Alaska's Aircraft Carrier

U.S.S. KADASHAN BAY (CVE-76)

The name of the only aircraft carrier named after a geographical location in Alaska was derived from Kadashan Bay which is located on Baranof Island in Southeast Region of Alaska

The United States Ship Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) was a Casablanca class escort aircraft carrier of the United States. Prior to commissioning, the U.S.S. Kadashan Bay went through three different designations of type of carrier, AVG-76, ACV-76, and ultimately the classification of CVE-76. Although, in design of an aircraft carrier, the primary mission of the U.S.S. Kadashan Bay was to transport aircraft and personnel by sea to the the war zone in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. This particular type of aircraft carrier was commonly referred to as a "jeep carrier", jeep being a common name for aircraft. In the closing days of the war, these transport carriers would also play a role of a typical aircraft carrier, launching strikes against Japan.

The Kadashan Bay was built by Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver, Washington. Her keel was laid on 2 September 1943 and launched on 11 December 1943 after being sponsored by Miss Audrey Ackerman. The Kadashan was commissioned on 18 January 1944, under the command of Captain R.N. Hunter. Her total length was 512 feet with a beam of 65 feet. Her flight deck was 108 feet in width. Her speed was 19 knots and carried a crew of 860 men plus an embarked aircraft squadron of 50 men. Her armament consisted of one - 5 inch 38 Gun, 16 x 40 mm cannons in 8 twin mounts, and 20 x 20 mm machine guns in single mounts.

Following her shakedown cruise, she departed San Diego on the first of two cruises to Espiritu Santo. During these two cruises, she transported 154 aircraft to the war zone.

Following repairs in San Diego after her second cruise, she sailed for Pearl Harbor to join a carrier division. One month later, she sailed for Tulagi and final preparations of the assault on the Palaus. In mid September, her air group launched a pre-invasion air attack against enemy positions on Peleliu. Ground forces landed on 15 September to gain control of the island as an air base to support the Philippine operation.

The Kadashan Bay or nicknamed the "Katie B" detach from that operating area and steamed for the Leyte Gulf for operations. Arriving there on 21 October, she immediately commenced launching strikes in support of the troops ashore. Four days later one of the patrol aircraft piloted by Ensign Hans Jensen from the Kadashan Bay sighted the Central Force of the Japanese fleet off Samar. After reporting his sighting and position, he launched an unsupported attack against the leading cruiser, beginning the famous battle of Samar. The carrier task group in which the Kadashan Bay was operating launched three fighter and three torpedo attacks against the enemy force. Heavy casualties on the Japanese fleet was inflicted, a second major loss to the Japanese fleet from which they would not recover.

The U.S.S. Kadashan Bay moved south to join the preparations for the Luzon landings on 3 January 1945. On 8 January 1945 she commenced early morning air strikes against the occupying Japanese. That same morning, a "kamikaze" aimed his aircraft at the Kadashan Bay. Despite repeated hits by the gun crews on the Kadashan Bay, the plane plunged into the ship amidships directly below the bridge. After several hours, the damage control efforts checked the fires and flooding on the Katie B. Following this direct hit, she sailed to Leyte on 12 January for temporary repairs before returning to San Francisco on 13 February for a complete overhaul.
The Kadashan Bay returned to Pearl Harbor on 14 April 1945 and commenced ferrying aircraft and personnel among the Pacific Islands. She was reassigned as a carrier in the Third Fleet and was on her way to Pearl Harbor to begin her new duty when news of Japan's surrender was announced. The U.S.S. Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) joined the "'magic carpet" fleet in Guam and returned to San Francisco on 26 September with her first group of veterans. For the next three months the escort carrier made runs from Pearl Harbor, Guam, Okinawa, and China to return battle weary Americans home.

On 10 January 1946, the Kadashan Bay departed San Diego arriving in Boston on 29 January. She would remain in Boston, being decommissioned on 14 June 1946 and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On 13 August 1959 the U.S.S. Kadashan Bay would be sold for scrap. The U.S.S. Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) received two battle stars for her World War II service.

Although the designation of the the U.S.S. Kadashan Bay changed during her construction, her hull number always remained the same, "76". Unknown to her, that with the passage a time, one of America's newest and largest aircraft carriers would carry the same hull number, the CVN-76 (Attack Carrier, Nuclear Powered)

U.S.S. Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)The U.S.S. Ronald Regan (CVN-76) Rendering Honors to the U.S.S. Arizona (BB-39) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii