for the planned Midway-classaircraft carrierUSSCoral Sea(CV-42).[18][44][note 2]
Typhoon Cobra and Iwo Jima
A TBM-1C Avenger tied onto the flight deck of Anzio, 18 December 1944.
Anzio held sea trials off the California coast before setting off for the western Pacific on 16 September with a load of 71 aircraft and 200 passengers.[46] She reached Pearl Harbor on 23 September, beginning a series of training exercises on 8 October with her freshly embarked squadron, Composite Squadron (VC) 82 in antisubmarine warfare. On 16 October, she set out for Eniwetok. There, Anzio became the flagship of the hunter-killer group Task Group 30.7 and carried out antisubmarine warfare patrols en route to Ulithi. On 4 November, she steamed for the Philippine Sea, but her orders were changed while she was barely out of port, and she was directed to assist the light cruiserReno which had been torpedoed by the B2 typesubmarineI-41. She arrived the next day and provided air cover for the fleet tugboatZuni which had Renounder tow until 8 November. She then rendezvoused with Task Group 30.8, the At Sea Logistic Group, which had been providing vital support in the form of supplies and replacement aircraft for the Fast Carrier Task Force as it supported the landings on Leyte and the wider Philippines campaign. Anzio's role for the following months was to provide a screen for the logistics force and to hunt down submarines.[18][44]
Anzio's aircraft found slim pickings until 18 November. Ultrasignals intelligence had alerted Anzio to the presence of a Japanese submarine in the area, and at 03:29 in the morning, an Avenger made radar contact with I-41, the same ship which had torpedoed Reno. A nearby Avenger was summoned to assist and together, they dropped flares, sonobuoys, and float lights near the contact, guiding the John C. Butler-classdestroyer escortsLawrence C. Taylor and Melvin R. Nawman into position. At 04:21, a Mark 24acoustic homing torpedo was dropped, to no effect. The destroyer escorts arrived at the signature, and at 05:52 and 05:57, Lawrence C. Taylor made two Hedgehog attacks, without result. At 06:16, Melvin R. Nawman made an unsuccessful attack. At 06:24, Lawrence C. Taylor fired her third Hedgehog barrage, triggering three small explosions, followed by a large blast. Debris rose to the surface, and by the next day, a 2mi (3.2km) wide oil slick covered the area.[47][48][49]
The Third Fleet had been operating against positions on Luzon since 14 December, but its escorting destroyers ran low on fuel. As a result, the fleet retired to the east to refuel and to receive replacement aircraft from Task Group 30.8. Anzio met with the Third Fleet about 300mi (480km; 260nmi) east of Luzon early on 17 December, as Typhoon Cobra began to bear down.[50] As the weather continued to deteriorate on 18 December, AdmiralWilliam Halsey Jr. made a series of blundering decisions that ended with his fleet trapped in the typhoon's core. Attached to the Third Fleet, Anzio followed.[12]
The damaged Wildcat within the hangar deck of Anzio, 18 December 1944.
At the height of the storm, Anzio recorded a reading of 28.88inHg (978mbar) in pressure and encountered winds which reached an estimated 120kn (140mph; 62m/s; 220km/h).[51][note 3] She rolled up to 39°, beyond her theoretical maximum righting moment of 371⁄2°. Waves crashed over her flight deck and sent water running down her port funnels. The aircraft on her flight deck had been rigorously secured, but two planes still broke free and were carried away from the carrier. Similar measures were taken within the hangar deck, but a Wildcat managed to escape its restraints, smashing into a bulkhead before being resecured. This incident incurred the lone casualty on Anzio, a broken arm suffered in the rush to corral the loose plane. She emerged from the storm having sustained minor damage. Her fore catwalks and lookout station had been mangled, she had lost several life rafts and one of her whaleboats, and some water had made it into the interior of the ship,[52] but she was able to resume her routine antisubmarine patrols as the storm abated.[53] She spent January conducting sweeps off Luzon in support of the landings on Lingayen Gulf and in February 1945 she headed to support the invasion of Iwo Jima.[13][18][54]
Anzio resumed combat operations on 16 February, conducting strikes on Iwo Jima and providing air cover for the naval forces arrayed against it. On 21 February, she witnessed a kamikaze sink her sister Bismarck Sea.[55] With the loss of Bismarck Sea, she was obliged to assume close air support duties, which taxed her pilots and crew.[56] From 19 February to 4 March, Anzio conducted antisubmarine patrols and ground support missions, completing 106 sorties without a single accident. Her aircraft found success in these roles. On 26 February, at 02:20 in the morning, an Avenger from Anzio spotted the Kaichū type submarineRo-43. As the submarine crash dived, the Avenger dropped from 150ft (46m) altitude its Mark 24 torpedo and two sonobuoys, which landed 150yd (140m) in front of the diving submarine. As dawn broke, all that remained was an oil slick.[57] The next day, on 27 February, another one of her Avengers detected the surfaced Type D1kaiten carrier I-368 on its radar at 03:04. Passing over and making visual contact at 280kn (320mph; 520km/h), the Avenger was unable to mount an attack, and by the time it had circled around, the submarine had dived. Her Avenger dropped a float light and sonobuoys around the location, and at 03:38, a conning tower was spotted breaching the surface near the float light. A Mark 24 torpedo was dropped 100ft (30m) in front of the crash-diving submarine, and an explosion which sent a plume of water 30ft (9.1m) into the air was observed. Another Avenger arrived, and together, they monitored the sonobuoys, over which unusual sounds could be discerned. Another Mark 24 torpedo was dropped, but no detonation was heard. However, soon afterwards, air bubbled to the surface, followed by an extensive oil slick.[58] She departed Iwo Jima on 8 March and entered San Pedro Bay on 12 March. After embarking the veteran Composite Squadron (VC) 13 from Tripoli, she sailed on 22 March to join the invasion of Okinawa.[59][18]
Okinawa and post war
A TBM-3E Avenger lands on Anzio, 20 May 1945.
