Leyte (CV 32) - Naval Cruise Book

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HISTORY OF THE USS LEYTE TIM aircraft earner USS LEYTE was named alter the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The 27,000-ton ESSEX elass carrier, was launched at Newport News on 23 August 1945. Commissioned on 11 April 1910, LEYTE was scheduled for a shakedown cruise in the Guantanamo Bay area during the fol- lowing month. However, a personnel shortage aboard the huge carrier necessitated a postpon- nient of the shakedown cruise until September of 1946. Arriving at Guantanamo Bay on 20 Sep- tember, the carrier started a shakedown cruise which took her through the Panama Canal to arrive at Balboa by 20 October. The LEYTE then traveled to Valparaiso, Chile, arriving there on I November. The shakedown cruise took on all the aspects of a goodwill cruise as the ship stopped at Callao, Peru, during 9-13 No- vember 1946. Transiting the Panama Canal again on 18 November, the LEYTE exercised in the shake- down area of Guantanamo until 9 December. Upon returning to the United States again, the carrier made several trips to Yorktown during her Stay in Norfolk 27 January 1947. Touching briefly at Newport, and Quonset Point, Rhode Island, LEYTE departed for maneuvers with Task Force 28 off the Virginia Capes on 3 February. Liberty at Trinidad stepped up the morale of the crew from 2S Februar) until 7 March, when the ship departed to rendezvous with Task Force 24. On 19 March, LEYTE moored at Quonset Point, where she made preparations to depart on a training cruise to the Mediterranean Sea. During her sta in the Mediterranean area the carrier visited Suda Hay, Crete, for a week Starting on 10 April. She Subsequently visited such Mediterranean ports as Athens, Istanbul, Alexandria, Naples and Gibraltar. Setting her course across the Atlantic again. LEYTE tied up at Ouonsct Point, Rhode Island, on 9 [une 1947. From 7 to 25 July, the carrier was des- ignated for a three- weeks-afloat training program for NROTC students. Upon returning to Quonset the LEYTE spent one month making preparations for another trip to the Mediterranean. ( )n the second Mediterranean cruise the LEYTE stopped at Gibraltar, Alg iers, Golfe Juan, France; Izmir, Turkey; Suda Bay, Crete; Naples and Taranto, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Gibraltar then home on November 19th. The LEYTE took to sea again in February for Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean, visiting Trinidad and Panama. Upon returning in April 1948 the LEYTE spent four months in Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ship departed in August 28th and stayed until October 12th in the Guantanamo area. The LEYTE spent November in the frigid Davis Straits area testing cold weather flying. In January 1949, LEYTE with 700 reserves went to Guantanamo for a brief reserve cruise. Most of February and March were spent in Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean with visits to Trinidad and Guan- tanamo Bay. After a short visit to New York the LEYTE returned to Quonset. In May, the LEYTE spent a week at Annapolis, showing the Centennial visitors what a carrier looks li ke. In [une the LEYTE spent time in Bayonne and Norfolk besides two weeks at Quonset. In [uly the LEYTE made two two-week cruises training Reserves and Midshipmen from Annapolis. On each cruise, brief stops were made in Norfolk and New York or Bavoune. August was spent in painting ship and taking on supplies lor the third Mediterranean cruise. This brings us to date and to the LEYTE ' S third Mediterranean cruise.

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REAR ADMIRAL THOS. S. COMBS, USN, Commander, Carrier Division Two CAPTAIN W. L. ERDMANN, USN, Commanding Officer

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SHOVING OFF!!! QUONSET 6 SEPTEMBER 1949-0800 OPERATION ORDER THIS FORCE WILL DEPART U.S. ON 6 SEPTEMBER 1949, PROCEED TO GIBRALTAR, ARRIVING ON 16 SEPTEMBER 1949. THIS FORCE WILL ASSUME NELM TASK FORCE DESIGNATION. TN OBEDIENCE to this Operation Order, the ■ - LEYTE pulled out from Quonset for the third Mediterranean cruise. Many wives and friends were at the pier to wish us Bon Voyage. Nearly five months of visiting far-away places with strange-sounding names were ahead of us as we left the pier at Quonset. Good bye Quonset, we ' re hitting the waves, Will be back in four months and twenty-two days.