USS Marcus Island

Last updated

USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) in a South Pacific port on 17 June 1944.jpeg
USS Marcus Island at anchor, 17 June 1944.
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
Name
  • Kanalku Bay (1943)
  • Marcus Island (1943–60)
Namesake
Orderedas a Type S4-S2-BB3 hull, MC hull 1114
Awarded18 June 1942
Builder Kaiser Shipyards
Cost$7,368,661 [1]
Laid down15 September 1943
Launched16 December 1943
Commissioned26 January 1944
Decommissioned12 December 1946
Reclassified
  • CVHE, 12 June 1955
  • AKV, 7 May 1959
Stricken1 September 1959
Identification
Honors and
awards		4 Battle stars
FateSold for scrap, 29 February 1960
General characteristics [2]
Class & type Casablanca-class escort carrier
Displacement
Length
  • 512 ft 3 in (156.13 m) (oa)
  • 490 ft (150 m) (wl)
  • 474 ft (144 m) (fd)
Beam
Draft20 ft 9 in (6.32 m) (max)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Range10,240 nmi (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
ComplementShip's Crew: 860 officers and men
Armament
Aircraft carried27
Aviation facilities
Service record
Part of
Operations

USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) was the twenty-third of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after an engagement on 31 August 1943 over Minami-Tori-shima, known on American maps as Marcus Island. In September 1943, she was laid down in Vancouver, Washington by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company under the name Kanalku Bay. She was renamed Marcus Island in November 1943, launched in December, and commissioned in January 1944.

Contents

She served in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, the Philippines campaign, and the Battle of Okinawa. She acted as the flagship for various escort carrier formations, serving as the headquarters for Rear Admirals William D. Sample and Felix Stump. During the Philippines campaign, she participated in the Battle off Samar, the largest naval engagement in history, and in the Battle of Mindoro, she had multiple near-brushes with Japanese kamikazes. Post-war, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating U.S. servicemen from throughout the Pacific. She was decommissioned in December 1946, being mothballed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was ultimately sold for scrap in 1960.

Design and description

A profile of the design of Takanis Bay, which was shared by all Casablanca-class escort carriers Inboard and outboard profiles of a Casablanca-class escort carrier, 1946.png
A profile of the design of Takanis Bay, which was shared by all Casablanca-class escort carriers

Marcus Island 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 512 ft 3 in (156.13 m) long overall, had a beam of 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m), and a draft of 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m). She displaced 8,188 long tons (8,319  t ) standard, 10,902 long tons (11,077 t) with a full load. She had a 257 ft (78 m) long hangar deck and a 477 ft (145 m) long flight deck. She was powered with two Skinner Unaflow reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing 9,000 horsepower (6,700 kW), thus enabling her to make 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). The ship had a cruising range of 10,240 nautical miles (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). 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]

One 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose gun was mounted on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by eight Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft guns in single mounts, as well as twelve Oerlikon 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, 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 (0.79 in) cannons, and the amount of Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) guns had been doubled to sixteen, by putting them into twin mounts. These modifications were in response to increasing casualties due to kamikaze attacks. Although Casablanca-class escort carriers were designed 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] [4]

Operation Embarked Squadron Fighters Torpedo bombers Recon planes Total
Battle of Peleliu [5] Composite Squadron (VC) 2116 FM-2 12 TBM-1C 28
Battle of Leyte [6] 17 FM-212 TBM-1C29
Battle of Mindoro [7] 24 FM-29 TBM-1C33
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf [8] 26 FM-29 TBM-1C35
Battle of Okinawa [9] Composite Squadron (VC) 8720 FM-211 TBM-31 TBM-3P32

Construction

Marcus Island being launched from a building berth on 16 December 1943. Launch of USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) at Kaiser Shipyards in December 1943.jpg
Marcus Island being launched from a building berth on 16 December 1943.

