Takanis Bay (CVE 89) - Naval Cruise Book

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sm -11---7 Y Y fr f -----K---.-N..-lr ..--gg... .-g..,..-..,..g,,..,-,,,.:m,.,1,,,,.,.' By the time the Takanis Bay was placed in commission at the U. S. Naval Station, Astoria, Oregon on April 15, 1944 her predecessors were already being accepted as an integral part of Task Forces in the Pacific. ln the Marianas cam- paign CVE's provided ground support for the first time, a role previously assigned to the glam- or girl CV's. More and more, CVE's replaced CV's for the close-in assualts on beach-heads and softening up operations. This left the vulnerable, expendable CVE's exposed to shore-based air- craft while the fast carriers were free to hunt down the elusive Japanese fleet. While her sisters added new glories and ac- complishments to the long string of baby fiat-top successes the T.B. settled down to the task of training a green crew, many at sea for the first time, in the operation of a carrier. After a brief shakedown cruise, the U.S.S. Takanis Bay re- ported to Commander Fleet Air West Coast at the U. S. Naval Air Station, San Diego, California. To Captain A. R. Brady, USN, goes the credit for welding an untrained crew into the smooth- working team necessary for safe, efficient carrier operations. On May 24, l944, Lt. Commander P. W. Jackson USN, Squadron Commander of VC-82, made the first landing on the flight deck of the Takanis Bay. Continuing with carrier qualifica- tions the Takanis Bay operated off the California coast under the direct orders of Commander Fleet Air West Coast until Qi, June, 1944 when Rear Admiral F. C. Sherman broke his fiag at the foretruck. As flagship of ComFlAir West Coast the T.B. piled up an enviable record of carrier qualifications.

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............... .....,......,....-........ tm.-.mum ffmm:rwm:wweun.'u1xumn1mnlsunmllmgig shipyards only recently erected from airports, swamps and sloughs. Constructed by workmen on a work as you learn basis they were far from a fighting ship when they loaded their cargo of planes aboard and laid a courseifor the Realm of the Golden Dragon. Originally intended for aircraft transport, the escort carrier was first called upon to combat the submarine menace in the Battle of the Atlantic, Organizing in hunter-killer groups the baby flat-tops soon became the scourge of the Kreigs- marine's undersea raiders. One ieep carrier, the famous U.S.S. Guadalcanal lCVE60l, combined with several destroyers lU.S.S. Chatelain, U.S.S. Jenks, U.S.S. Pillsburyl in the capture of the U- 505. One of the most amazing facts of the en- counter was that this captured U-boat was the first enemy combatant ship to fall prey to a boarding party of the United States Navy since the War of l8l2 - a proud record for the U.S.S. Guadalcanal whose boarding party and prize crew managed to prevent the destruction of se- cret charts and papers, later proving invaluable aids in European landings. The boarding and seizure was accomplished with but the loss of one life. A Chief Petty Officer was mortally wounded in the delayed explosion of a demolition bomb the following day. Importance of the capture is evidenced by the fact that all enlisted members of the boarding party above the rate of first class petty officer were recommended for land have since receivedl promotion to Warrant or Commis- sioned Rank. The Chief Petty Officer who gave his life in the capture has been recommended for his nation's highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor. -u... fc... nz. mnnmnunuumumnmmx ununum .mwnnmamiiuni l' '

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From the hot sands of the Californian desert came fledgling Naval Aviators for their first car- rier landings. They soon learned how to handle a hot Corsair on the limited deck space of a baby flat-top with the Landing Signal Oiqicer guiding them in to a controlled landing. For the pilots it was an opportunity to develop skill with- out the distraction and danger of enemy attacks but for the T.B. crew it was iust work and wor- ry, over and again. As soon as one squadron was qualified and had developed as full-fledged carrier pilots they were transferred and another Squadron took their place. On January l7, l945 the U.S.S. Takanis Bay was attached to Carrier Division 12, remaining ......................... ..,.,......,..,,,...................,..L......f-.f-mi..-it imin.1.mmmnmnmnnnnmnlinllnminnlsiimlllllzlltiil!1nTl1lK!I'.3iiilihllIIllllllIllIlillllIllil!ll in that Division until the end of her training oper- ations. On June 3, i945 Captain Courtney Shands USN relieved Captain Brady as Com- manding Officer. All carrier qualifications aboard the U.S.S. Takanis Bay were conducted out of San Diego ex- cept for three tours of duty in the San Francisco Area. Under orders from Commander Fleet Air, Alameda, squadrons were qualified between June l8 and July 4, July 4 and August l8, Au- gust l3 to September 4, l945. Pilots of VC-20 flying General Motors Hellcats and Avengers, set the ship's record for a single day's operations, making 446 landings on July 24, l945. V i- A 1 name:iti9tHImmEMtmntiitmh1HiHH!i1llllllMBlllUllllllllllHlHlUlllllllll -.ti.i..iii.4i.iiiiA4mi..,m.. .c.E...i.. .i i i i