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After shakedown Kadashan
Bay departed San Diego 6 March 1944 on the first of two cruises to
Espiritu Santo. She transported a total of 154 aircraft on these
assignments before returning San Diego 13 May. Following repairs and
training, the escort carrier sailed 10 July to join a carrier
division at Pearl Harbor. One month later she sailed for Tulagi and
final preparations for the September assault on the Palaus.
Kadashan Bay departed Tulagi 6 September and six days later her air
group launched a pre-invasion air attack against enemy positions on
Peleliu. Ground forces landed 15 September to gain control of the
island as an air base to support the Philippine operation. After
preparations were concluded at Manus, the escort carrier steamed
toward the Leyte Gulf 14 October.
Arriving there 21 October she immediately commenced raids and
strikes in support of troops ashore. Four days later one of her
patrol planes, piloted by Ensign Hans L. Jensen, sighted the Central
Force of the Japanese fleet off Samar. After reporting his sighting
he launched an unsupported attack against the leading cruiser,
beginning the famous battle off Samar. The carrier's air group
launched three fighter and three torpedo strikes against Kurita's
force. The flyers' courage and gallantry contributed greatly to the
sound defeat from which the Japanese never recovered. Upon
completion of this mission, Kadashan Bay steamed toward Manus,
arriving 3 November.
As the action in the Philippines continued, Kadashan Bay's air group
accounted for 11 planes in encounters with the enemy during
mid-December. Preparations were now underway for the Luzon landings
and the escort carrier rendezvoused with the main force 3 January
1945. She arrived off Luzon five days later and commenced an early
morning air attack. That same morning a kamikaze aimed his death
dive at Kadashan Bay. Despite repeated hits the enemy plane plunged
into the ship amidships directly below the bridge. After an hour and
a half of feverish damage control effort, fires and flooding were
checked, and the escort carrier returned to Leyte on 12 January for
temporary repairs before returning San Francisco 13 February for
complete overhaul.
Kadashan Bay sailed for Pearl Harbor 8 April, arriving 14 April. She
then commenced ferrying aircraft and passengers among the Pacific
islands. During July the escort carrier was assigned as a
replenishment carrier for the Third Fleet and was on her way from
Pearl Harbor to begin her new duty when news of Japan's collapse
came.
Kadashan Bay joined the "Magic-Carpet" fleet at Guam in September
and arrived San Francisco 26 September with her first group of
veterans. For the next three months the escort carrier made runs
from Pearl Harbor, Guam, Okinawa, and China to return battle-weary
Americans home. She arrived San Pedro 22 December from her last
Pacific cruise, and departed San Diego 10 January 1946 for Boston.
Kadashan Bay arrived Boston 29 January, decommissioned 14 June 1946,
and was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet there. She was
reclassified CVU-76 on 12 June 1956 and scrapped 13 August 1959 |
