Following commissioning,
Wake Island received supplies, ammunition, and gasoline at Astoria,
Oregon, and got underway on 27 November 1943 for Puget Sound and
anchored the following day at Bremerton, Washington, where she
continued to load supplies and ammunition. The carrier operated in
the Puget Sound area conducting structural firing tests and making
stops at Port Townsend, Sinclair Inlet, and Seattle before sailing
south on 6 December. She arrived at San Francisco, California on 10
December, took on fuel, and, two days later, headed for San Diego,
arriving there on 14 December for shakedown and availability. Before
departing, the carrier took on board the personnel and planes of
Composite Squadron 69 (VC-69).
On 11 January 1944, Wake Island got underway and steamed, via the
Panama Canal, to Hampton Roads, Virginia, arriving at Norfolk,
Virginia on 26 January. Following availability, the carrier sailed
on 14 February for New York in company with Mission Bay, Swenning,
and Haverfield.
On 16 February, after loading supplies and embarking Army and Navy
officers for transportation, Wake Island set course for Recife,
Brazil, the first stop on her voyage to Karachi, India. She arrived
at Recife on 1 March and made stops at Cape Town, South Africa, and
Diego Suarez Harbor, Madagascar, before arriving at Karachi on 29
March. The carrier began her return trip on 3 April and arrived back
at Norfolk on 12 May.
She spent the remainder of May and part of June undergoing
alterations and an overhaul. She then took on board the planes and
personnel of VC-58 and, on 15 June, set course toward Bermuda for
duty as the nucleus of Task Group 22.6 (TG 22.6), a combined,
air-and-surface, anti-submarine, hunter-killer group. The highlight
of her cruise came on 2 July, when one of her TBM Avengers
intercepted U-543 off the coast of Africa between the Canary and
Cape Verde Islands, making its way home after an unsuccessful patrol
in the Gulf of Guinea. The pilot, Ensign Frederick L. Moore, braved
heavy anti-aircraft fire from U-543, while making two bombing
attacks which sank the U-boat. However, no evidence appeared to
confirm the kill, so the carrier and her escorts spent the next two
weeks hunting the already-destroyed submarine.
TG 22.6 began her next serious encounter with the enemy two minutes
before noon on 2 August, when Douglas L. Howard sighted a U-boat's
conning tower some eight miles (13 km) away. She and Fiske were
detached to investigate, while all planes in the area were recalled.
An Avenger, armed with depth bombs, was catapulted at 1209. At 1235,
a torpedo, apparently fired by a second submarine, hit Fiske
midships and broke her in two. The ships of the group managed to
maneuver clear of two more torpedoes which were fired at the force.
The first report of casualties listed 4 dead, 26 missing, and 55
seriously injured. Farquhar was detached to support Howard and later
to pick up survivors. As the group was preparing to avenge the loss
of Fiske, heavy fog and rain stopped all operations.
On 4 August, TG 22.6 was dissolved, and four days later, Wake Island
made rendezvous with Convoy UC-32 as it steamed westward. She left
the convoy on the 11th and headed for Hampton Roads. She arrived at
Norfolk on the 15th for alterations and repairs which lasted through
the 25th. Following post-repair trials and a brief availability, the
escort carrier sailed on 29 August for Quonset Point, Rhode Island,
to relieve Mission Bay on carrier aircraft qualification operation
duty which lasted until 30 October. The next day, the carrier sailed
for Norfolk with Lea and Babbitt as escorts, and arrived on 1
November for a period of availability.
On the 11th, she stood out of Norfolk in company with Shamrock Bay
and escorts bound via the Panama Canal for the west coast. The
carrier entered San Francisco Bay on 28 November, and moored at the
Naval Air Station Alameda, California, where she embarked two new
aircraft squadrons before heading for Hawaii the following day. She
moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor on 5 December, detached
squadrons VC-9 and VPB-149, and disembarked personnel, planes, and
equipment. Ten days later, Wake Island, her flight deck laden with
cargo and unable to launch or receive planes, got underway for the
Admiralty Islands with escorts Richard M. Rowell and O'Flaherty. She
arrived at Manus Island on 27 December, discharged all cargo and
passengers, sailed for the Palau Islands, and arrived at Kossol
Roads on New Year's Day 1945. Late that evening, she loaded
ammunition from a barge and got underway at 0642, bound for the
Philippines and the forthcoming invasion of Luzon, in company with a
tremendous fleet which had gathered for the operation.
Two days later, Wake Island passed through Surigao Strait and
launched both SNAP (anti-snooper air patrol) and LCAP (local combat
air patrol) aircraft. On 4 January 1945, she was operating in the
Sulu Sea and launched a three-hour SNAP. The American planes sighted
a single-engine Japanese float plane on the water off the
southeastern tip of Panay Island. It appeared to be in the hands of
a salvage crew. Two of the scout planes made two strafing runs each
and left the plane riddled and the salvage crew dispersed.