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 1114, [1] the twenty-third of a series of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers on 15 September 1943 under the name Kanalku Bay. She was renamed to Marcus Island on 6 November and launched on 16 December; sponsored by Mrs. Louise LaHache, the widow of Captain Samuel LaHache. [10] She was transferred to the Navy and commissioned on 26 January 1944. [11]

Service history

Upon being commissioned, Marcus Island fitted out at Naval Station Tongue Point, Astoria, Oregon until 17 February, when she underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast, arriving in San Diego on 1 March. On 8 March, she set out to ferry aircraft to Pearl Harbor and was back in San Diego on 27 March. She then brought down a load of aircraft from Alameda, California to San Diego, which was finished on 4 April. She embarked Composite Squadron (VC) 21 for a period of training that lasted until 13 April, [12] before beginning a period of post-shakedown availability. On 9 May, she proceeded northwards to Alameda, where she conducted a ferry mission to the Solomon Islands, returning to San Diego on 1 July, where she was put into drydock to repaint her hull. [11] [13]

On 12 July, Marcus Island embarked VC-21 again for training. On 20 July, she set off from San Diego, having taken onboard VC-21, VC-80, and a cargo of aircraft. She unloaded VC-80 and her load of planes at Pearl Harbor on 26 July. There, on 11 August, Rear Admiral William D. Sample raised his flag over Marcus Island, and the following day, she left Hawaiian waters for the Solomon Islands, arriving in Tulagi on 24 August. [11] [14]

Mariana and Palau Islands

At Tulagi, Marcus Island became flagship of Task Unit 32.7.1 and was assigned to support the marines participating in the landings on Peleliu and Angaur of the Palau Islands, as a part of the larger Mariana and Palau Islands campaign. [5] Leaving Tulagi on 1 September, Marcus Island commenced pre-invasion strikes on 12 September, and began close air support operations on 15 September, the day of the landings on Peleliu. She continued providing air cover and launching strikes until 2 October, when she retired to Manus of the Admiralty Islands, arriving on 4 October. [11]

Philippines

Leyte

A Wildcat makes a bumpy landing on Marcus Island. FM-2 Wildcat makes crash landing on USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) c1944.jpg
A Wildcat makes a bumpy landing on Marcus Island.

At Manus, Marcus Island joined Task Group 77.4, otherwise known as "Taffy 2", as its flagship. She, accompanied by eighteen other escort carriers and their screens of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, steamed on 12 October for Leyte Gulf, where they were expected to support the landings on Leyte. "Taffy 2" was positioned to the direct south of "Taffy 3", which was in turn positioned to the east of the San Bernardino Strait. Arriving off the island on 18 October, her aircraft carried out airstrikes and conducted combat air patrols. On 20 October, the day of the landings, Rear Admiral Sample had insisted on accompanying one of Marcus Island's Avengers as it conducted a close air support mission. As Sample's Avenger circled at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) altitude following a rocket run, a shell hit his Avenger on its right side, passing through the fuselage and detonating near the root of the left wing, tearing a large hole in its flank. Sample was wounded by shrapnel that lacerated his head, right shoulder, and right arm. Nonetheless, the Avenger was able to make it back to Marcus Island, although the plane was written off due to damage. [15] During the initial landings, the Marcus Island's air contingent flew 261 sorties over Leyte. [11]

Battle off Samar

A Stinson L-5 Sentinel liaison aircraft takes off from Marcus Island, late 1944. Stinson L-5B Sentinel takes off from USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) c1944.jpg
A Stinson L-5 Sentinel liaison aircraft takes off from Marcus Island, late 1944.

