Bunker Hill (CG 52) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE HOLIDAY EX PRESS mm-Mm , U55 BUNKER HILL I C V-I7j-Essex Class aircraft carrier

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THE BATTLE OF BU KER HILL In the era prior to our country's indepen- dence, rebellion against the Crown existed amongst rag-tag forces scattered across the new colonies. Skirmishes with the British had been fought, but colonial forces were seldom united and victories were few and far between. This situation, however, was soon to change. It was a dark night as 900 farmers ascended Breed 's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Un- der the unsuspecting eyes of the British Royal Navy anchored in the harbor below, the colo- nials dug up the rocky New England soil through the night and nearly completed an earthen re- doubt as daylight began to Hlter over Boston Harbor. The sun had not broken the Eastern horizon for Hve minutes when the much surprised British Navy realized what had transpired during the night. Immediately, cannon fire was directed upon the fortiHed Breed 's Hill and Redcoat Troops appeared at its foot. As the King's soldiers stormed towards the courageous band of patriots, an order was shouted out by the band's leader, Colonel Wil- liam Prescott, - DON 'T FIRE UNTIL YOU SEE THE WHITES OF THEIR E YES! This bold strategy by the Americans deterred two British assaults on the hill, but the third assault found them out of ammunition and forced into retreat. Though they lost the battle, the Americans still gained a victory. Forces from all over New England had banded together as a fighting team and proved to the world they could stand up to the King's highly trained soldiers. The British casualties were high - 226 dead, 828 wounded. The American Hght for independence from Eng- lish rule gained world attention and support as a result of the British victory . The Battle of Bunker's Hill sparked a revolutionary spirit, united the rebel forces, and made freedom an achievable goal.

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USS BUNKER HILL CCV-I 72 was christened at the Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy, Massachusetts on December 7, I942 I the Hrst anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harborj. The aircraft carrier was commissioned on May 24 of the following year. Within her three years and seven months of active service, BUNKER HILL established an impressive combat record that still remains one of the top carrier achievements of World War ll. BUNKER HILL 's embarked aircraft destroyed 430 enemy planes in the air and 230 planes on the ground, her anti-aircraft batteries shot down 20 enemy aircraft. Additionally, BUNKER HILL 's valiant war efforts sent I 46, 803 tons of enemy shipping to the ocean bottom. BUNKER HILL earned the nickname Holiday Express because she conducted her major strikes against the enemy on holidays. She raided New Britian on Armistice Day I 943: attacked Tarawa and nearby islands on Thanksgiving Day in I943, attacked Ka vieng, New Ireland on Christmas Day I943, attacked the Marshalls on President Roosevelt's birthday - January 30, I 944, conducted air strikes against Woleai in the Carolines on April Fools' Day I944, assaulted Formosa on Columbus Day I944, made strikes on Leyte on Armistice Day I944, and participated in raids on Okinawa on April Fool 's Day and Easter Sunday I945. On May I I , I 945, a Japanese kamikaze plane dropped a 500-pound bomb on BUNKER HILL 's flight deck before crashing into parked aircraft onboard the carrier. This bomb exploded on the topside gallery deck. Immediately afterward, a second kamikaze plane crashed into BUNKER HILL 's flight deck, and the aircraft carrier was soon engulfed in flames and smoke. Before the Hres were extinguished, 346 men had been killed, 246 wounded, and 43 men were missing. The severely damaged ship managed to steam under her own power back to Puget Sound Na val Shipyard for repairs. In September, BUNKER HILL reported for duty returning veterans from the PaciHc until January I946 when she was ordered to Bremerton for inactivation. A BUNKER HILL was decommissioned in January I 94 7. She remained in the mothball fleet as an aircraft transport vessel until November I 966, when she was stricken from the Na vy's list of ships. The ex-USS BUNKER HILL served as an antenna radiation test ship for research and development programs until I973. During her naval service, BUNKER HILL received the following awards. The Presidential Unit Citation, the Asiatic-PaciHc Campaign Service Medal with eleven battle stars: the World War ll Victory Medal, the Philippine Liberation Campaign Ribbon: and Republic ofthe Philippines Presidential Unit Citation Badge.