Sicily (CVE 118) - Naval Cruise Book

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.JS745 for? On the l4th day of April, l9-45, while the nation mourned the death of the late Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the United States aircraft carrier Sicily was launched at the Todd Shipyards in Tacoma, Washington. The Sicily was christened by Mrs. Julius Vanderwiele of Oregon. The ship's first voyage consisted of being towed to the Wil- lamette lron and Steel Corporation shipyard, Oregon, to com- plete the bare hull and to be fitted out to take her place as a vital unit in the United States fleet. On 27 February, l9-'16, the Sicily was accepted and commis- sioned by the United States Navy. The first watch was set and the USS Sicily CCVE-l l8l embarked on a career that was to take her to many ports, over many seas and to participate in an unforeseen war. ln April she reported to the Underway Training Group in San Diego, California, where the ship and the crew were put through vigorous training exercises to whip them into battle ef- ficiency and to make them work as a team. The crew respected their ship and affectionately called her The Queen. Upon completion of the underway training she was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. l-ler first real voyage was the transit of the Panama Canal to Norfolk, Virginia, which was to be her home port and operating base for the next few years. Having reported for duty, the Sicily was then sent to the Bayonne, New Jersey, shipyard to effect voyage repairs and to iron out all the idiosyncracies that hamper a newly commissioned vessel. i S8 .. .....f.-is. it P it if 4. If