Takanis Bay (CVE 89) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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f - -- --Y .-. -.--....-ve..-fu.-W.-ve :.m-w-qw-nu.-- -sum:renwsxu!l1uIi ..'7iln0'llUl i ,X X The last of the 2,509 pilots was qualified on August 28, 1945. Between May 24, 1944 and August 28, 1945 a total ot 20,159 landings were made aboard the T.B. , the highest record of any CVE in the Fleet and only surpassed by the old U.S.S. Ranger and U.S.S. Saratoga in the larger carriers. The qualifications were conduct- ed without casualties to ship's personnel and air- crewmen, and with the loss ot only one pilot. On August 28, 1945 the ship lett San Diego for Pearl Harbor, T. H., with orders to report to Commander Carrier Transport Squadron Pazitic. During tour months ot operations under the Ma- gic Carpet , the T.B. returned some 6,500 serv- ice men trom Pearl Harbor and Japan. On the Magic Carpet runs to Japan the crew managed to collect snapshots, silk kimonos, Japanese rifles and other souvenirs previously denied them by the nature ot their duty. On January 3, 1946 the Takanis Bay was re- leased from the Magic Carpet and ordered to Tacoma, Washington tor post-war disposition under Commander 19th Fleet. 'PIKE ' Hll'i93l:BBf:P1C!!ll3l8!5'-FE-5--'Hl!'t4txll nlllw Begun' ...mp1l:louuulI ! !j7!?f Thus began the monumental task ot inactiva- tion. Every deck and every bulkhead ot the weary Takanis Bay had to be scraped down to the bare metal and preserved with special paints. Every piece ot machinery torn down, overhauled and preserved with special grease-every gun