On 23 October, the Battle of Leyte Gulf began. The bulk of the Japanese naval fleet had been concentrated to repel the Americans from the Philippines, the seizure of which would have cut the vital oil supply lines from Southeast Asia. Vice Admiral William Halsey Jr., commander of the Third Fleet, had detached his surface ships to engage the diversionary Northern Force. Therefore, on the early morning of 25 October, when Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita's Center Force emerged into the waters of Leyte Gulf through the San Bernadino Strait, the Americans could muster no major surface combatants. [16] Within the Center Force's sights was Taffy 3, 20 mi (32 km) north of Marcus Island, which had been caught completely by surprise. [11]

With "Taffy 3" helplessly overmatched, the entirety of Taffy 2's aircraft was recalled to assist in the defense. Marcus Island only had two Avengers at hand, as at 05:45, an hour before the Center Force was spotted, she had dispatched ten Avengers to airdrop supplies to the 96th Division. [17] Nonetheless, Marcus Island finished launching all her available aircraft at 08:08, sending out two Avengers, each loaded with a Mark 13 torpedo, and fifteen Wildcats. [18] One of her Avengers reported a hit on the portside aft of a heavy cruiser, [note 1] likely the Tone-class cruiser Chikuma, "which appeared to go out of control". [19] [20] [note 2] Meanwhile, her fighters harassed the advancing Japanese ships and contested the airspace above the battle, shooting down three Aichi E13A seaplanes [23] and two Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters. [24]

At 10:30, her Avengers returned from their resupply mission, by which time the Center Force had already been turned around. [17] In the interim, Marcus Island had taken onboard seven Avengers from "Taffy 3", refueled them, and rearmed them with torpedoes. [25] Of the returning Avengers, seven were each loaded with four 500 lb (230 kg) SAP (semi-armor piercing) bombs and another was allocated the one remaining torpedo. At 11:20, these eight of her Avengers and six of the "Taffy 3" Avengers were launched to pursue the retreating Japanese. Her Avengers reported seven direct bomb hits and three near misses on a heavy cruiser, [note 1] while her sole torpedo-armed Avenger placed a hit on the stern. The cruiser was then observed to "smoke heavily, stop, and then get underway slowly". [19] [26]

While the American forces had been distracted with the Battle off Samar and its immediate aftermath, Vice Admiral Naomasa Sakonju's transport unit, which consisted of the Nagara-class light cruiser Kinu, the Fubuki-class destroyer Uranami, and four transports, were in the process of unloading 2,000 troops onto Ormoc Bay, on the Western coast of Leyte. The transport unit finished unloading its troops on the morning of 26 October, but as it withdrew, it was sighted by American aircraft. A strike group of twenty-three Avengers and twenty-nine fighters were assembled to strike the Japanese ships. Marcus Island contributed twelve of its aircraft to the strike group, and the strike group reached the Japanese ships at 10:00 in the morning, bombing, rocketing, and strafing the two ships. The two transport vessels that the Japanese ships were escorting were quickly sunk, and Uranami was sunk as it attempted to charge the wreckage of a downed Wildcat. Kinu proved to be more resilient, sinking only after numerous bomb, rocket, and torpedo hits at 17:30, southwest of Masbate Island. [27] Early on 30 October, Marcus Island withdrew from Leyte for Manus. [11] [28]

Mindoro

Marcus Island entered Seeadler Harbor on 3 November, and replenished until 19 November, when she joined Task Unit 77.4.6 as flagship. [29] Until 27 November, she provided air cover for convoys traveling near the eastern Philippines, which were being harassed by Japanese planes based on Mindanao. [30] She resupplied at Naval Base Kossol Roads, and on 10 December, Marcus Island steamed for Mindoro as flagship for Task Unit 77.12.7, providing air screening for the landings on Mindoro. [11] [7]

On 15 December, during the morning of the Mindoro landings, Marcus Island and her sisters came under intense kamikaze attack. At 04:30, about 40 Japanese aircraft, divided in half between kamikazes and escorts, began taking off from Clark Field and Davao. At 8:00, the escort carriers began turning back towards Leyte, having been relieved of their duties by land-based Army Air Forces aircraft, but the kamikazes pursued. [11] [31]

A Zero makes its dive on Marcus Island. Kamikaze Distant Vantage USS Marcus Island (CVE-77).jpg
A Zero makes its dive on Marcus Island.
Crew on board Marcus Island scramble as a kamikaze passes. Kamikaze on USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) Impacts.jpg
Crew on board Marcus Island scramble as a kamikaze passes.
Marcus Island photographed from her starboard. The first kamikaze crashes off her starboard bow, then the second kamikaze explodes off her port bow. USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) under air attack c1944.jpg
Marcus Island photographed from her starboard. The first kamikaze crashes off her starboard bow, then the second kamikaze explodes off her port bow.

