Suwannee (CVE 27) - Naval Cruise Book

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8. Saipan and Guam, initial landings-12 June- 1' August 1944. 49. Morotai, initial landings-15-24 September . 1944. 10. Leyte and adjoining islands, initial landings- 17-20 October 1944. I 11. Battle for Leyte Gulf-25-26 October 1944. 12. Okinawa, initial landings and occupation talso neutralization of Sakishima DHSESJ-I April-16 June 1945. 13. Balikpapan fBorneoj, initial landings-go JUHC-3 july 1945. G. Change in type and number of aircraft: September I943-OCIODCF 1943-I8 F4F, IS TBF. PART The serious shortage of aircraft carriers in the Fleet when the United States entered the war prompted the conversion of a number of cargo vessels and oilers as an emergency measure, pending initiation of a new construction program. SUVVANNEE was one of four fleet oilers so converted and then was immediately pressed into service as a combat carrier in the North African invasion. Due to their large fuel capacity, the converted oilers were ideally suited for extended combat operations, as amply demonstrated in the Okinawa operation. SUVVANNEE is attached to Carrier Division TVVENTY-TWO fRear Admiral XV. D. Samplel, and has been Division Flagship since early May 1945. Structural changes made since commissioning include conversion of the signal bridge, addition of four state- rooms forward on second platform deck to compensate for space lost when a second catapult was installed at Puget Sound Navy Yard, when the ship received battle, damage repair after the Leyte operation. SUWANNEE has been a combat ship since com- missioning, although providing convoy cover during movements and during the Solomons campaign. During the Okinawa operation, SUVVANNEE and the rest of Carrier Division TWENTY-TWVO were given only a relatively small amount of Air Support work. Instead, this Division's major mission was the continual neutra- lization of enemy air bases in the Sakishima Gunto to October 1943-March X944-I2 F6F, 9 TBF, 9 SBD. March 1944-November 19.1.4-22 F6F, 9 TBF. February 1945-September I94.S-20 F6F, I2 TBM. H. .Jir Units attached: VGS 27-24 September 1942'to I5 August 1943. Air Groups SIXTY-18 October 1943 to 26 No- vember 1944. Air Groups FORTY-8 February 1945 to 2 September 1945. I. Enemy --lircraft destroyed by -4 XJ: One possible enemy aircraft was destroyed off Leyte on 26 October 1944g other ships were firing at this plane at the time. II the south. This duty was considerably more wearing on ship and air group personnel than air support missions ever were, and it proved that a combat CVE can perform the same functions as the large carriers, where speed is not essential. The problem of supply was never critical until the Okinawa operation. The ship was at sea for eighty- five days, excepting for time spent in the Kerama Retto anchorage for replenishment. This anchorage was exposed to frequent enemy air attacks, and was a difficult problem to transfer sufficient supplies and ordnance and depart from the anchorage in ample time to place the ship a safe distance away by the time the usual dusk attacks began. As a result of this experience, re-arming at sea was recommended in the ship's action report, and subsequently re-arming exercises were held at sea with satisfactory results. Ship and air group relations have been, on the whole, harmonious. Air group personnel are assigned to radio, radar and aircraft maintenance, and to the photo laboratory and parachute loft. Half the space in the air office is assigned to the air group. The Air Department's activities includes flight deck and hangar deck crews, gasoline detail, CIC, Air Plot, Aerology Laboratory, ACI Officer, radar and radio maintenance, photographic laboratory, parachute loft, machine shop, metal shop, ordnance gang and Air Office. .:..,, Q., - - list.

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25 October 21 November to North Africa and return 2I 22 November Bermuda 24 November 5 December Norfolk, Virginia II I2 December Panama Canal 1948 4 I5 January Great Roads Anchorage New 16 January 2 February Havanna Harbor, Efate 2 I2 February to Guadalcanal and return I2 27 February Havannah Harbor Efate 28 February-5 March to New Caledonia and return 6 March 4 August Havannah Harbor Efate 5 26 August Espirxtu Santo 7 ro july Enxwetok Atoll IO July 4 August v1c1n1ty Guam fand enroutel 4 9 August Emwetok Atoll I3 August IO September Seeadler Harbor Manus Island IO 29 September v1c1n1ty Morotal Island Qand enroutej Island I2 28 October v1c1n1ty Leyte Samar fand en- routej 28 October 1 November Kessol Roads Palau 4 9 November Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island I9 20 November Pearl Harbor 26 November 1944 31 january 1945-PSNY Bre- merton WaSh1Hgt0D I I .V Caledonia, 29 September-12 October-Seealler Harbor, Manus . 1 , . ' IO September 16 October Alameda, California. 18-19 October-San Diego, California. 5-13 November-Espiritu Santo. I3 November-14 December-Gilbert Island Opera- tion then to Pearl Harbor. 14-15 December-Pearl Harbor. 21 December 1943-13 January 1944--Sill! Diego, California. 19.42 13-21 january-to Lahaina Roads, Maui, T. H. 2I-22 January-Lahaina Roads, Maui, T. H, 1-15 February-Kwajalein Atoll. 15-24 February-Eniwetok Atoll. 3-15 March--Pearl Harbor. 30 MHfCh-I April-vicinity Palau Islands. 7-11 April-Espiritu Santo 13-16 April-Port Purvis, Florida Island. 24-26 April-Seeadler Harbor, Manus Iisland. 26 April-5 May-to New Guinea fAitape, Hol- landiaj and return. 5-7 May-Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island. 12-21 May-Espiritu Santo. 26-27 May-Tulagi Harbor, Florida Island, ' 29 May-2 June-Espiritu Santo 8-12 June-Kwajalein Atoll. I2 June-7 July--vicinity Saipan fand enroutel. IOAC 3-9 February-Hunter's Point, San Francisco, Cali- fornia. 9 February-departed Alameda, California. 16-23 February-Pearl Harbor. 4-14 March-Tulagi Harbor, Florida Island. 21-27 March-Ulithi Atoll. 1 April-16 June-vicinity Okinawa. 19-26 June-San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, P.I. 30 June-3 July-Makassar Strait, vicinity Balik- papan, Borneo, NE.I. 6 July-3 August-San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, P.I. 6 August-2 September-Buckner Bay, Okinawa. Actions in -which engaged: 1. North Africa, initial landings-8-11 November 1942. 2. Guadalcanal, capture and defense-30 January- 8 February 1943. I 3. New Georgia, Rendova, Vangunu, occupation -20 June-4 August 1943. 4. Gilbert Island CTarawa Atolll, occupation- I3 Nov.-8 Dec, 1943. 5. Kwajalein and Enivvetok Atolls, occupation- 31. jan.-24 Feb. 1944. 6. Palau, carrier strike-30 March-1 April 1944. 7. Aitape and Hollandia, initial landings-22 April-4 May 1944. 9

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