Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Romeo - Lima
| 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. | |||||
| Click on Thumbnail for Full Size Image |
Size | Image Description | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World War II |
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 NS0302726 |
32k | USS Suwannee underway, date and location unknown. | Robert Hurst | |
 NS0302727 |
50k | A Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat (nicknamed "Rosenblatt's Reply") on board USS Suwannee (ACV-27), circa late 1942 or early 1943. The plane bears traces of the yellow Operation Torch marking around its national insignia. Photographed by Ensign Barrett Gallagher, USNR. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-K-15634). | Robert Hurst | |
 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. U.S. Navy photo, Mare Island Navy Yard # 7045-43. | Darryl Baker | |
 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. U.S. Navy photo, Mare Island Navy Yard # 7047-43. | Darryl Baker | |
 NS0302725a |
59k | USS Suwannee (CVE-27), 135° off centerline view, 12 October 1943. Official photo, Mare Island Navy Yard # 7054-43, now in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard Ship Files, San Francisco National Archives. | Tracy White, Researcher @ Large | |
 NS0302725 |
71k | Broadside view of USS Suwannee off Mare Island Navy Yard on 12 Oct 1943. U.S. Navy photo, Mare Island Navy Yard # 7055-43. | Darryl Baker | |
 NS0302702 |
67k | Port side underway, 1943-1944. | USN | |
 NS0302704 |
86k | USS Suwannee (CVE-27) at anchor in Kwajalein Harbor, Marshall Islands
on 7 February 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.
Photographed from USS Baltimore (CA-68). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (# NH 106578). |
NH&HC | |
| Kamikaze attacks, October 25-26, 1944 |
||||
 NS0302710 |
145k | Seven-photo sequence of the kamikaze attack on USS Suwannee off
Leyte, 26 October 1944.
(1) As a returning American torpedo bomber (lower plane) approaches deck for landing, a Japanese suicide plane streaks out of clouds in an 80-degree dive. Photo taken from USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26) | |
 NS0302710c |
83k | Photo of the Mitsusbishi A6M5 Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter Model 52 piloted by PO1c Tamisaku
Katsumata. Had Katsumata's Zeke maintained its dive as shown in photo [NS0302710],
it would certainly have missed aft of Suwannee, so he corrected its aim point by reducing
the dive angle. This is caught in this image taken aft on the carrier's flight deck, showing the underside
of the fighter with the trails of tracer rounds passing underneath. Even more rare is the fact that
it is known that this particular aircraft had previously been flown by the Japanese ace WO Hiroyoshi
Nishizawa, but had been turned over to Katsumata because Nishizawa was scheduled to fly to Manila to
pick up new aircraft. Photo NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) facility College Park,
MD.
Photo and text from Fire From The Sky, by Robert C. Stern. |
Robert Hurst | |
 NS0302710a |
58k | (1a) As a returning American torpedo bomber (lower plane) approaches deck for landing, a Japanese suicide plane streaks out of clouds in an 80-degree dive. Photo taken from USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Gerd Matthes, Germany | |
 NS0302710b |
50k | (1b) As a returning American torpedo bomber (left) approaches deck for landing, a Japanese
suicide plane streaks out of clouds in an 80-degree dive.
Photo taken from USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Gerd Matthes, Germany | |
 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 USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26) | |
 NS0302711a |
58k | (2a) 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 USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Gerd Matthes, Germany | |
 NS0302711b |
142k | (2b) 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 USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
U.S. Navy photo from the collection of Micheal Strout, via Jonathan Eno | |
 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 USS Sangamon (CVE-26). |
Don Schroeder, USS Sangamon (CVE-26) | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 NS0302707a |
174k | USS Suwannee (CVE-27) after the fires were put out. The shambles that
remained of Suwannee's forward flight deck included the forward elevator platform collapsed
in its well and several holes punched in the deck. The flight decks of US carriers of this era are
often described as being made of wood, but as can be seen here, the wooden planks were applied over
a steel deck to provide traction for men and aircraft. Photo NARA (National Archives and Records Administration)
facility College Park, MD.
Photo and text from Fire From The Sky, by Robert C. Stern |
Robert Hurst | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 NS0302701 |
42k | October 26, 1944, flight deck in flames from Kamikaze hit. | USN | |
 NS0302701a |
127k | Hit by two enemy kamikazes in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, 25–26 October 1944, Suwannee steamed back to a West Coast shipyard under her own power. She arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard on 26 November and her repairs were completed by 31 January 1945. | Ron Reeves | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 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, Researcher @ Large | |
 NS0302728 |
114k | "At 1042, Thursday 24 May 1945 TBM-3 [Avenger] Bureau Number 68368 exploded on flight deck immediately after coming to a stop following normal landing on board. The accident apparently was caused by the explosion of a 100# bomb in the bomb bay." (Quoted from the "Report of Damage Incurred from Explosion of a 100 Bomb in the Bomb Bay on an Aircraft which Had Completed Landing Procedure," USS Suwannee CVE-27, Serial 065, 29 May 1945.) The pilot, LT(JG) Obed F. Slingerland, was killed instantly. ARM1c James Joseph Joyce was critically wounded and died from injuries during transfer. Other 14 officers and men were also injured. Photos from the National Archives, College Park. |
Dave Kerr (His uncle, Joe, was a sailor aboard Suwannee during the war) |
|
 NS0302728a |
110k | |||
 NS0302728b |
129k | |||
 NS0302728c |
125k | |||
 NS0302728d |
133k | |||
| Ex-USS Suwannee |
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 NS0302703 |
107k | In reserve "Mothballs" at South Boston Naval Annex, (Center) in this 1959 photo. | ©Richard Leonhardt | |
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| Crew Contact and Reunion Information | ||||||||||||||||
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| 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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This page was created by Paul Yarnall and is maintained by Fabio Peña
Last update: 9 December 2012