USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS Tarawa She served many roles Tarawa ' s keel was laid down on March 1, 1944 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. It was launched in the Eli- zabeth River on May 12, 1945. Tarawa measured 856 ft in length and when fully loaded displaced over 34,000 tons. Tarawa carried 80 planes and was equipped to launch and land the first developed jet-propelled air- craft. It remained in the Norfolk area until February 1946. For the first half of 1946, Tarawa completed its post-shakedown over- haul. On June 28, it headed west through the Panama Canal and ar- rived at its new home in San Diego n..: above: USS Tarawa (CVS-40) making a high speed run off the coast of Guatanamo Bay, Cuba. CVA-40 Page 14

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HMJra sstwtai i of Tinxi kJTxI mom r keeps tni tit leaves! -.- M - ; -:. ' ;:f- sorliectfii In an area of political unrest or fil strife, Tarawa ' s helicopters pro- ie a unique capability for assisting the rapid evacuation and protec- un of American citizens. The late Fleet Admiral Chester W. mitz once said, The U.S. Navy ' s ands of mercy have saved more j ' es than its guns ever destroyed. irawa is better suited to that task an any other ship afloat. Whether is a typhoon in Southeast Asia, an rthquake or a hurricane at home, irawa can provide food, clothing, elter, medical care, communica- uns and transportation for disaster ctims. Major medical facilities oard include four operating rooms, tensive care units, a blood bank, oratories and wards for up to 300 iitients. above: The Eagle of the Sea conducting a training exercise, top - opp. page: Tarawa maneuvering to evade a storm, bottom - opp. page: The 1 LHA conducting blue water ops. LHA 1 Page 13

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? 1 1915 •ft in • ' :-: Norfolk, ■■- u ' -::: J •eiaf c July 15. Tarawa then deployed to t : Western Pacific Ocean, taking it t Pearl Harbor, Saipan, Yokosuka, E ;ebo and Okinawa. It also operated € :ensively in the vicinity of the I irianas Islands. After more than 16 months of op- e itions outside of the San Diego a :a, Tarawa conducted a world c use on September 28, 1948. The r in-o-war made port calls in Pearl I irbor, Tsingtao, China, Hong 1 ng, Singapore, Republic of Cey- 1 , Bahrain, Jidda, Greece, Turkey, ( ete, and then headed west through t ; Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Its voyage ended at the Nor- folk Naval Shipyard on February 21, 1949. On June 30, 1949 Tarawa was placed out of commission and was berthed with the New York Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On October 1, 1952 Tarawa was reactivated from its brief 18 month retirement in response to the Korean War. It was redesignated as an attack aircraft carrier (CVA-40), but never was called to the battlefront. It served as a replacement for the 6th and 2nd fleet carriers who were dispatched to the war zone. In December 1954, it entered Bos- ton Naval Shipyard for repair work. While in the shipyard, it was con- verted to an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft carrier. In January 1955, Tarawa was redesignated as CVS-40. For the remainder of its ca- reer it served the Second Fleet by conducting barrier patrols against the growing Soviet submarine fleet. Tarawa was decommissioned and placed in reserve in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it remained un- til the late 1960 ' s. On October 3rd, 1968, it was sold to the Boston Metals Corporation for scrapping. above: An aerial view of USS Tarawa (CV-40) underway north of the straits of Messina, Sicily. left: USS Tarawa (CVA-40) conducing exercises with Navy blimp XZSG-4 in the Atlantic Ocean. CVA-40 Page 15