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| USN Essex-class aircraft carrier 27,100 Tons (standard) 36,380 Tons (full loaded) 872 x 147' 6" x 34' 2" 4 x twin 5" guns 4 x single 5" gun 8 x quad 40mm 46 x 20mm cannon 90-100 aircraft  Faccone May 11, 1945  USN May 12, 1945 |
Ship History Built at Bethlehem Steel Company in Quincy, Massachusetts. Laid down September 15, 1941. Launched December 7, 1942 as as USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) named for the Battle of Bunker Hill sponsored by sponsored by Mrs. Donald Boynton. Commissioned May 24, 1943 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Captain J. J. Ballentine in command and departed for Norfolk and embarked her air group including VF-17 equipped with F4U Corsairs. On July 15, 1943 departs Norfolk on a three week shakedown cruise off Trinidad then returns. Wartime History On September 4, 1943 departs Norfolk via the Panama Canal to San Diego where the carrier embarks VF-18 bound for Pearl Harbor. Aboard, Fighting Squadron 17 (VF-17) with F4U Corsairs proved unsuitable for carrier operations and were replaced by Fighting Squadron 18 (VF-18) with F6F Hellcats. On October 19, 1943 departs Pearl Harbor bound for the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) to join Task Group 50.3 (TG 50.3). On November 11, 1943 Bunker Hill carrier planes participate in a strike against Rabaul including SB2C Helldivers from Bombing Squadron 17 (VB-17), their first combat of the new dive bomber. Next, conducts strikes against the Gilbert Islands and supports the landings at Tarawa between November 13, 1943 until December 8, 1943. On December 25, 1943 her planes strike Kavieng On January 1, 1944 her aircraft again strike Kavieng. On January 4, 1944 they again hit Kavieng. Lost is F6F Hellcat 26100 pilot Ensign Robert W. Beedle (MIA). Between January 29, 1944 until February 8, 1944 supported operations in the Marshall Islands. Operation Hailstone On February 17, 1944 Bunker Hill aircraft participate in "Operation Hailstone" striking Truk. On February 18, 1944 her planese continue strikes on Truk. In total, her carrier planes claim eight Japanese ships sunk. On February 23, 1944 her aircraft attack the Mariana Islands. On March 30, 1944 until April 1, 1944 her aircraft participated in raids against Palau-Yap-Ulithi-Woleai. On April 29, 1944 until May 1, 1944 her planes strike Truk-Satawan-Ponape raids. During April 21-28, 1944 supported the U.S. landing at Hollandia. On June 12, 1944 until August 10, 1944 supports the operations against the Mariana Islands. On June 19, 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Bunker Hill was damaged when an enemy near-miss scattered shrapnel fragments across the carrier with two killing and 80 wounded. Bunker Hill continued to fight, with her aircraft shooting down some of the 476 Japanese aircraft destroyed during the battle, and assisting in the sinking of a Japanese carrier. During September, she participated in the Western Caroline operation and then launched strikes against Okinawa, Luzon, and Formosa until November. On November 6, 1944, Bunker Hill departed across the Pacific bound for Bremerton for repairs completed in late January 1945. On January 24, 1945 departed Bremerton across the Pacific and rejoined the 5th Fleet. On February 15, 1945, Bunker Hill planes supported the invasion of Iwo Jima and conducted carrier raids against Honshū and the Ryukyu Islands. In early April 1945 supported the invasion of Okinawa. On April 7, 1945 participated in the Battle of the East China Sea attacking the Japanese Naval force and participate in the sinking of Battleship Yamato, Light cruiser Yahagi and four destroyers. Damaged by Kamikaze On May 11, 1945 off Okinawa and hit and severely damaged by two kamikaze aircraft at roughly Lat 25°44'N Long 129°28'E. The first kamikaze was an A6M Zero that appeared from a low cloud, dived toward the flight deck and dropped a 250 kg bomb, which went through the vessel and exploded in the sea. The same Zero then crashed onto the flight deck, destroying many parked aircraft igniting fuel and causing a huge fire. The remains of the Zero went over the deck and fell into the sea. Thirty seconds later, a second A6M Zero piloted by Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa, dived into the carrier dropped a 250kg bomb and crashed into the flight deck near the control tower. The bomb penetrated Bunker Hill's flight deck and exploded. Gasoline fires flamed up and several explosions took place. Aboard, the carrier suffered 346 killed, 43 missing and 264 wounded. A total of seventy-eight aircraft were destroyed. During the attack, her planes that were airborne from VMF-221 were diverted to other carriers to land. Although badly damaged, Bunker Hill withdrew to Ulithi Atoll where her carrier planes and pilots returned then crossed the Pacific via Pearl Harbor before reaching Bremerton for repairs that lasted until late September 1945. Postwar On September 27, 1945 departs Bremerton and joined Task Group 16.12 (TG 16.12) for "Operation Magic Carpet" to transport U.S. personnel from the Pacific back to the United States. On October 27, 1945 at Seattle the carrier was opened to the public for Navy Day. For the remainder of the year Bunker Hill made return trips from the west coast to Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, Guam and Saipan. In early January 1946 returned to Bremerton. On January 9, 1947 decommissioned into reserve and was reclassified three times. In October 1952 redesignated as USS Bunker Hill (CVA-17). In August 1953 redesignated as USS Bunker Hill (CVS-17). In May 1959 redesignated USS Bunker Hill (AVT-9) as an aircraft transport. In November 1966, stricken from the Naval Vessel Register. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, used as a stationary electronics test platform off San Diego. Fate In May 1973 sold for scrap and broken up. Awards For her World War II service, Bunker Hill earned eleven battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation for the period between November 11, 1943 until May 11, 1945. References NavSource - USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List May 1945 - May 11, 1945 aircraft losses aboard USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) Contribute
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