At 08:12, the Japanese planes made first contact, with a kamikaze shot down as it dove upon the Bagley-class destroyer Ralph Talbot. At 08:22, three kamikaze Zeros were spotted approached Marcus Island from the port quarter, at about 15,000 ft (4,600 m) in altitude. One Zero disappeared into a cloud, while the other two reoriented themselves towards her. Of the pair, one made a steep bank to remain at her port, completed a chandelle, and then dove from astern, aiming for a painted dummy aircraft elevator midway between her forward aircraft elevator and her bow. Hits were recorded 1,000 ft (300 m) out, and the pilot may have been incapacitated, as the kamikaze skimmed just over her flight deck, making impact with the water 20 ft (6.1 m) off her starboard bow. Upon impact, its payload exploded underwater, sending a column of water into the air. Passing over the flight deck, its wingtip clipped a lookout platform, decapitating one lookout and injuring another. [32]

The other Zero had passed over the carrier to approach her from the starboard quarter, and it dived on Marcus Island, also aiming for the painted aircraft elevator. Buffeted by anti-aircraft fire, the kamikaze made a sudden 90° roll to port 500 ft (150 m) short of the carrier and careened into the water 30 ft (9.1 m) off her port bow. The kamikaze detonated upon impact, spraying shrapnel across the flight deck and injuring six of her crew. The two kamikaze attacks had occurred only ten seconds apart from each other. A few minutes later, a Yokosuka D4Y dive bomber attempted to make a run against Marcus Island, but its bomb missed astern, and the bomber was shot down shortly afterwards. [33] Remarkably, Marcus Island had been the only ship to suffer any damage during the Japanese attack. [34] On 18 December, Marcus Island retired from operations, entering Kossol Roads on 19 December. [11]

Lingayen Gulf

Marcus Island was back at Manus on 23 December, replenishing there until 29 December, [35] when she set off as the flagship of Task Unit 77.4.4, [8] the San Fabian Protective Group, which was assigned to cover the convoys of the Sixth Army as it proceeded towards Luzon to participate in the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf. [11] [36]

On the afternoon of 5 January 1945, as the convoys passed through the Surigao Strait, the Fletcher-class destroyer Taylor sighted two torpedo wakes running towards the formation. Responding to the alarm, a plane from Marcus Island spotted a periscope above the water. A depth charge was dropped 60 ft (18 m) from the midget submarine, leaving it listing. It was finished off by the Taylor, which rammed it. [11] [37]

Marcus Island arrived in Lingayen Gulf on 6 January, where she provided an air screen to fend off kamikazes. This was not always accomplished. On the morning of 8 January, she launched two divisions of fighters at 7:00. At 7:16, a large group of Japanese aircraft was detected approaching from the east, which separated into three distinct groups. Although her air contingent shot down four planes in a series of short engagements, a kamikaze managed to dive down and damage Kadashan Bay, the other escort carrier in TU 77.4.4. Although the damage was not crippling, Kadashan Bay was still forced to transfer her entire stock of aircraft to Marcus Island on 10 January and withdraw. [38]

Later, on the night of 8 January, Kitkun Bay was also damaged by a kamikaze, suffering more severe damage than Kadashan Bay, and was also obliged to withdraw. Combined with the earlier sinking of Ommaney Bay on 4 January, extra work was put onto the remaining escort carriers. On 8 January, Marcus Island recorded ninety-four planes launched and ninety-nine planes [note 3] recovered during operational hours, averaging a launching or landing every 3.8 minutes, setting a record for an escort carrier in combat. [39]

