USS Palau (CVE–122) was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy.
 USS Palau (CVE-122) in 1950
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Palau |
| Builder | Todd Pacific Shipyards |
| Laid down | 19 February 1945 |
| Launched | 6 August 1945 |
| Commissioned | 15 January 1946 |
| Decommissioned | 15 June 1954 |
| Stricken | 1 April 1960 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping 13 July 1960 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Commencement Bay-class escort carrier |
| Displacement | 10,900 long tons (11,100 t) |
| Length | 557 ft (170 m) |
| Beam | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Draft | 32 ft (9.8 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 19 knots (22 mph; 35 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,066 |
| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | 34 |
| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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She was laid down by the Todd-Pacific Shipyards Inc., Tacoma, Washington, 19 February 1945; launched 6 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. J. P. Whitney; and commissioned 15 January 1946.
Design edit
In 1941, as United States participation in World War II became increasingly likely, the US Navy embarked on a construction program for escort carriers, which were converted from transport ships of various types. Many of the escort carrier types were converted from C3-type transports, but the Sangamon-class escort carriers were instead rebuilt oil tankers. These proved to be very successful ships, and the Commencement Bay class, authorized for Fiscal Year 1944, were an improved version of the Sangamon design. The new ships were faster, had improved aviation facilities, and had better internal compartmentation.[1]
Palau was 557 ft 1 in (169.80 m) long overall, with a beam of 75 ft (23 m) at the waterline, which extended to 105 ft 2 in (32.05 m) at maximum. She displaced 21,397 long tons (21,740 t) at full load, of which 12,876 long tons (13,083 t) could be fuel oil (though some of her storage tanks were converted to permanently store seawater for ballast), and at full load she had a draft of 27 ft 11 in (8.51 m). The ship's superstructure consisted of a small island. She had a complement of 1,066 officers and enlisted men.[2]
The ship was powered by two Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines, each driving one screw propeller, using steam provided by four Combustion Engineering-manufactured water-tube boilers. The propulsion system was rated to produce a total of 16,000 shp (12,000 kW) for a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Given the very large storage capacity for oil, the ships of the Commencement Bay class could steam for some 23,900 nautical miles (44,300 km; 27,500 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[2]
Her defensive anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns in single mounts, thirty-six 40 mm (2 in) Bofors guns, and twenty 20 mm (1 in) Oerlikon light AA cannons. The Bofors guns were placed in three quadruple and twelve twin mounts, while the Oerlikon guns were all mounted individually. She carried 33 planes, which could be launched from two aircraft catapults. Two elevators transferred aircraft from the hangar to the flight deck.[2]
Service history edit
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Palau was laid down at the Todd Pacific Shipyards facility in Tacoma, Washington, on 19 February 1945. She was launched on 6 August and commissioned on 15 January 1946. By that time, World War II had ended, and so Palau completed her initial shakedown cruise off California, passed through the Panama Canal, steamed to Boston, and then on 11 May, sailed for Norfolk, Virginia, where she was laid up in reserve.[3]
On 22 May she steamed south to Cuba for refresher training, after which she headed north to Norfolk and New York, whence she steamed to Recife, thence to West Africa. She returned to the east coast 16 August and after another availability at Boston was again immobilized at Norfolk, December 1947 – March 1948. During the spring of 1948 she conducted operations off the east coast and on 3 June departed for the Mediterranean to deliver planes, under the Turkish Aid Program, to representatives of that country at Yesilkoy. During this mission the ship and crew helped in the evacuation of U.N. delegation and officials from Haifa[dead link] on 8 July during the second phase of the Arab–Israeli War. Transiting to Isle of Rhodes and staying there until 24 July with their return to Haifa after a truce was negotiated in the war. Returning to Norfolk 7 August, she remained in the western Atlantic, ranging from the Maritime provinces to the West Indies, until April 1952. Then departing Norfolk she returned to the Mediterranean to operate with the 6th Fleet until late June, when she resumed duties with the 2nd Fleet on the east coast.
Palau, which was designated for inactivation in early 1953, was retained in commission to perform one final ferry assignment, planes to Yokosuka (8 August – 22 October). On her return she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, decommissioning 15 June 1954. Berthed with the Philadelphia Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Palau remained a unit of that fleet until struck from the Navy List 1 April 1960 and sold, 13 July 1960, to Jacques Pierot, Jr. and Sons, New York.
Some parts were salvaged from the scrapyard in Sestao, and installed in Picos de Europa as a mountaineers' hut.
Notes edit
References edit
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Friedman, Norman (1986). "United States of America". In Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 105–133. ISBN 978-0-85177-245-5.
- "Palau (CVE-122)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
