Cabot (CVL 52) - Naval Cruise Book

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WAR RECORD Months in Combat Zone ,. . Miles Steamed ......... Strikes against the enemy . . Combat Sorties . , .......... Enemy aircraft destroyed: By air groups in the air ..... By air groups on the ground . By sl1ip's AA .............. Enemy Ships bombed or torpedoed . Aircraft lost to enemy action .... Aircraft lost operationally ...... . Pilots killed or missing in action ...... Aircrewmen killed or missing in action .. 1,6 185,000 l i4 4,933 252 96 8 265 27 39 23 15 11' lg' . fir? NLR' ' 3 . 113412551 , '-112.12 ni 5 i1:,1'i5'fif' 1 -wc: fi-1, ,. ,mm ign'-gm T! Tb 1 ' i ig fa Sf.. ,z Firiift? I 'I-' Q' ir.-4254 ivgama- Zfkingf afrgfgpp - 0155- . If i PTE r:'75'f -f . ff -- 1 V 4, ' -1'3 95w x-. GIIEY: , Qeiiiisfi ALASKA U. S. S. R - 'PQ-152 CANADA NORT H of . Tqkvo resins PiuuwELPHm , . 523 OQEP1 N Cx-ii ' 'WNY FBHN . N9 f. A W uiutm stixfizs U OK'Nhw I . ' Buell-N BN Disc. ' ' . U Feamosa i C 'anim 1139845 , Lu-LCN I ' PERRL uamsorz Marmirg. yn . ' NFESNALL - ff! l 'NEYTE 'll-WN! l PRNQNQ Ce lk l , A ' wwe mn WNHDEA 4? PMNDRNRQ LM Q WOLEAJ Tixuk SOUT H A NEW ' FN'-'VNU ANlEDilf.l5 42 Gul EA Sou T H VAC KF l C Qc E AN HU ST Rpiu R F EN, 4-:V .,.-C9 - Ev.-16.51 .inwi we M Y nu ti'-I -2 ' ,. ri- 7,Qi7fg,! .

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The Story of the Iron Lady ml 'f ' l'.' , y When the CABOT'S keel was vessel was intended as the light cruiser Wilmington CCL-79l . As the importance of aircraft carriers in naval warfare became increas- ingly evident, plans of her construc- tion were altered, and in July of i942 an aircraft carrier was being built from the cruiser hull. I ' -farsiiioad on ii April, 1942, the The CABOT is endowed with a rich historic heritage. The original CABOT was a lO-gun Frigate which served in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1777. The present CABOT was commissioned on 24 July, I943 and immediately en- tered' upon her war service. Her log records that after completion of her trials in the Atlantic, she sailed through the Panama Canal and reached Pearl Harbor in November, l943. Operationolly trained in the-Hawaiian area, she was dispatched seven weeks later to join the island campaigns against the Japanese Em- pire. From that time on, the CABOT was an active fighting unit of the fast Carrier Task Forces. The ship's -war diary reveals that her planes were sent into action at practically all of the island targets of our sea- borne offensive, and finally Nagoya and Tokyo in the heart- land of Japan. The CABOT was there throughout the drive across the western Pacific, slugging without letup-her planes fighting off counter attacks with her air patrols.. Twice she returned to Pearl Harbor but only for brief periods. , :gig 'S , M D., , ,....,.. J Q, ..v'-- ff She was attacked many times by the aircraft of the enemy, but her hell-for-leather pilots and her steady ship's gunners fought them off-all but two Kamikazes,.which suc- ceeded in diving their half-wrecked planes into her side. Three times the CABOT had to face the Pacific typhoons, and three times she sailed out to calmer seas-once when many smaller ships were capsized and lost. 'k 'k 'k The end of the war found the CABOT in Mid-Pacific, with her services still uncompleted. She had fought long, hard and dangerously, and had earned the confidence and good wishes of the entire U. S. Fleet. The effectiveness ,of her efforts is attested by the, Presidential Unit Citation awarded in recognition of her outstanding combat record. When her time finally did come to return to this coun- try, it was found that she had another name. From the minds and mouths of her fighting crew, and from her Task Force Commander, Admiral Halsey, came her name: The Iron Lady . And so today she is known not by the name inscribed upon her hull, but by the affectionate nickname indelibly impressed upon the minds of the members of her crews. The CABOT completed her active service on 2 December i945 and returned to Philadelphia, where she was inacti- voted, thus she remained for two years and six months. A5969 ff f . 1 X fl f I Q fill 'A FF WJ ANR A

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D G THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY wAsl-HNGTON The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the U.S.S. CABOT and her attached Air Groups participating in the following operations: January 29 to February 16, 1944, Marshal1s,- Truk, March 29 to April 30, 1944, Palau, I-Iollandia, Trukg June 11 to August 5, 1944, Marianas, Bonins, Yap, Sep- tember 6 to 24, 1944, Philippines, Palau, Yap: AG-31 CVF-31, VT-311. October IO to November 25, 1944, Ryukyus, Formosa, Philippines, Luzong De- cember 14 to 16, 1944, Luzon, January Blto' 22, 1945, Philippines, Formosa, China Sea, Ryukyusg February 16 to 25, 1945, Japan, Boninsg March 18 to April 8, 1945, Ryukyus, Japan: AG-29 WF-29, VT-291. for service as set forth in the following CITATION: - 1 I For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy f ,,., S '4.,, I -xlr Japanese forces in the air, ashore and afloat in the Pacific War X Area from January 29,1944, to April 8, 1945. Operating continuously in the most forward areas, the U.S.S. CABOT and her air groups struck crushing blows toward annihilating Japanese fighting power' they provided air cover for our amphibious forces, they fiercely countered the enemy's aerial attacks and destroyed his planes 5 and they inflicted terrific losses on the Japanese in Fleet and merchant marine units sunk or damaged. Daring and dependable in combat the CABOT with her gallant officers and men rendered loyal service in achieving the ultimate defeat of the Japanese Empire. 7 I For the President, lea, Published at sea 24 February, 1949 M Secretary of the Navy by Rear Admiral J.W. REEVES, Jr. USN to CABOT Crew assembled on Flight Deck and PRESIDENTIAL WIT CITATION PENNANT ordered hoisted to be flown for all time after where it may be seen by all other ships I C Um WK I il :-.-I I'I'.',,CI , ,V I IQ.. ,I Lx V. X Iitt 1 Xvll I -'-- A r X- - l f I is ss f , A, i i ' Q I If I x 'wx X X W 'L A ' X X 51 I . N---1. 71, V 'A A ---- awry sm H ,V Yfklvw g QR sity' J 1, -I NN , Xxx A X , , , sl. . X, Q , A ..::.1w-MM-wg Q-T -V-1 V i' :dw I ,,., J Y' S'Slvv S'QN Oif tSiX'5s'XQftCii'5 . ' 1 I X X X an W W ss ,I .ask MM my Qm1XirQi N NN xr ss mm, t A I1 ,,,p1 I 11111 X ,.,, X Xxx Sycxgtxcxx I V ,I . -f-ff'f-- '-- 14 ' 5. wr' Y ft '- - I 28 ' - 2 ' 5