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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

ST. GEORGE (ACV-17)  /  HMS PURSUER   (D73)
(later CVE-17)


Contributed by Tommy Trampp



Battle Honours

Atlantic 1943-1945 — Norway 1944 — Aegean 1944 — Normandy 1944 — South France 1944

Attacker (US Bogue) Class Escort Carrier
Ordered Laid down Launched Commissioned Returned to US Stricken
- 31 Jul 1941 18 Jul 1942 14 Jun 1943 12 Feb 1946 28 Mar 1946
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Miss.

Specifications
(As converted, 1943)
Displacement: 7,800 tons standard; 14,170 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 465' x 69.5' x 24' 8"  /  141.7 x 21.2 x 7.5 meters
Dimensions (max.): 495' 8" x 111.5'  /  151.1 x 34 meters
Armor: None
Power plant: 2 boilers (285 psi); 1 steam turbine; 1 shaft; 8,500 shp
Speed: 18+ knots
Endurance: 27,300 nautical miles @ 11 knots
Armament: 2 single 4"/50 gun mounts; 4 twin 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; 8 twin and 10 single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 14+
Aviation facilities: 2 elevators; 1 hydraulic catapult (H 2); 9 arresting wires and 3 barriers
Crew: 646

Click on Thumbnail
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Size Image Description Source
Name
St. George Sound
NS0301712
100k

ACV-17 was laid down as SS Mormacland, 31 July 1941. Renamed St. George by the US Navy, 7 January 1942, for a sound on the coast of Florida (NS0301712). Assigned to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease as HMS Pursuer, 24 February 1942.

(Map courtesy of Google Maps Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman..)

NavSource
HMS Pursuer (D73)
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301702
40k

HMS Pursuer, date and place unknown.

(Digitally enhanced by Tom Kermen.)

From the collection of Jack Price.
Submitted by his friend, Carl Berrington
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301705
164k

Bow view of HMS Pursuer, showing prominent sponsons fore and aft and small ducts at flight deck sides and an HF/DF mast forward of island.

"Convoy defenders shot down two at night. 6 March 1944, Greenock. The arrival back in a British port of the escort carrier HMS Pursuer. Four of her Grumman Wildcat fighters successfully defended a valuable Atlantic convoy in a night action against enemy aircraft 360 miles west of Cape Finisterre."

©Imperial War Museums photo, # A 22178. Admiralty Official Collection, by Lt S.J. Beadell.

Derick S. Hartshorn
Larger copy and updated caption submitted by Mike Green
CVE-17 St. George / HMS Pursuer
NS0301706
134k

FAA crewmen in the briefing room aboard the escort carrier HMS Pursuer.

Photo and text from The British Aircraft Carrier, by Paul Beaver.

Robert Hurst
CVE-17 St. George / HMS Pursuer
NS0301709
139k

A Fleet Air Arm Grumman Wildcat Mk.V of No.896 Squadron based aboard the escort carrier HMS Pursuer (D73). Fleet Air Arm Museum photo.

Image scanned from British Naval Aircraft since 1912, by Owen Thetford.

Robert Hurst
CVE-17 St. George / HMS Pursuer
NS0301710
63k

Undated photo of HMS Pursuer (D73) moored after arriving back at Greenock, Scotland, from patrol.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM(A 22179).

Mike Green
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301701
78k

HMS Pursuer (D73) underway in July 1943, acting as transport for her maiden crossing to the UK. Note that the fins of the P-47 Thunderbolts on deck have been removed in order to accommodate more aircraft. The meaning of the rectangle in the US wing insignia position of each aircraft is unclear. US National Archives photo.

Photo and text from Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Roger Chesneau.

Robert Hurst
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301703
77k

HMS Pursuer with three of her Wildcat fighters airborne over her; 1944.

(Thanks to Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers, for the identification).

Robert Hurst
CVE-19 Prince William/HMS Striker
NS0301919
76k

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Striker (D12), HMS Searcher (D40) in heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23066).

Mike Green
CVE-17 + CVE-19 + CVE-34
NS0303421a
107k

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Emperor (D98), HMS Striker (D12) and an unidentified escort destroyer fight heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23067).

Mike Green
CVE-17 + CVE-19 + CVE-34
NS0303421b
65k

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Emperor (D98), HMS Striker (D12) and an unidentified escort destroyer fight heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23063).

CVE-17 St. George / HMS Pursuer
NS0301711
112k

Men of HMS Pursuer (D73) enjoying a swim from the ship's side on 4 August 1944, just before setting out as part of the fleet taking part in the invasion of Southern France, beginning August 15th.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No. © IWM(A 25183).

Mike Green
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301704
71k

HMS Pursuer underway, with aircraft carrier HMS Furious in the background, 31 March 1944.

On April 3, along with aircraft carrier Victorious and escort carriers Emperor, Fencer and Searcher, Pursuer and Furious took part in Operation Tungsten, a successful strike on German battleship Tirpitz in Kåfjord, Norway.

On April 26, again with Victorious, Emperor and Searcher, and with escort carrier Striker, they took part in Operation Ridge Able, an attack on shipping in and around Bodo, Norway.

Photo NS0301704a, uncropped version of NS0301704, shows Pursuer, Furious and another escort carrier. Photo taken by unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo No. 17769 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.

Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
CVE-17 St. George / HMS Pursuer
NS0301704a
96k Robert Hurst
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301707
14k

A Grumman Wildcat of No. 882 Squadron Fleet Air Arm being manoeuvred into position for takeoff from HMS Pursuer off the northern coast of Norway, April 1944. Photo taken by Lt. F.A. Davies, Royal Navy official photographer. Photo Id: A 23059 from the photographic collections of the Imperial War Museum.

Note: The real identity of this carrier is in doubt. She is identified as Pursuer by the Imperial War Museum, but No. 882 Squadron was serving aboard HMS Searcher at this time.

Robert Hurst
CVE-17 / HMS Pursuer
NS0301713
51k

As seen from HMS Searcher (D40), Hellcats of 800 Squadron (HMS Emperor) and Wildcats of 882 Squadron (HMS Searcher) overfly HMS Pursuer (D73). The ships are conducting flight operations in the Mediterranean, 20 July 1944.

Imperial War Museums Admiralty Official Collection, by McNeill, M.H.A. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (A 25042).

Mike Green
CVE-7 Barnes / HMS Attacker
NS0300703
52k

View from the escort carrier HMS Pursuer (D73) of other assault carriers in the force which took part in the landings in the south of France on 15 August 1944. Leading are HMS Attacker (D02) and HMS Khedive (D62). Three Grumman Wildcats can be seen parked on the edge of Pursuer's flight deck. Photo taken by Lt. J.A. Hampton, Royal Navy Official photographer. Photo # A 25184 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.

Robert Hurst

Read the St. George (ACV-17 / CVE-17)  /  HMS Pursuer (D73) DANFS History entry

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Last update: 21 March 2021