The Fleet entered Panay Gulf about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of
Manila. Wake Island's surface search radar was jammed by enemy
transmission, and the escort carrier went to general quarters at
1714. One minute later, a Japanese single-engine plane appeared
overhead in a steep diving attack on Ommaney Bay, some 4,200 yards
(3,800 m) away. Fire immediately flared from that carrier's flight
and hangar decks, and after 20 minutes, her crew abandoned Ommaney
Bay under a dense cloud of black smoke. She burned with explosions
of ammunition and was finally scuttled astern of the fleet by a
torpedo from an American destroyer.
On 5 January, Wake Island received 19 survivors of Ommaney Bay who
had been rescued by Maury. The ship went to general quarters with
bogies on the radar screen, but three threatened raids failed to
develop. At 1502, eight LCAP fighters from Wake Island pounced upon
a division of Japanese Army fighters. When the melee was over, the
Americans claimed three certain kills and a probable without
suffering any loss themselves. In all, Wake Island launched three
LCAP's during daylight. At 1655, the ship again went to general
quarters to repel an air attack and for the next hour was under
severe attack. At one time, six single-engine planes were
simultaneously diving on carriers off Wake Island's port side. Five
were knocked down by anti-aircraft fire, narrowly missing their
targets, but one managed a hit on Manila Bay. She caught fire and
dropped behind, but her efficient damage control efforts enabled her
to resume her position in the formation in only 51 minutes, with her
flight deck out of commission. During the attack, at least 10 enemy
planes splashed within 5,000 yards (4,600 m) of Wake Island, and her
own anti-aircraft gunners claimed three.
On 13 January, two enemy planes attacked Salamaua, cruising about
eight miles (13 km) astern of Wake Island. One of the attackers was
shot down, but the other scored a hit which briefly slowed that
carrier. She soon regained speed and controlled a fire on her hangar
deck without losing her position in the formation. Four days later,
Wake Island was detached and left Lingayen Gulf in TG 77.14, a force
consisting of eight escort carriers and their screen to retire to
Ulithi, Caroline Islands. She anchored at Ulithi's southern
anchorage from 23–31 January, undergoing availability and preparing
for further operations. During this period, her home port was
changed from Norfolk to Puget Sound, Bremerton, Washington.
On 10 February 1945, the carrier got underway to join TG 52.2, which
had been established to provide air cover and support while
escorting major units to the Volcano Islands and then to furnish
naval gunfire, spotting, and direct air support for landing forces.
The following day, she steamed to an area off Saipan-Tinian where
rehearsals for the invasion took place. On 13 February, Wake
Island's commanding officer was designated OTC of Task Unit 52.2.1
(TU 52.2.1).
On 14 February, the carrier set course for Iwo Jima and, two days
later, arrived at her operating area 49 miles (79 km) from the
southwestern tip of Iwo Jima. Shortly after daylight, the heavy
bombardment group began shelling shore installations on the island.
Planes from Wake Island flew spotting sorties, attacked defensive
works with rocket fire, and flew local antisubmarine patrols and
hydrographic observation flights over the beaches. D-day for the
invasion of Iwo Jima was 19 February; and on that day, Wake Island
operated as before, flying 56 spotting sorties and firing 87 rockets.
Bismarck Sea, a carrier in her group, was sunk by a kamikaze attack
on 21 February. The next day, Wake Island was detached and ordered
to proceed to a rendezvous point east of Iwo Jima. There, she
refueled on 23 February and set course to return to the operating
area east of Iwo Jima. The following day, she took station some 35
miles (56 km) from the southern tip of Iwo Jima and flew 55 spotting
sorties, expending 205 rockets. In the ensuing weeks, Wake Island
continued her operations supporting the Marines. On 5 March, she
received a message of special interest from Commander, TU 52.2.1,
Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague: "If your ship is as good as your Air
Department and Squadron, it is a standout. I have seen nearly all
the combat CVEs' work and I must say the Wake tops them all for
efficiency, smoothness and good judgement. I hope we are together
again."
After 24 consecutive days of operations, Wake Island retired on 8
March from her station off Iwo Jima and rendezvoused with Saginaw
Bay west of the island. The next day, they headed for Ulithi and
arrived there on 14 March.
The carrier spent the next five days at anchor, preparing for
another operation. She got underway on 21 March to supply air
support for forces about to invade Okinawa. On 25 March, she arrived
in the operating area roughly 60 miles (100 km) south of Okinawa
Jima and began sending flights over Kerama Retto beaches and
Okinawa. Wake Island continued her support of the campaign through
the initial landings at Okinawa on 1 April.
On the 3rd, the carrier was operating southeast of Okinawa. At 1722,
she completed the landing of her fifth spotting sortie, and all her
planes were back on board. Eight minutes later, she went to general
quarters, and enemy bogies were reported. At 1742, a violent wave
hit the ship while planes were being moved for spotting on the
flight deck. Two FM-2 Wildcats were thrown off the flight deck into
the water. Two fighters were flipped over on their backs, and two
others received severe damage when tossed about.
