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| USN Bogue Class Escort Carrier 9,600 Tons 495.75' x 69.5' x 26' 2 × 5 inch guns 8 twin x 40 mm Bofors 27 x 20mm Oerlikon Aircraft: 24 |
Ship History Built by by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Tacoma, Washington. Laid down November 27, 1941 as M.C. Hull No. 234. Launched April 4, 1942. Acquired by the US Navy May 1, 1942 then towed to Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington and converted into a Bogue Class Escort Carrier. Commissioned August 20, 1942 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Captain Austin K. Doyle in command. Wartime History On October 10, Nassau arrived at the Naval Air Station, Alameda, California, loaded aircraft, and four days departed for Pearl Harbor. Afterwards to Palmyra arriving on October 30. For the next four months, she operated between Palmyra and Nouméa and Espiritu Santo ferrying aircraft. On February 14, 1943 returned to Pearl Harbor and embarked personnel and aircraft, then departs February 21, 1943 on a ferry mission to Espiritu Santo then returned to Pearl Harbor in the middle of March and then departed for Alameda, California. In April 1942, moves to San Diego and conducted flight training operations, after which she rendezvoused with Task Group 51.1 and steamed for Cold Bay with Composite Squadron 21 (VC-21) embarked. On May 4, departed on a search mission and conducted flight operations with Task Force 51, providing air cover for the occupation of Attu Island May 11 through 20 May. She returned to San Diego in late May, arrived at Alameda 8 June and onloaded 45 aircraft destined for Brisbane, Australia. On July 2, delivered the aircraft and returned via Nouméa to San Diego. In August, she trained off San Diego before ferrying planes to Samoa. Returning to San Diego from Samoa, 19 October, Nassau embarked Marine Fighter Squadron 225 (VMF-225) for passage to Pearl Harbor. Arriving October 30, she conducted air operations off Pearl Harbor during the early days of November 1943. On November 7, 1943 embarked F6F Hellcats from Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1) and departs Pearl Harbor with Task Force 52 (TF 52) bound for Tarawa (Betio) in the Gilbert Islands. The escort carrier plans to deliver the squadron to Tarawa Airfield once it captured and repaired. Between November 20, 1943 until November 24, 1943, the squadron flew Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and close support missions to support the Marines by bombing and strafing. Over the four days, VF-1 flew a total of 106 missions for a total of 237 hours of flying time without any losses. Nassau returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 December following flight operations. She then sailed to the Marshall Islands with Task Group 51.2 and launched strikes 29 January 1944 against Taroa Field on Maloelap Atoll. The next day, the Task Group centered its operations around Kwajalein, Wotje, and Maloelap Atolls, with Nassau conducting both anti-submarine and combat air patrols. Nassau returned to Pearl Harbor 3 March, disembarked VC-66, and took on aircraft, cargo, and passengers for ferry to the Marshall Islands. Throughout March, ferry missions were performed between Kwajalein, Majuro, and Pearl Harbor. After repairs and alterations at Mare Island Navy Yard, the carrier sailed with 51 aircraft for Finschhafen, New Guinea 5 May. The next four months she performed ferry missions from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, the Admiralties and the New Hebrides. On August 9, 1944 Nassau was at Pearl Harbor and unloaded PV-1 Venturas, equipment and personnel of VP-137 at Ford Island. Upon arrival at Seeadler Harbor 1 September, Nassau reported to Commander Task Group 30.8. Thus began her tour of duty with Admiral Halsey's 3rd fleet, which made unprecedented naval history in the following months. Nassau's mission was to operate out of the Admiralties with other escort carriers to provide replacement aircraft and pilots for the attack carriers of Task Force 38. Steaming in company with the oiler groups, which refueled the ships of the Task Force at sea, Nassau made three cruises into the western Pacific. She returned to the Admiralties with disabled aircraft which were destined for shipment to Pearl Harbor or the United States for reconditioning. The first of these replacement trips was in support of the strikes against Palau; the second in support of operations against the southern and central Philippines. Then Task Force 38 shifted to more northerly targets in the Philippines and Formosa. Nassau reached Manus on 20 October. After offloading old aircraft and taking on new ones, she departed on her last replacement trip. Steaming to Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands, she joined up with Task Groups 38.1 and 38.3 on 28 October and transferred 70 aircraft and 43 pilots to the attack carriers. Task Unit 12.6.1, composed of Nassau, Tennessee and four other ships steamed for Pearl Harbor 5 November, arriving November 16. Two days later, Nassau was dispatched to San Diego. Among her passengers were 382 survivors of Princeton, which was sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 24 October 1944. Another ferry mission to Pearl Harbor followed in mid-November, with three more runs to Guam in December, January 1945, and February. Nassau returned to Alameda, California, 23 March and through the remainder of the war, performed transport and ferry missions between Alameda, Pearl Harbor, Guam, Manus, Samar and Saipan. Postwar Nassau departed Alameda 13 May 1946 for Tacoma, Washington. On 28 October, she decommissioned and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Designated for modification for aircraft transportation purposes, her classification was changed to CVHE-16, 12 June 1955. Shortly thereafter she transferred to the Bremerton Reserve Group, and was struck from the Navy Register, 1 March 1959. Fate In June 1961, she was towed to Japan and scraped. Contribute
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