On 9 January, the day of the landings, aircraft from Marcus Island sank two small Japanese coastal ships on the north shore of Luzon. As a result of casualties, on 10 January, the screening escort carriers were reconstituted into Task Unit 77.4.6, the Close Covering Carrier Group. [40] Later that same day, rough weather in the area adversely affected Marcus Island's air contingent. At 18:00, she abruptly rolled 14° to her starboard, jettisoning one Wildcat into the ocean, sending another Wildcat upside-down into a catwalk, and yet another Wildcat sliding into a different catwalk. One of her Avengers also suffered damage to the tail. There were no injuries. [41] [42]

On 17 January, Marcus Island, along with the rest of Task Group 77.4, withdrew from the waters off Luzon. To guard against any counterattacks, they proceeded to join Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey's Close Covering Group, west of northern Mindoro. [43] On 29 January, she supported landings at Zambales in Luzon, which were unopposed. On 31 January, she headed to Ulithi of the Caroline Islands, arriving on 5 February. [11] [44]

Okinawa

Aircraft ready for takeoff on Marcus Island. Flight deck of USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) c1945.jpg
Aircraft ready for takeoff on Marcus Island.
An Avenger overflies Marcus Island, 1945. TBF Avenger flies over USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) c1945.jpg
An Avenger overflies Marcus Island, 1945.

On 6 February, Rear Admiral Sample left Marcus Island, but she maintained her status as flagship, embarking Rear Admiral Felix Stump, commander of Carrier Division 24. On 14 February, she switched aircraft contingents, unloading VC-21 and taking on VC-87. On 4 March, she steamed for Leyte, arriving on 7 March. There, rehearsals were conducted for Operation Iceberg, the planned landings on Okinawa. [11] [45]

Marcus Island departed Leyte on 21 March as the flagship for Task Unit 52.1.2. [9] She arrived south of Kerama Retto on 26 March, whereupon she began launching airstrikes in support of the landings there. At the end of March, her aircraft between transitioning their strikes towards Okinawa Island itself in anticipation of the landings on 1 April. [46] On 3 April, Wake Island was damaged by a kamikaze, and on 5 April Wake Island's embarked squadron, Composite Observation Squadron (VOC) 1 was taken onboard by Marcus Island. In turn, she transferred her aircraft contingent to Wake Island to be ferried back to Guam. [47]

Throughout April, aircraft from Marcus Island provided artillery spotting for surface ships conducting shore bombardment on Okinawa, conducted airstrikes on Japanese installations, provided fighter cover, and gave close air support to American forces as they advanced through the island. [48] On 29 April, Marcus Island left Okinawa in a convoy along with her sisters Saginaw Bay and Savo Island. [49] During the Battle of Okinawa, planes of her air contingent had flown 1,085 sorties, shooting down eleven Japanese aircraft and destroying another thirteen grounded aircraft. [11]

Marcus Island arrived at Guam on 3 May, where VOC-1 was transferred back to Wake Island. She then took on a load of damaged aircraft, steaming on 5 May for the West Coast, arriving in San Diego on 22 May. There, she underwent a refit, a process which took until 5 July. She sailed westwards again on 10 July, ferrying troops and replacement aircraft to Pearl Harbor and Guam. She returned to Naval Air Station Alameda on 15 August, the same day that the Japanese surrender was announced. [11] [50]

Postwar

After the end of the war, Marcus Island was assigned to the Operation Magic Carpet fleet, which repatriated U.S. servicemen from throughout the Pacific. Making stops at Pearl Harbor and Guam, she reached Okinawa on 28 September and embarked returning troops, arriving in San Francisco on 24 October. She then completed additional "Magic Carpet" runs to Guam and Pearl Harbor. [11]

