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NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive

USS BELLEAU WOOD (CV-24)
(later CVL-24)

Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Foxtrot - Golf - November

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Presidential Unit Citation
2nd Row: American Campaign Medal / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (12 stars) / World War II Victory Medal
3rd Row: Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Asia" clasp) / Philippine Presidential Unit Citation / Philippine Liberation Medal

Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Stricken
*Independence Class Light Aircraft Carrier*
9 Sep 1940() 18 Mar 1942(*)	11 Aug 1941	6 Dec 1942	31 Mar 1943	13 Jan 1947	1 Oct 1960
Builder: New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J. () As a Light Cruiser (CL-76), see below (*) As an Aircraft Carrier (CV-24), see below

Ordered on 9 September 1940 as a Cleveland-class light cruiser; designated CL-76. Named New Haven for a city in the State of Connecticut.
Designated for completion as an aircraft carrier (CV-24), 16 February 1942, was reordered from New York S.B. on 18 March 1942.
Renamed Belleau Wood, 31 March 1942, after Bois Belleau (Belleau Wood), near Chateau Thierry, France, scene of a bloody battle between the 4th Marine Brigade and elements of three German divisions, 6-26 June 1918. This was part of the larger Battle of the Aisne, launched on 27 May by Germany in the hopes of defeating French forces near Paris before significant American forces could arrive at the front. At the end of the battle the 4th Marine Brigade had suffered 55% casualties (over 1,000 killed), but it brought to an end the last major German offensive of World War I. In recognition of the Marines' courage and tenacity, Bois Belleau was subsequently officially renamed Bois de la Brigade de Marine.
Sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Holcomb, wife of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Reclassified as a "Small Aircraft Carrier" and redesignated CVL-24, 15 July 1943.
Fate: Transferred to France, 5 September 1953, at San Francisco, under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program (MDAP). Renamed Bois Belleau and designated R97. She served off Indo-China and in the Mediterranean. Returned to US Navy custody, 12 September 1960, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register, 1 October 1960. She was sold to the Boston Metals Co., 21 November 1960, for scrapping.

Specifications
(As built, 1943)
Displacement (design): 11,000 tons standard; 15,100 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 600' x 71' 6" x 26' (max) / 182.9 x 21.8 x 7.9 (max) meters
Dimensions (max.): 622' 6" x 109' 2" / 189.7 x 33.3 meters
Armor: 5"-3.25" belt (2" belt over fwd magazine); 2" protective deck(s); 0.38" bridge; 5"/3.75" bhds; 5" bhds, 2.25" above, 0.75" below steering gear
Power plant: 4 boilers (565 psi, 850°F); 4 geared turbines; 4 shafts; 100,000 shp (design)
Speed: 31+ knots
Endurance (design): 12,500 nautical miles @ 15 knots
Armament: 2 quad 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; 8 (soon 9) twin 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; 16 single 20-mm/70-cal guns mounts
Aircraft: 30+
Aviation facilities: 2 centerline elevators; 1 hydraulic catapult (H 2-1)
Crew: approx. 1,560

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
Construction
NS022416	67k	*Belleau Wood* (CV-24) going down the slipway on Sunday, December 6, 1942.	Robert Hurst
NS022404	86k	Stern view of her 40mm and 20mm AA weapon array is shown here in this March 27 1943 photo. She is fitting out at New York shipbuilding, she was commissioned 4 days later.	USN
In U.S. Service
NS022411	72k	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).	Naval Historical Center
NS022412	82k	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).	Naval Historical Center
NS022403	57k	As seen from USS Minneapolis (CA-36) on October 5, 1943.	USN
NS022401	114k	Underway on 22 December 1943. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (photo # NH 97269).	Naval Historical Center
NS022402	56k	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).	USN
NS022407	138k	Underway on 22 December 1943. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. (photo # 80-G-276768).	Scott Dyben
NS022408a	162k	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.	Robert Hurst
NS022408	100k	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).	Scott Dyben
NS022409	92k	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).	Scott Dyben
NS022410	112k	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).	Scott Dyben
NS022413	75k	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).	Naval Historical Center
NS022414	75k	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).	Naval Historical Center
NS022421	99k	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.	David Buell
In French Service
NS022405	94k	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).	Joe Radigan
NS022417	60k	*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.	Robert Hurst
NS022418	37k	*Bois Belleau* (ex-USS *Belleau Wood*) underway circa 1954, loaded with various types of aircraft.	Robert Hurst
NS022406	69k	Circa 1950s	© Joe Radigan
NS022419	63k	*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.	Robert Hurst
NS022415	37k	French aircraft carrier *Bois Belleau* (R97).	Haze Gray & Underway
NS022420	70k	*Bois Belleau* circa 1957, with SP radar on the bridge and the French DRBV-22 antenna on the mast further aft. Location unknown.	Robert Hurst

View the USS Belleau Wood (CV-24 / CVL-24)
DANFS History entry located on the Naval Historical Center Web Site.

Crew Contact and Reunion Information

Date:
Place:
Contact:	Mr. Richard D. Fread
Address:	9249 Glen Moor Lane, Port Richey, FL 34668
Phone:	(727) 848-5409
E-mail:	rfread@microd.com
Web site:
Remarks:

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Last update: 18 January 2009

NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive

USS BELLEAU WOOD (CV-24) (later CVL-24)

USS BELLEAU WOOD (CV-24)
(later CVL-24)