CVE-115 USS Bairoko  
CVE-115 USS Bairoko

Class

Commencement Bay Class

Builder

Todd Pacific Shipyards Inc.

Tacoma Washington

Laid down

25. July 1944 

Launched

15. January 1945

Commissioned

16. July 1945

Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign

?

Camouflage

Jul. 1945 - Okt. 1945   Measures 32/16a
Okt. 1945 - 1946         Measures 12

.
.
NS San Diego CA
.
18. October  1946 - 20. Jaunary 1947
West Pacific 
? ?
? ?
last update 26. October 2008
.
NS San Diego CA
.
18. February 1947 - 30. May 1947
West Pacific 
? ?
? ?
last update 26. October 2008
.
NS San Diego CA
.

Decommissioned

14. April 1950

.

-

Recommissioned

12. September 1950

.
NS San Diego CA
.
14. November 1950 - 15. August 1951
West Pacific (Korea)
VS-21 * TBM-3W, TBM-3E BS 00
VS-23 ** TBM-3W, TBM-3E MI 00
HU-1 Det. HO3S-1 UP 00

*   VS-21 was on Board from the 3. December 1950  until 16 Febraury 1951

** VS-23 was on Board from the 17. February 1951 until 15. August 1951

last update 26. October 2008
.
NS San Diego CA
.
1. December 1951 - 10. June 1952
West Pacific (Korea)
VS-25 * AF-2W, AF-2S SK 00
HU-1 Det. HO3S-1 UP 00

*   VS-25 was on Board from the 1. december 1951  until 21. January 1952 and May 1952 until 10. June 1952

last update 26. October 2008
.
NS San Diego CA
.
12. Janaury 1953 - 24. August 1953
West Pacific (Korea)
VS-21 * TBM-3W, TBM-3E BS 00
VS-23 ** TBM-3W, TBM-3E MI 00
VMF-312 *** F4U-4B WR 00
HU-1 Det. HO3S-1 UP 00

*    VS-21 was on Board from the ?  until ?

**   VS-23 was on Board from the 3. February 1953  until 8. May 1953

***  VMF-312 was on Board from the 9. May 1953 until 8. June 1953

last update 26. October 2008
.

Decommissioned

18. February 1955

.

History (short)

Initially Portage Bay, CVE-115 was renamed Bairoko 6 June 1944; launched 25 January 1945 by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. J. J. Ballentine, wife of Rear Admiral John J. Ballentine; and commissioned 16 July 1945, Captain H. B. Temple in command.
Commissioned too late to take an active part in World War II, Bairoko engaged in peacetime fleet cruises, maneuvers, and exercises until December 1949. During the period she made two cruises to the Far East (18 October 1946-25 January 1947 and 18 February–30 May 1947), and participated in the atomic bomb test at Eniwetok Atoll. On 16 December 1949 she reported to San Francisco for pre-inactivation overhaul and went out of commission in reserve 14 April 1950.
When the Korean War broke out Bairoko was immediately readied for active duty. She was recommissioned 12 September 1950 and reported to the Pacific Fleet. Between November 1950 and August 1953 she made three extended cruises to the Far East (14 November 1950– 15 August 1951, 1 December 1951-9 June 1952 and February–August 1953), acting in support of the United Nations Forces in Korea. Her planes flew hundreds of strikes against North Korean and "Chinese Volunteer" troops, installations, transportation facilities, and naval units. On 9 May 1951 she had five men killed and 13 injured by an explosion and flash fire in Japanese waters.
Returning to the west coast late in August 1953, Bairoko remained there until January 1954 when she departed to assist in the hydrogen bomb tests in the Eniwetok Bikini area. During the Castle Bravo test on 1 March 1954, sixteen crew members received beta radiation burns. From May through June 1954 she operated out of San Diego on training exercises. In July 1954 she reported to Long Beach Naval Shipyard to commence pre-inactivation overhaul and went out of commission in reserve at San Francisco 18 February 1955.


- Last update: 22. December 2012 Writen: 1. January 2007 - -
- Corrections, additions and remarks please send to the Web master Michael E. Fader -
- If information from this site is used as source material please credit www.wings-aviation.ch  -
- If this page does not have a navigational frame on the left, click HERE to see the rest of the website. -