She was laid down a light cruiser New Haven CL-76, but finished as aircraft carrier CV-24. She was commissioned in March 1943 as CVL-24. In September 1943 she operated against Baker Island, Tarawa. In October 1943 she operated against Wake Island. In November-December 1943 she operated against Gilbert Islands. In January-February 1944 she operated against Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, Marshall Islands, Truk, Saipan-Tinian-Rota-Guam. In March-April 1944 she operated against Palau-Yap-Ulithi-Woleai, Sawar and Wakde Island, support of the landings at Hollandia, New Guinea, Truk-Satawan-Ponape. In June 1944 she took part in Battle Of the Philippine Sea, where her planes sank the Japanese carrier Hiyo. In July 1944 she was repaired in Pearl Harbor. In August 1944 she took part in occupation of Guam. In September-October 1944 she supported the occupation of the southern Palaus, took part in the Philippine Islands raids, operated against Morotai, Okinawa, northern Luzon, Formosa. On 24-25 October 1944 she took part in the Battle of Cape Engano. On 30 October 1944 she took destroyed kamikadze aircraft fell on her flight deck aft, causing fires which set off ammunition. 92 men lost. In November 1944 she sailed to San Francisco for repairing. In January 1945 she returned to Pacific. In February-May 1945 she took part in the raids on Honshu Island, Nansei Shoto, Japanese Islands and supporting the landings on Iwo Jima. In July-August 1945 she launched final strikes against Japanese Islands. In October 1945 she returned to San Diego, USA. She was decommissioned in January 1945.
Took part in wars: Battle of Pacific Ocean (1941-1945) Battle of the Philippine Sea (1944) Liberation of Philippines (1944-1945) Allied Navy Aviation air raids on Japan (1944-1945)
Aircraft:
USA Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger [ 2 3 4 ]; Grumman F6F Hellcat [ 2 6 7 9 ].
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