Ens. George Vigeant - Guam 1945
 
 

Part 2: Narrative

The U.S.S. STEAMER BAY (CVE-87) was commissioned on 4 April 1944 by the CVE Commissioning Detail at the U.S. Naval Station in Astoria, Oregon. On that day Captain James D. Barner, U.S.N., the officer in charge of the CVE Commissioning Detail, turned the ship over to her first Commanding Officer, Captain Steadman Teller, U.S.N.

The commissioning complement of the ship consisted of 62 officers and 551 enlisted men, of which only about 10% had beed to sea before. However, the majority of the officers and crew had been indoctrinated at the CVE Pre-Commissioning School in Bremerton prior to reporting aboard. In addition, they had made the unusual training cruise on the U.S.S. CASABLANCA in Puget Sound.

This training later proved invaluable in the fulfillment of the ship's mission. At the time that the STEAMER BAY was commissioned the KAISER Ship Building Company had begun to incorporate most of the changes found necessary in the earlier ships of this class prior to delivery to the CVE Commissioning Detail at Astoria. Henry Kaiser was then delivering these ships at the rate of one ship every six days.

After a fitting-out period of about three weeks the STEAMER BAY departed from Astoria on 25 April for Puget Sound, where the ship was depermed and degaussed, the radio director finder, magnetic compass and pitometer log were calibrated, structural test and practice firing were conducted, and bombs, ammunition, and torpedoes were loaded. On 2 May the ship departed Puget Sound for San Diego.

Upon arrival in San Diego on 6 May the ship commenced a period of routine training operations under Commander Operational Training, Pacific Fleet. This training consisted of various day and night surface and antiaircraft firing practices, and ship handling drills. No flight operations were conducted. The period of training was completed on 10 May and the ship reported for duty to the Commander Fleet Air, West Coast.

During the period 10 - 14 May, provisions and stores were loaded, and fuel taken on board. Eighty-three aircraft (F4U's) were also loaded on board, as well as the officers and men of Navy Fighting Squadrons 301 and 302, and Marine Air Group 61. On 14 May the ship departed from San Diego for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, where she anchored in Pallikulo Bay sixteen days later to unload all aircraft and passengers.

On 1 June 1944 the shake-down period for the STEAMER BAY ended and she became a unit of Carrier Transport Squadron, Pacific Fleet. On 2 June the unloading was completed, and she got underway for San Diego via Pago Pago, Samoa Islands with 48 Navy officer passengers, 336 Navy enlisted men and 6 prisoners. At Pago Pago on 5 June 2 additional Navy officer passengers, 67 Navy enlisted men, and the sum of $469,550 were loaded on board for transportation to the United States. On 20 June the ship arrived in San Diego, California. The passengers were disembarked, and Torpedoes and ammunition were unloaded prior to scheduled yard overhaul period at the U.S. Navy Dry Docks in San Pedro, California. On 21 June the ship departed San Diego for San Pedro, arriving there on the same day.

During the period 21 June - 18 July, 1944, essential post-commissioning repairs and alterations were accomplished by yard and ship’s force personnel. On 19 July the ship departed for Majuro in the Marshall Islands via Pearl Harbor with 72 cargo aircraft, 26 Marine officers and 272 Marine enlisted personnel. The ship arrived in Majuro on 1 August 1944.

The unloading of passengers,aircraft, and a good part of the ship’s allowance of bombs and ammunition was completed by noon 3 August, at which time the ship got underway for Pearl Harbor, arriving there on 8 August.

On 9 August, Commander Carrier Transport Squadron, Pacific Fleet (Rear Admiral Samuel P. Ginder), assisted by his staff and the U.S.S. NASSAU, conducted a military inspection of the U.S.S. STEAMER BAY. A report of “very good” was made on the status of training of the crew and the material condition of the ship. The same day 21 officers and 34 enlisted men from Composite Squadrons 80 and 81 reported aboard for temporary duty in connection with a period of flight indoctrination authorized for the STEAMER BAY by the Commander Air Force Pacific Fleet.

The ship got underway for the Hawaiian Operating Area on 12 August for its first flight operations. During the four day period 36 catapult launchings, 134 fly-away launchings, and 142 landings were made. Radar intercept problems were also conducted. The flight deck personnel welcomed the opportunity to engage in actual flight operations, and performed their duties in a manner that was in most respects satisfactory. There were no personnel or material casualties. The brief period of trial air operations and training considerably enhanced the morale of the Air Department personnel.

Upon returning to Pearl Harbor 15 August preparations were made to join the Third Fleet as an aircraft replacement carrier. Seventy-two cargo aircraft, 27 ferry pilots, 16 combat air crewmen, a landing signal officer, and a mobile aircraft maintenance unit (MAMU) consisting of 73 enlisted men from CASU One were placed aboard. Accordingly, the STEAMER BAY, in company with the U.S.S. NASSAU (OTC), comprising Task Unit 30.8.12, got underway on 21 August for Seadler Harbor, Manus Island, in the Admiralty Islands. On 26 August, this task was joined by the escorts, U.S.S. LAMONS (DE743) and the U.S.S. PIDDLE (DE185).

During the seventy-five day period following the departure from Pearl Harbor the STEAMER BAY operated in company with the NASSAU in supplying replacement air craft and pilots from Manus to units of Task Force Thirty-Eight in assigned rendezvous areas, in support of the Third Fleet Operations to seize Palau Island and Leyte, P.I., the attendant Task Force 38 attacks, and finally the Second Sea Battle of the Philippines. The following remarks summarize the activities of the ship and note the most important experiences gained from these operations.

