Belleau Wood (CV-24) going down the slipway on Sunday, December 6, 1942.

Stern view of Belleau Wood (CV-24) at time of inclining experiment, New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., 27 March 1943. She was commissioned four days later.

Belleau Wood (CV-24), topside arrangement, port side at time of inclining experiment, Saturday, 27 March 1943. New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

Belleau Wood (CV-24), topside arrangement, port side at time of inclining experiment, Saturday, 27 March 1943. New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

Belleau Wood (CV-24), topside arrangement, starboard side at time of inclining experiment, Saturday, 27 March 1943. New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

Belleau Wood (CV-24), topside arrangement, port side at time of inclining experiment, Saturday, 27 March 1943. New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

Belleau Wood (CV-24), topside arrangement, port side at time of inclining experiment, Saturday, 27 March 1943. New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

USS Belleau Wood (CV-24) in the Delaware river off the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, 18 April 1943. This view has been marked to identify SK, SC and SG radar and YE aircraft homing beacon antennas.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 64673).

USS Belleau Wood (CV-24) in the Delaware River, off the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, on 18 April 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives (# 19-N-43702).

Underway on 22 December 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (photo # NH 97269).

December 22, 1943; underway, port view. Her cruiser origins can clearly be seen in this image.

She was completed in Ms.14 camouflage, painted into Ms.33/3D in August 1944 and into Ms.21 in January 1945. (Thanks to Robert Hurst, who provided additional info).

Belleau Wood's elevators (adjacent to island and amidships) are lowered. Note her small, antenna-cluttered island, separate radar mast, four small funnels, and bow and stern detail. Photo U.S. Navy.

Photo and partial text from Aircraft Carriers, by Norman Polmar.

Underway on 22 December 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (photo # 80-G-276768).

Four views of a collision between USS Dunlap (DD-384) and USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24), 7 January 1944. Source is National Archives II, CINCPAC: Secret and Top Secret General Administration Files, 1941–44.

Carrier Raids on the Marianas, February 1944. USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) during Operation Cherry Tree, a carrier strike at the Marianas, 22–23 February 1944. Note the Japanese aircraft which appears as a dark rectangle just above the horizon line near the right hand edge of the photograph. (See also NS022408.)

From "United States Destroyer Operations in World War II," by Theodore Roscoe.

Carrier Raids on the Marianas, February 1944. A Japanese bomber explodes as it crashes into the sea near USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24), during an attack on Task Group 58.2 off the Mariana Islands, 23 February 1944. Photographed from USS Essex (CV-9). (See also NS022408a.)

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (photo # 80-G-218422).

USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24), center, and USS Franklin (CV-13), right, afire after they were hit by Kamikaze attacks off the Philippines on 30 October 1944. Photographed from USS Mugford (DD-389), whose port midships 20mm guns are in the foreground.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (photo # 80-G-273074).

USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) burning aft after she was hit by a Kamikaze, while operating off the Philippines on 30 October 1944. Flight deck crewmen are moving undamaged TBM torpedo planes away from the flames as others fight the fires. USS Franklin (CV-13), also hit during this Kamikaze attack, is afire in the distance.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (photo # 80-G-342020).

Another view, as above.

A series of four photos taken at Hunters Point on 18 January 1945, showing alterations.

Island, looking aft.

Island, looking forward.

Stack view.

Plan view forward.

Landing Signal Officer, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Walter F. Wujcik, bringing in a plane, circa 1945.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-K-5186).

Seaman 1st Class A.D. Allison and Seaman 1st Class J.W. Roberts reading a letter on the carrier's flight deck, circa 1945. An F6F Hellcat fighter is behind them.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-K-5188).

Port bow view of USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) at anchor on 19 January 1945, off Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.488.058.003.

USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) underway off Iwo Jima, 26 February 1945.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.488.058.017. Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection.

A photo of USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) taken in Tokyo Bay on October 15, 1945. It was taken by a US naval officer — it's not an official US Navy photo.

French aircraft carrier Bois Belleau, formerly USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) is moved to a berth at the Norfolk Naval Base to load aircraft in December 1953, shortly before her departure for France. Among the ships in the background are USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Albany (CA-123) and USS Casa Grande (LSD-13).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 89299).

Bois Belleau around 1954, shortly after being loaned to the French Navy. SPS-4 radar is fitted half way up the mast, with YE at the head; SK-2 is fitted between the pairs of funnels. Note that quad and twin 40mm Bofors gun mounts are fitted as well.

Bois Belleau (ex-USS Belleau Wood) underway circa 1954, loaded with various types of aircraft.

Bois Belleau (ex-USS Belleau Wood) dressed overall in the mid-1950s, location unknown. Note the new radar mast fitted with the French DRBV-22 air search radar forward of the third funnel.

Bois Belleau circa 1957, with SP radar on the bridge and the French DRBV-22 antenna on the mast further aft. Location unknown.