Marcus Island left San Diego on 12 January 1946, transiting the Panama Canal and stopping at Norfolk, arriving in Boston Harbor on 2 February. On 12 December, she was decommissioned and mothballed, joining the Boston group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, moored at the South Boston Naval Annex. On 12 June 1955, she was redesignated as a helicopter aircraft carrier, receiving the hull symbol CVHE-77. On 7 May 1959, she was further redesignated as an aviation transport, receiving the hull symbol AKV-27. She was struck from the Navy list on 1 September 1959 and sold to Comarket Inc. on 29 February 1960 for scrapping. [11]

Awards and decorations

Marcus Island received four battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for her World War II service. [51]

Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg
American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg
World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg
Army of Occupation ribbon.svg Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines).svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Ribbonstar-bronze.svg
Phliber rib.svg
1st row Navy Unit Commendation
2nd row American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal with four battle stars World War II Victory Medal
3rd row Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Asia" clasp) Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal with two service stars

Notes

  1. 1 2 The action report identifies the target as a Takao-class cruiser, but the sequence of events aligns with the sinking of Chikuma.
  2. ↑ The origin of the Avenger that was responsible for the stern hit on Chikuma is unclear. Hornfischer attributes it to an Avenger from Manila Bay. [21] The action report for Manila Bay's embarked squadron reports an Avenger conducting a torpedo run towards a Tone-class cruiser from her starboard quarter at approximately 09:15, which results in a torpedo hit near the stern. The cruiser is then described as "turning in a tight circle, seemingly out of control". [22]
  3. ↑ The five additional landings consist of aircraft transferred from Kadashan Bay.

References

  1. 1 2 MARCOM.
  2. 1 2 3 Chesneau & Gardiner 1980, p. 109.
  3. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, pp. 34–35.
  4. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 10.
  5. 1 2 Y'Blood 2012, p. 109.
  6. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 121.
  7. 1 2 Y'Blood 2012, p. 251.
  8. 1 2 Y'Blood 2012, p. 277.
  9. 1 2 Y'Blood 2012, p. 349.
  10. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, p. 10.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DANFS 2016.
  12. ↑ VC-21 War History 1945, p. 12.
  13. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 11–12.
  14. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, p. 12.
  15. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 130.
  16. ↑ Morison 1958, pp. 4–6.
  17. 1 2 Y'Blood 2012, p. 153.
  18. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 18–19.
  19. 1 2 VC-21 War History 1945, p. 25.
  20. ↑ VC-21 Action Report 1944, pp. 132–137.
  21. ↑ Hornfischer 2004, p. 242.
  22. ↑ VC-80 Action Report 1944, pp. 33–34.
  23. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 221.
  24. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 224.
  25. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, pp. 168–169.
  26. ↑ VC-21 Action Report 1944, pp. 140–144.
  27. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, pp. 229–231.
  28. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 241.
  29. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, p. 26.
  30. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 247.
  31. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 260.
  32. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 261.
  33. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, pp. 261–262.
  34. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 265.
  35. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, p. 34.
  36. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 296.
  37. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 297.
  38. ↑ Y'Blood 2014, pp. 304–306.
  39. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 310.
  40. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 311.
  41. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 312.
  42. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, p. 33.
  43. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 316.
  44. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 34–35.
  45. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 35–36.
  46. ↑ Y'Blood 2014, p. 354.
  47. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 358.
  48. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 36–47.
  49. ↑ Y'Blood 2012, p. 380.
  50. ↑ USS Marcus Island War History 1945, pp. 48–49.
  51. ↑ Bureau of Naval Personnel 1948, p. 18, 124.

Sources

Online sources

  • "COST OF WAR-BUILT VESSELS FROM INCEPTION, FROM OCTOBER 25, 1936 to JUNE 30, 1946" (PDF). United States Maritime Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  • "Marcus Island (CVE-77)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships . Naval History and Heritage Command. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Bibliography

Military documents

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