Air: A total of 168 aircraft were delivered to fleet units; 98 by fly-away and 70 by lighter. These aircraft, plus 25 over-age aircraft were all recieved on this ship by lighter, with the exception of the latter, an SB20, which was landed aboard in darkness. The fly-away deliveries involved 98 catapult launchings. These operations were conducted with no accidents or damage to the aircraft except for the following:

(1) 1 F6F-5 crashed while approaching carrier to which it was being delivered. Plane lost. Pilot uninjured. Cause 100% pilot error.

(2) 1 FM-2 experienced engine failure enroute to destination and was forced to land at sea. Plane lost. Pilot recovered uninjured. Cause of engine failure undetermined.

(3) Several incidents of minor damage to aircraft being handled by aircraft boom in rough weather. All damage was repaired by ship’s personnel prior to delivery of aircraft.

Prior to sailing from Pearl Harbor, T.H. in August the Air Department, which normally consisted of only key personnel, was augmented by a MAMU unit of 43 rated specialists and 30 seamen. These additional personnel proved adequate, and the MAMU personnel performed their duties in a very satisfactory manner.

A training program was organized for the pilots and air crews attached for temporary duty or for passage. The principal subjects covered were: recognition, review of carrier operating procedures, survival intelligence, general briefing on area of operations, and specific briefing on most probable objectives. Organized athletics, pistol and trap shooting were scheduled for flight personnel. When periods at anchor and facilities permitted, pilots were given familiarization time in type aircraft and in some cases field carrier landing practice. The effort spent on these various activities paid dividends not ony in profitable employment of time spent on board by flight personnel, but also in keeping up morale of pilots, particularly those assigned as ferry pilots, who seldom were called upon to do that work.

The initial load consisted of 72 carrier aircraft of all types, so arranged that any type could be selected for delivery. Although this load required a tight spot, and made initial deliveries slow, the launching interval was considerably decreased after the first five or six planes were clear. The maximum load thereafter was 70 F6F'S (various models) or 64 mixed types. These loads allowed satisfactory upkeep of aircraft in combat-ready condition, greater flexibility in selection for first delivery, and delivery at maximum rates from first aircraft. The slightly loose spot allowed arrangement of space for exercise, drills, and best ventilation through the hangar deck.

The overall rate of fly-away delivery was 15 to 20 aircraft per hour. This rather slow rate in comparison to an operating carrier was due to unfamiliarity of strange carrier pilots with ship's personnel and the particular airplane, the tight spot, unpredictable delays in receipt of ferry pilots, maneuvers to remain in assigned area and in general the emphasis on safe delivery of aircraft in condition ready to fight rather that on speed of delivery. By far the most important time factor in delivery was the delay in receipt of pilots from parent carriers. Usually two-thirds of the period available for delivery was spent awaiting the arrival of these pilots. In one instance delivery of aircraft could not be completed prior to darkness because of this initial delay.

Few opportunities could be taken to receive over-age aircraft from carriers being replenished because deck space and time were unavailable. When two replacement carriers operated together the total deck space available after 50 per-cent of required deliveries were made usually was sufficient to receive duds, provided most aircraft were supplied by one replacement carrier. However, the press of operations normally required both replacement carriers to deliver simultaneously. Consequently, neither carrier could be unloaded sufficiently to take the duds.

During the 75 day period the U.S.S. STEAMER BAY was underway 55 days and logged a total of 18,344.8 miles, at an average speed of 15.7 knots. No engineering casualties which affected operation occurred. Periods at anchor for loading aircraft, replenishment, and embarking personnel averaged four days duration, which was adequate for interim inspection and upkeep of engineering plant. Steaming noticed during these periods varied from four to twelve hours. By accepting reduced power available to one engine, in event of sudden orders to sail, advantage was taken of in-port periods to clean the firesides and watersides of the four boilers. Consequently, boiler time was not a factor in determining endurance of ship in continuing this type of operations.

The principal defects noted at the end of this operation were:

(a) Abnormal wear of piston rings in starboard engine. These rings were installed new during July, 1944.

(b) Deterioration of brick work and plastic in all boilers - cumulative over 7 month period ship had been in commission.

(c) High lubricating oil temperatures in main engines - Lubricating oil coolers were later arranged for series operations.

(d) Lack of adequate insulation and ventilation in many office and living spaces.

(e) Low capacity incinerator.

(f) Failure of numerous electric motors due to under-powered motors being provided and lack of adequate ventilation for motors.

The supply of fresh and frozen provisions throughout the period was very satisfactory. The ship was filled to capacity at departure (40 tons fresh, 32 tons frozen). A total of 12 tons fresh and 23 tons frozen were taken on during the period and 8 tons fresh and 10 tons frozen were supplied to ships in company. The average complement of 810 men was provided with a balanced ration which always included both types of provisions for the entire period.

Medical: The usual minor troubles resulting from tropic temperatures, humidity,

Inadequate ventilation and the sailors' fondness for a heavy diet under all circumstances, were experienced. Skin irritations and fungus infection were kept within satisfactory limits by instructing personnel in effective counter measures and providing adequate athletic facilities for entire crew and passengers and opportunities for engineering force to air themselves above deck An energetic safety campaign continued to prevent any serious accidents. On two occasions successful surgical assistance was rendered to vessels in company which lacked facilities. A patient with a badly fractured jaw was received from a tanker at sea. Machine shop personnel manufactured an Army modification of Roger-Anderson extra-oral fixation splint, which was successfully applied with gratifying results to the patient, the medical department and the hospital to which the patient was ultimately delivered.