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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

USS SANTEE   (ACV-29)

(formerly AO-29 and AVG-29; later CVE-29 and CVHE-29)



Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Whiskey - Tango - Papa

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: China Service Medal (Extended) / American Defense Service Medal ("Fleet" clasp) [AO] / American Campaign Medal
3rd Row: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (2 stars) / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7 stars) / World War II Victory Medal
4th Row: Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Asia" clasp) / Philippine Presidential Unit Citation / Philippine Liberation Medal (2 stars)
(More info)

Sangamon Class Escort Carrier
Ordered Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Stricken
3 Jan 1938 31 May 1938 4 Mar 1939 30 Oct 1940
24 Aug 1942
-- --- 1942
21 Oct 1946

1 Mar 1959
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Chester, Pa.

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-29 Santee
NS0302902
57k Overhead, starboard side. USN
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302903
49k Port side view. USN
ACV-29 Santee
NS0302920
33k

A photo of USS Santee (ACV-29) probably taken on October 16, 1942. Santee was the only one in her class ever camouflaged in Ms.17, a disruptive system with the same geometric patterns on both sides of the ship. In fact, Ms.17 was only applied to three ships: heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31), fleet oiler USS Chicopee (AO-34), and Santee.

Don Schroeder,
USS Sangamon
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302901
94k

Another view of USS Santee probably taken in late 1942.

Robert M. Cieri
ACV-29 Santee
NS0302909
60k

USS Santee (ACV-29) silhouetted against the Atlantic while escorting convoy UGS-10 to North Africa, June 1943 (National Archives photo # 80-G-74762).

USN
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302908
90k

General Motors FM-2 "Wildcat" fighter on combat air patrol over USS Santee (CVE-29), during the Leyte Invasion, 20 October 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-287594).

Scott Dyben
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302910
131k

At 0740, 25 October 1944, during the Battle of the Leyte Gulf, a Japanese plane made a suicide dive on the Santee, crashing through the flight deck and stopping on the hangar deck. Santee was the first ship to sustain a kamikaze attack: the plane tore a 30-foot gash into the flight deck, killed 16 men, wounded 27 others and started several fires. At 0756, a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-56 struck the ship, causing flooding of several compartments and a 6-degree starboard list. Emergency repairs were completed by 0935.

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302928
114k

Fires rage after the ship was hit by a Kamikaze at 0740 hours on 25 October 1944, during the 2nd Battle of the Philippine Sea (aka the Battle of Leyte Gulf.) Official US Navy photograph.

Robert M. Cieri
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302918
25k

Kamikaze strikes USS Santee (CVE-29), 25 October 1944.

National Archives photo (# 80-G-273453).

Tracy White
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302913
179k

Santee radio shack, Battle of Leyte Gulf: makeshift arrangements needed to monitor all circuits. Note spare parts boxes proping up a typewriter.

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302914
30k

Air Groups attached to USS Santee.

Source: "History of USS Santee," by ENS Jaquelin S. Holliday, USNR.

Submitted by ABCS Walter E. Skeldon
The Crew
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302923
216k

Recife, Brazil, February 1943.

Robert Boggess, son of R.C. Boggess
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302921
234k

Image of most of the USS Santee's E Division personnel. This picture was taken during the summer of 1944 somewhere in the South Pacific. There were approximately 30 EM's aboard at the time, but some who were standing watch are not included in the pic. The Division Officer in the center was Walter T. Poole.

Stephen J. Birckhead, Sr.,
Electrician's Mate,
USS Santee, early 1944-early 1945
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302911
217k

Officers and Chief Petty Officers, K Division, October 1944.

Front row, left to right:ENS Walsh (Publications Officer); LT(JG) Parsons (Ship Secretary); LT(JG) Edson; LT(JG) Stevens; LT Edward Joseph Clarke (Communications Officer); LT Roberts (Radio Officer); LT(JG) McCue (Division Officer); LT(JG) Funke (Signal Officer); CRE Clifford (Warrant Officer).

Rear row, left to right: Nichols, Chief Yeoman; Charles Erlandsen, Chief Radioman; Daly, Chief Signalman; Kiawaja, Chief Yeoman.

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302917
188k

Officers and Enlisted men, K Division (Communications Department), October 1944.

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302912
198k

Left to right: Henry Menke ACMS; Chief Mallette holding the fish he caught in Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides; S. Waller, CBM; and the chopped hair in the back groud is C. Erlandsen, CRM.

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302924
129k

V-2 Division, date unknown. Official US Navy photo.

Robert Boggess, son of R.C. Boggess
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302925
174k

V-2 Division, Engineering crew, date unknown. Official US Navy photo.

Robert Boggess, son of R.C. Boggess
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302926
135k

R.C. Boggess and shipmates, date unknown. Official US Navy photo.

Robert Boggess, son of R.C. Boggess
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302915
174k

Top: Flight deck crew catching some well needed rest in the safety nets alongside the deck.

Bottom: Aviation Painter Third Class, Jerrold E. Thomas posting the score of Jap kills. (Thanks to Dianne Goode, daughter of J. E. Thomas).

Charles Erlandsen
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302922
106k

Frank J. Bennett (right) with two friends aboard USS Santee (CVE-29), shortly before the kamikaze attack. Frank was wounded, but his friends were killed...

Carol Hamel, niece of Frank J. Bennett
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302916
74k

Shipmates lost due to enemy action.

Source: "History of USS Santee," by ENS Jaquelin S. Holliday, USNR.

Submitted by ABCS Walter E. Skeldon
Memorabilia
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302927
169k

"Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep."
"Ancient and Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon."
"Royal Order of Purple Porpoises."

R.C. Boggess, USNR, enlisted as a CMM (Chief Machinist's Mate) July 2, 1942 and was honorably discharged as an AM/1c (Aviation Metalsmith 1st class) on October 1, 1945.

Robert Boggess, son of R.C. Boggess
Ex-USS Santee
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302905
71k In reserve, "Mothballs" at South Boston Naval Annex, (Left) 1959. © Richard Leonhardt
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302906
55k In reserve, "Mothballs" at South Boston Naval Annex, 1959. © Richard Leonhardt
CVE-29 Santee
NS0302907
59k In reserve, "Mothballs" at South Boston Naval Annex, 1959. © Richard Leonhardt

For more photos and information about this ship, see:

View the USS Santee (ACV-29 / CVE-29 / CVHE-29)
DANFS History entry located on the Hazegray & Underway Web Site.

Crew Contact and Reunion Information
Contact: Mr. Richard H. Wilson
Address: 230 Martins Lane, Media, Pa. 19063
Phone:  
E-mail:  
Web site:  
Remarks:  
—  or  —
Contact: Mr. John Mitchell
Secretary, USS Santee Veterans Association
Address: P.O Box 15148, Anaheim, Calif 92803
Phone:  
E-mail:  
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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Last update: 29 April 2007