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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

USS ALTAMAHA (ACV-18)
(later CVE-18 and CVHE-18)

Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Uniform - Victor - Charlie

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal
2nd Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1 star) / World War II Victory Medal / Philippine Liberation Medal

Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Stricken
*Bogue Class Escort Carrier*
(see below)	19 Dec 1941	22 May 1942	15 Sep 1942	27 Sep 1946	1 Mar 1959
Builder: Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Wash.

Named for a river and a sound in the state of Georgia. Altamaha was also the name of a town established in 1540 upon a site located in the present-day state of Georgia. Altamaha was mentioned in the journals of Hernando De Soto's expedition.
Built under a Maritime Commission contract (hull number 235) as a type C3-S-A1 merchant.
Acquired by the Navy on 1 May 1942.
Converted to an aircraft carrier at the Bremerton Navy Yard. Classified as an "Aircraft Escort Vessel" and designated AVG-18.
Reclassified as an "Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier" and redesignated ACV-18, 20 August 1942.
Reclassified as an "Escort Carrier" and redesignated CVE-18, 15 July 1943.
Reclassified as an "Escort Helicopter Aircraft Carrier" and redesignated CVHE-18, 12 June 1955, while in reserve.
Fate: sold on 25 April 1961 and subsequently scrapped in Japan.

Specifications
(As converted, 1942)
Displacement: 7,800 tons standard; 15,700 tons full load (design)
Dimensions (wl): 465' x 69.5' x 23.25' / 141.7 x 21.2 x 7.1 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: 16.5 knots
Endurance:
Armament: 2 single 5"/51 (later 5"/38) gun mounts; (1943) 8 twin 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; (1943) 27 single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 24
Aviation facilities: 2 elevators; 1 hydraulic catapult
Crew: 890

Click on Thumbnail for Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
NS0301801	40k	The Bogue-class were used extensively as aircraft ferries in the later stages of the war. Here USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) is seen with a deck load of Army P-51 Mustang fighters off San Francisco, California, on 16 July 1943.	USN
NS0301802	110k	USS *Altamaha* leaves San Francisco, 16 July 1943, with her decks crammed with P-51 Mustangs and a lone SOC Seagull.	USN
NS0301803	66k	USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) underway 16 July 1943. The ship was commissioned 15 September 1942. National Archives photo (# 80-G-74432).	Courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com
NS0301806	144k	Forward plan view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) at Mare Island Navy Yard on 8 Nov 1943. Areas modified by the yard are indicated by circles and she was at the yard from 8 Oct until 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., photo # 7515-43.	Darryl Baker
NS0301807	84k	Stern plan view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) at Mare Island Navy Yard on 8 Nov 1943. Areas modified by the yard are indicated by circles and she was at the yard from 8 Oct until 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., photo # 7516-43.	Darryl Baker
NS0301808	46k	Stern view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) departing Mare Island Navy Yard on 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., # 7540-43.	Darryl Baker
NS0301809	70k	Broadside view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) off Mare Island Navy Yard on 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., # 7542-43.	Darryl Baker
NS0301809a	48k	45° off centerline view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) departing Mare Island Navy Yard on 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., photo # 7543-43. Source: Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files, San Francisco NARA.	Tracy White, Researcher @ Large
NS0301810	64k	Bow on view of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) departing Mare Island Navy Yard on 9 Nov 1943. Navy Yard Mare Island, Calif., photo # 7544-43.	Darryl Baker
NS0301804	148k	USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18). Drawing by L. Hecking, 1943.	Carl Duncan
NS0301811	43k	Wartime picture of USS *Altamaha* (CVE-18) circa 1944, location unknown. Official U.S. Navy photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships 1954–1955."	Robert Hurst
NS0301805	106k	San Francisco Bay, probably in the morning of January 10, 1946. (Thanks to Dave Hoy, RM3/c who provided this info).	Chris Albright
For more information and photos of this ship, see: Commanding Officers Photographs from the Collection of Hugh G. Duncan Action Report Extract Relating to the Pacific Typhoon, 17-18 December 1944

View the USS Altamaha (ACV-18 / CVE-18 / CVHE-18)
DANFS History entry located on the Hazegray & Underway Web Site.

Crew Contact Information

Date:
Place:
Contact:	Gordon McBride
Address:	18426 Watters Drive Castro Valley, CA 94546
Phone:	(510) 582-8048
E-mail:	FlossyCM@AOL.com
Web site:
Remarks:

Related Links

Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Official U.S. Navy Carrier Website
Escort Carrier Sailors & Airmen Association

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This page was created by Paul Yarnall and is maintained by Fabio Peña

Last update: 19 October 2011

NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

USS ALTAMAHA (ACV-18) (later CVE-18 and CVHE-18)

USS ALTAMAHA (ACV-18)
(later CVE-18 and CVHE-18)