At the same instant, two Wildcats broke loose from their lashings on
the hangar deck and collided, with major damage to both. At 1744, a
Japanese single-engine aircraft plunged at the ship from a high
angle and missed the port forward corner of the flight deck,
exploding in the water abreast the forecastle. Thirty seconds later,
a second similar aircraft whistled down on the starboard side at
tremendous speed, narrowly missing the bridge structure and plunging
into the water about 10 feet (3 m) from the hull. The aircraft
exploded after impact, ripping a hole in the ship's side below the
waterline, about 45 feet (14 m) long and about 18 feet (5.5 m) from
top to bottom, and making many shrapnel holes. Parts of the aircraft
were thrown onto the forecastle and into the gun sponsons. Various
compartments were flooded, and the shell plating cracked between the
first and second decks. Other shell plating buckled, and the main
condensers were flooded with salt water, contaminating some 30,000
US gallons (110 m³) of fresh water and 70,000 US gallons (260 m³) of
fuel oil. At 1824, salting made it necessary to secure the forward
engine, and the ship proceeded on one propeller. Remarkably, there
were no injuries; and, by 2140, corrective measures had been taken,
and the ship was again steaming on both engines. The next day, Wake
Island steamed to Kerama Retto anchorage with Dennis and Goss. While
she remained there undergoing inspection by the fleet salvage
officer, special precautions were taken to guard against possible
Japanese suicide swimmers from islands of the cluster not yet
secured.
The carrier set course for Guam on 6 April 1945, and, four days
later arrived at Apra Harbor for repairs in drydock which lasted
through 20 May. The next day, the ship, in company with Wantuck,
headed for Okinawa where she resumed her mission of supporting the
troops on the island.
Wake Island was then detached on 2 June, and escorted by Ralph
Talbot, proceeded to Kerama Rettofor replenishment. At Kaika Harbor,
Kerama Retto, she loaded bombs, rockets, and dry and fresh
provisions, despite many enemy aircraft in the vicinity. The carrier
made rendezvous with Cowanesque for refueling, and once her tanks
were full, returned to the operating area off Okinawa on 6 June
1945.
The following day, Wake Island, as part of the task unit, engaged in
strikes on Sakashima Gunto. USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) was hit by a
kamikaze, and USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) was attacked by a second.
Wake Island continued on support operations until 15 June when Rear
Admiral Durgin landed on the carrier for an official visit. In a
ceremony held on the flight deck, he presented citations and awards
to 16 pilots of VOC-1.
The following day, Wake Island and Dennis were detached, proceeded
independently for Kerama Retto, and arrived there on 17 June. She
was replenished and then returned to the area southwest of Okinawa
to resume flight operations. Two days later, Wake Island received a
message detaching her from TG 32.1 due to battle damage received on
3 April and a subsequent finding by the Bureau of Ships that "pending
yardwork, this vessel is considered unsafe for operations in a
forward area." She headed for Guam and conducted firing practices
and launched LASP sorties en route. Upon her arrival at Port Apra on
24 June, all personnel of squadron VOC-1 were transferred to Naval
Air Base Agana.
From 25 June-3 July, Wake Island, loaded with nine F6F Hellcats, 24
F4U Corsairs, 11 Avengers, and two Piper J-3 Cubs, made a round-trip
to Okinawa and delivered aircraft with 46 ferry pilots to Tactical
Air Force, Yontan Field, Okinawa.
Arriving back at Guam, the carrier unloaded ammunition and aviation
spares and took on board 300 sacks of United States mail along with
10 Corsair and 20 SB2C Helldiver duds for transportation, then
sailed for Pearl Harbor in company with Cape Esperance and Bull. On
10 July, she detached Bull and Cape Esperance and proceeded
independently to Hawaii. A week later, the ship arrived at Ford
Island, Pearl Harbor, where she unloaded her cargo and took on board
138 enlisted men and 49 officers as passengers to the continental
United States. On 18 July, Wake Island cleared the channel at Pearl
Harbor, bound for southern California. She arrived at San Diego,
California on 25 July, and discharged her passengers and planes.
While moored at North Island, San Diego, the carrier took on board
six Avengers, 10 Wildcats, 53 officers, and 13 men of VC-75 for
training and carrier aircraft landing qualifications off San
Nicholas Island. She continued to conduct flight qualifications
through December 1945.
This period was distinguished on 5 November when the first
jet-propelled landing on an aircraft carrier was made on Wake
Island. Personnel of VF-41 and representatives of Ryan Aeronautical
came on board during the morning, and the escort carrier got
underway from the Naval Air Station, San Diego, in company with
O'Brien. For two days, she conducted tests and landing
qualifications for the FR Fireball.
In 1946, Wake Island prepared for inactivation. She was
decommissioned on 5 April; struck from the Naval Vessel Register on
the 17th; and subsequently sold for scrap to the Boston Metals
Company, Baltimore, Maryland, on 19 April 1946. |