Casablanca-class escort carrier

Casablanca-class escort carrier
Class Overview
Type	Escort aircraft carrier
Technical Information
Length	152.2 meters
Beam	19.8 meters
Draught	6.3 meters
Displacement	8,200 tons 10,200 tons
Machinery	4 boilers powering 2 two-shaft steam reuprocating engines generating up to 9,000 shp
Speed	20 knots
Armament	1 x 5 inch gun 8 x Bofors AA guns 12 x 20 mm AA guns
Crew	815
Usage
Role(s)	Escort carrier
Affiliation	United States of America
[Source]

The Casablanca-class escort carrier was a class of light escort aircraft carriers used by the United States Navy during World War II.

Description

Built by Kaiser Vancouver Shipbuilders, the Casablanca-class escort carriers were arguably the best escort carriers in service of the US Navy, hence being built such vast numbers. Each ship's standard displacement weighed in at 8,200 tons, and an additional 2,000 tons being added while bearing a full load of fuel for ship and aircraft. The machinery was the finest mass-produced equipment available at the time, each ship driven by two two-shaft steam reuprocating engines powered by four boilers, generating up to 9,000 shp, propelling the ship at 20 knots. All armor was sacrificed for speed, as escort carriers required rapid movement to act against enemy raiders. Each ship was 152.2 meters long, 19.8 meters wide, and 6.3 meters deep from deck to water line. The flight deck's dimensions measured 144.6 x 24.4 meters.

The armament for the Casablanca-class ships was one 5 in. gun, eight Bofors AA guns, and twelve 20 mm AA guns. The aircraft complement was commonly 27 Grumman F4F Wildcats or Hellcats. The entire ship was operated by a 815 man crew.

Mainly an escort carrier, the Casablanca-class ships were also used in several attacks against Japanese targets in the Pacific. Their main role was protecting American and British convoys in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Ships in class

• USS Admiralty Island (CVE-99)
• USS Anzio (CVE-57)
• USS Attu (CVE-102)
• USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95)
• USS Bougainville (CVE-100)
• USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88)
• USS Casablanca (CVE-55)
• USS Corregidor (CVE-58)
• USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70)
• USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73)
• USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60)
• USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75)
• USS Hollandia (CVE-97)
• USS Kadashan (CVE-76)
• USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68)
• USS Kasaan Bay (CVE-69)
• USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71)
• USS Kwajalein (CVE-98)
• USS Liscombe Bay (CVE-56)
• USS Lunga Point (CVE-94)
• USS Makassar Strait (CVE-91)
• USS Makin Island (CVE-93)
• USS Manila Bay (CVE-61)
• USS Marcus Island (CVE-77)
• USS Matanikau (CVE-101)
• USS Mission Bay (CVE-59)
• USS Munda (CVE-104)
• USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62)
• USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74)
• USS Ommancy Bay (CVE-79)
• USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80)
• USS Roi (CVE-103)
• USS Rudyerd (CVE-81)
• USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82)
• USS Salamaua (CVE-96)
• USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83)
• USS Salvo Island (CVE-78)
• USS Shamrock Bay (CVE-84)
• USS Shipley Bay (CVE-85)
• USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86)
• USS Solomons (CVE-67)
• USS St. Lo (CVE-63)
• USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87)
• USS Takanis Bay (CVE-89)
• USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90)
• USS Tripoli (CVE-64)
• USS Tugali (CVE-72)
• USS Wake Island (CVE-65)
• USS White Plains (CVE-66)
• USS Windham Bay (CVE-92)

Sources

• "Aircraft Carriers And Naval Aircraft"
• "Bernard Ireland - The Hamlyn History of Ships"