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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

USS SUWANNEE   (ACV-27)

(formerly AO-33 and AVG-27; later CVE-27 and CVHE-27)



Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Romeo - Lima

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Presidential Unit Citation / American Defense Service Medal ("A" device) [AO]
2nd Row: American Campaign Medal / European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (?? stars) / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (?? stars)
3rd Row: World War II Victory Medal / Philippine Presidential Unit Citation / Philippine Liberation Medal (1 star)

Sangamon Class Escort Carrier
Ordered Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Stricken
3 Jan 1938 3 Jun 1938 4 Mar 1939 16 Jul 1941
24 Sep 1942
21 Feb 1942
8 Jan 1947

1 Mar 1959
Builder: Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearney, N.J.

Specifications
(1942, as Converted)
Displacement (design): 11,400 tons standard; 24,275 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 525' x 75' x 30' 7.5" (full load)  /  160 x 22.9 x 9.3 meters
Dimensions (max.): 553' x 114' 3"  /  168.6 x 34.8 meters
Armor: None
Power plant: 4 boilers (450 psi); 2 steam turbines; 2 shafts; 13,500 shp (design)
Speed: 18+ knots
Endurance: 23,920 nm @ 15 knots (with 4,780 tons of oil fuel)
Armament: 2 single 5"/51 gun mounts; 4 twin 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; 12 single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 25
Aviation facilities: 2 elevators; 1 hydraulic catapult
Crew: 830 (ship's company + air wing)

Click on Thumbnail
for Full Size Image
Size Image Description Source
World War II
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302726
32k

USS Suwannee underway, date and location unknown.

Robert Hurst
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302723
162k

Amidships looking aft plan view of USS Suwannee at Mare Island Navy Yard on 11 Oct 1943. Circled areas indicated additions or modifications at the shipyard between 11 Sep to 12 Oct 1943. US Navy photo # 7045-43.

Darryl Baker
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302724
161k

Amidships looking forward plan view of USS Suwannee at Mare Island Navy Yard on 11 Oct 1943. Circled areas indicated additions or modifications at the shipyard between 11 Sep to 12 Oct 1943. US Navy photo # 7047-43.

Darryl Baker
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302725
71k

Broadside view of USS Suwannee off Mare Island Navy Yard on 12 Oct 1943. US Navy photo # 7055-43.

Darryl Baker
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302702
67k

Port side underway, 1943-1944.

USN
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302704
20k

USS Suwannee (CVE-27) circa 1944 with F6F Hellcat fighters, SBD Dauntless dive bombers, and TBM Avenger torpedo bombers on her flight deck. Longer than most other World War II CVEs, these carriers of the Sangamon class could launch and recover F6Fs.

NHC
Kamikaze attacks, October 25-26, 1944
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302705
44k

Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Flight Deck as viewed from Bridge taken at time of explosion in hangar.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302706
54k

Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Hole in Flight Deck Frame 64 stbd. about 10 minutes after bomb hit.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302707
63k

Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Flight Deck as seen from Bridge 1½ hours after bomb hit at Frame 64 stbd.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302708
53k

Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Hole in Hangar Deck between Frames 63 & 64 port (looking aft.) (Photo taken after shredded plating was cut away.) Note extent of dished area.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302709
50k

Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Motor from Jap "Zeke" found in vicinity of hit at Frame 64 stbd.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302710
145k

Three-photo sequence of the kamikaze attack on USS Suwannee off Leyte, 26 October 1944.

(1) As a returning American fighter (lower plane) approaches deck for landing, a Japanese suicide plane streaks out of clouds in an 80-degree dive.

Photo taken from the USS Sangamon (CVE-26).

Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26)
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302711
185k

(2) The "Zeke" crashes Suwannee's flight deck and careens into a torpedo bomber which has just been recovered. The two planes erupt upon contact as do nine other planes on her flight deck.

Photo taken from the USS Sangamon (CVE-26).

Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26)
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302712
86k

(3) Columns of smoke rise from the carrier, dead in water. Fires would burn for several hours, but were finally brought under control. Note survivors in water.

Photo taken from the USS Sangamon (CVE-26).

Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26)
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302701
42k

October 26, 1944, flight deck in flames from Kamikaze hit.

USN
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302713
54k

Damage in action of 26 October 1944. Forward elevator as seen from Hangar Deck looking fwd. & to port.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302714
82k

Damage in action of 26 October 1944. Forward elevator as seen from Hangar Deck looking fwd. & to stbd.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302715
55k

Damage in action of 26 October 1944. View of Island Structure looking outboard. Note damage to Flying Bridge.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302716
68k

Puget Sound Navy Yard, 27 November 1944. Damage in action of 25 October 1944. Shrapnel holes in stbd. Hangar side plating, between Frames 63-65. Note: Roller curtains were blown out.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302720
32k

Puget Sound Navy Yard, 26 January 1945. USS Suwannee after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302721
39k

Puget Sound Navy Yard, 26 January 1945. USS Suwannee after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302722
37k

Puget Sound Navy Yard, 26 January 1945. USS Suwannee after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302717
26k

Puget Sound, Washington, 31 January 1945. Dead ahead view of USS Suwannee (CVE-27) underway at 17 knots, after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302718
29k

Puget Sound, Washington, 31 January 1945. Broad on port bow view of USS Suwannee (CVE-27) underway at 17 knots, after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302719
32k

Puget Sound, Washington, 31 January 1945. Dead astern view of USS Suwannee (CVE-27) underway at 17 knots, after repairs from the Kamikaze attacks of October 1944.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

Tracy White
Ex-USS Suwannee
CVE-27 Suwannee
NS0302703
107k

In reserve "Mothballs" at South Boston Naval Annex, (Center) in this 1959 photo.

©Richard Leonhardt

View the USS Suwannee (ACV-27 / CVE-27 / CVHE-27)
DANFS History entry located on the Hazegray & Underway Web Site.

Crew Contact and Reunion Information
Date: October 2007
Place:  
Contact:  
Address:  
Phone:  
E-mail: webmaster@usssuwannee.org
Web site: U.S.S. Suwannee (CVE 27)
Remarks:  

Related Links
Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Official U.S. Navy Carrier Website
U.S.S. Suwannee (CVE 27)
Escort Carrier Sailors & Airmen Association

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Last update: 19 August 2007