War Can Be Fun If You Don't Get Killed
or
Nil Carborundum Illegitimi
The Petrof Bay was commissioned at Astoria, Oregon February 18, 1944. It was a Casablanca class Escort Carrier built by Kaiser. 512’-3" long, 108’ beam with a draft of 22’-4" and a displacement of 7800 tons. The flight deck was 475 feet long and 80 feet wide with two aircraft elevators to the hanger deck and one catapult at the port bow. The ship was powered by two steam-driven reciprocating engines, each driving a screw. Speed was 19 knots with a clean bottom. Armament was 1-5"/ 38 on the fantail, 8-40mm and 24-20 mm along port and starboard catwalks. Compliment was 860 men although at times it was well over 900. Petrof was decommissioned July 30, 1946 sold to J. Berkurt on July 30, 1959 and scrapped at Antwerp, September 1959.
USS Petrof Bay CVE-80
It was not a bad ship though it had faults. She could have used another 5 or 10 knots speed. The fire protection system on the hanger deck was piped with cast iron pipe which tended to break when stressed by those annoying Japs. Ten knots more may have saved the Gambier Bay and better pipe might have done the same for St. Lo. Both sank Oct 25, 1944. The Gambier by Naval gunfire. The St. Lo by kamikaze.
Living aboard ship for an officer was not too bad. Food was generally good. It was served in the Ward room by Negro stewards who also made beds and changed sheets. Laundry service took care of your clothes. We had hot showers and indoor plumbing. It certainly beat a foxhole and "K" rations.
On the Petrof Bay I had a cabin that was two decks below the hanger deck and somewhat foreword of midships. The floor, sorry deck, was 4 feet below sea level. I had it all to myself. There was a bunk, desk, chair and a safe. It was somewhat larger than the Skipper’s cabin which was, with the rest of the squadron officers, in the bow, one up from the hanger deck. There was plenty of ventilation but it was somewhat warm due to its nearness to the forward engine room. On the Steamer Bay I bunked forward on the deck above the hanger deck. This was a bit cooler but much more crowded.
On a Navy ship there is no floor, walls or ceiling. They become "deck", "bulkheads" and "overhead". And, by the way, a boat is something that can be put on a ship. The Captain’s small boat is a "gig". The Admiral’s is a "barge" though they may both be the same scow.
TBM’s Returning From a Raid on Miyako
In the photograph above, Lt. Bill Skinner is flying the near plane. I have one of the others. Note 3 of his rockets located under both wings that did not fire. Also note the 4 leaf clover squadron symbol on the tail of each aircraft.
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