While underway, Anzio continued her patrols, screening for the landing forces. After the initial landings on 1 April, Anzio performed both close air support and antisubmarine work. She entered Ulithi on 30 April for repairs to her rudder bearings. There, her embarked squadron had their TBM-1C Avengers replaced with TBM-3Es, equipped with improved radars and wing hardpoints which could mount rockets or drop tanks.[15] On 21 May, she resumed operations off Okinawa, and on 28 May, she received word of a submarine contact from a minesweeper. She dispatched aircraft to the vicinity, but her aircraft found no leads until early on 31 May, when one of her Avengers detected a radar signature at 04:36. Investigating the blip, the Avenger found the Type D1 kaiten carrier I-361 fully surfaced. Approaching from the port beam, the Avenger fired four 5in (127mm) air-to-surface rockets, two impacting around the conning tower. Turning around, the Avenger found the submarine diving, and attempted to drop its Mark 24 torpedo, but failed, the pilot having neglected to switch from "RP" (rocket projectile) to "Bomb-Torpedo" on the armament selector. Hurrying around once more, the Avenger deployed its Mark 24 torpedo, along with all six sonobuoys via the emergency release. When the John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts Oliver Mitchell and Tabberer arrived, they found a large debris field and oil slick.[18][60]
On 11 June, while Anzio was taking on aviation fuel from the Cimarron-classoilerCaliente, her pair of aviation fuel tanks ruptured, sending fuel running into her interior and cofferdams.[61] This obliged her early retirement from antisubmarine duties, as she was no longer able to take on aviation fuel. Nonetheless, she continued as planned a radio deception operation that had begun earlier in the day. The Fast Carrier Task Force (operating attached to the Third Fleet as Task Force 38) had been launching strikes on Okinawa and Kyushu but had retired for Leyte under radio silence on 10 June for replenishment. A radioman from Halsey's staff was sent over to Anzio, and from 11 June to 17 June, when she herself headed to Leyte for repairs, radio traffic was fielded to mimic Halsey's fleet, providing the impression that it was still out at sea. Anzio's ship's history records her crew's claim that she was the "only ship to relieve the entire Task Force 38."[18][62][63]
Anzio left San Pedro Bay on 6 July and reached her operating area 600mi (970km) east of Tokyo on 14 July, resuming her antisubmarine work covering Task Group 30.8. At 07:37 on 16 July, an Avenger from Anzio found the broadside signature of the Type A Mod.2 cruiser submarine I-13. The Avenger, concealing itself within the clouds, emerged, raking I-13 with .50Browning machine gun fire and firing two sets of two rockets, one at 600yd (550m), and another at 400yd (370m). One rocket impacted the submarine below the conning tower at the waterline, while the other three rockets hit 15ft (4.6m) short, but in line with the conning tower. Circling around, the Avenger dropped two depth charges, which both missed, a sonobuoy, and attempted to drop its Mark 24 torpedo near the diving submarine, but to no effect, as the armament selector had not been switched. On the second go around, the Mark 24 torpedo was released 200ft (61m) ahead of the wake left by the submarine. This damaged I-13, as oil soon began upwelling.[64]
Anzio in Shanghai, 1 December 1945. She was the first American carrier to visit the port.
Anzio's Avenger tracked the oil slick as it moved across the ocean. It was joined by another Avenger at 9:00, and by a third one at 9:20. More sonobuoys were dropped, tracking the sound of I-13's propellers. At 10:00, a Mark 24 torpedo was dropped 500ft (150m) in front of the slick, and an explosion followed by hissing was heard over the sonobuoys. Pieces of debris floated to the surface. Nonetheless, at 11:20, the oil slick began crawling eastwards again. By this point, the John C. Butler-class destroyer escorts Lawrence C. Taylor and Robert F. Keller were approaching the scene. A beacon was dropped at the submarine's approximate location, and Lawrence C. Taylor, guided by the beacon and her sonar, let loose a full Hedgehog barrage at 11:40. This triggered two massive underwater explosions about 1,000ft (300m) below the surface that knocked out power to Lawrence C. Taylor's sonar and caused her some engine room damage. Robert F. Keller followed this up with another Hedgehog barrage, but this proved to be unnecessary, as the former contents of I-13 surfaced.[65]
She continued her antisubmarine patrols with no further incident until she received word of the Japanese surrender on 15 August. She sailed for Guam on 19 August, where she unloaded VC-13 and took on Composite Squadron (VC) 66. After refitting and refresher training for her new squadron, the escort carrier headed for Okinawa. She then provided air cover and conducted antisubmarine patrols for transports carrying occupation troops to Korea.[66] On 8 September, she anchored at Incheon, whence she provided air support for the landings of the occupation force. She left Korea on 13 September, returning to Okinawa. On 19 September, she headed to the West Coast to join the Operation Magic Carpet fleet, arriving at San Francisco on 30 September.[18]
At San Francisco, Anzio was modified to provide maximum passenger accommodations. She made two trips to the western Pacific, one to Pearl Harbor and one to Shanghai, shuttling American troops home. She arrived in Seattle on 23 December, ending the year at that port. On 18 January 1946, she sailed for Norfolk, Virginia. She paused at San Francisco and transited the Panama Canal en route to the East Coast. She was decommissioned on 5 August and mothballed, joining the Norfolk group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 15 June 1955, she was redesignated as a helicopter aircraft carrier, receiving the hull symbol CVHE-57. She was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959, and sold to Master Metals Co. on 24 November for scrapping.[18]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States
