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  USS Kalinin Bay CVE-68
USN
Casablanca-class
escort carrier

7,800 Tons
512' 3" x 65' 2" x 22' 6"
1 x 5"
16 x 40mm AA
20 x 20mm AA single
Aircraft: 27

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USN c1944

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USN November 25, 1944
Ship History
Built by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company in Vancouver, Washington. Originally designated AVG. On August 20, 1942 classified as ACV-68. Laid down April 26, 1943 under a Maritime Commission contract. On July 15, 1943 reclassified as CVE-68. Launched October 15, 1943 sponsored by Mrs. Anna Mary Updegraff. Named USS Kalinin Bay after the feature of the same name bordering Kruzof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of southeastern Alaska. Commissioned November 27, 1943 as in Astoria, Oregon with Captain C. R. Brown in command.

Wartime History
Kalinin Bay completed a shakedown cruise on the west coast of the United States. On January 3, 1944 departed San Diego bound for Pearl Harbor. On January 16, 1944 loaded twenty-four F4U Corsairs from Marine Fighting Squadron 422 (VMF-422) "Flying Buccaneers" from Ford Island departed the next day bound for Tarawa. On January 24, 1944 off Tarawa the Corsairs took off and landed at Tarawa Airfield (Hawkins Field). For the next two months, provided support to the 5th Fleet at Tarawa and Majuro during the Marshall Islands campaign then departed back to the west coast arriving at Alameda on February 24, 1944.

PARTIAL HISTORY

On January 18, 1945 repairs were completed. On January 20, 1945 departs San Diego ferrying aircraft and personnel across the Pacific via Pearl Harbor then to Guam. Afterwards used as a replenishment carrier for in the Pacific Carrier Transport Squadron and made six trips from the west coast and Pearl Harbor to Eniwetok and Guam transporting more than 600 aircraft.

Postwar
On September 2, 1945 departed San Diego when Japan officially surrendered bound for the Philippines. On September 28, 1945 arrived at Samar and participated in "Operation Magic Carpet" embarking 1,048 personnel to transport them back to the United States. On October 1, 1945 departed Samar across the Pacific reaching San Francisco eighteen days later.

Afterwards conducting two more "Operation Magic Carpet" trips between California and Pearl Harbor, Kalinin Bay departed San Diego. On December 8, 1945 departed for Japan but during the trip experienced an intense storm the caused heavy damage to the flight deck. On December 27, 1945 arrived at Yokosuka and emergency repairs were made. On January 3, 1946 departed for the United States. On January 17, 1945 arrived at San Diego then departed via the Panama Canal to the east coast. On March 9, 1946 arrived Boston. On May 15, 1946 decommissioned from the U.S. Navy.

Awards
Kalinin Bay earned five battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation.

Fate
On December 8, 1946 sold to Patapsco Steel Company in Baltimore, Maryland and scrapped afterwards.

References
NARA "Marine Fighting Squadron Four Twenty Two - 1 January 1943 to 31 December 1944" page 33
(Page 33) "Twenty-four (24) Corsairs were ferried to Ford Island from MCAS, Ewa, on 16 January [1944] and put aboard CVE USS Kalinin Bay. It was planned to fly them from the CVE to Tarawa, Gilbert Islands on approaching within fifty miles of that base and from there to a newly won airstrip in the Marshalls. On 17 January twenty seven pilots and three enlisted men boarded the Kalinin Bay, sailing the following day. On the morning of 24 January the aircraft were catapulted as planned almost within sight of Tarawa and landed shortly after on Hawkins Field."
NavSource - USS Kalinin Bay CVE-68

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Last Updated
April 12, 2025

 

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