CVE-79 was named Ommaney Bay for a bay at the south tip of Baranof Island, at the southwest point of entrance to Chatham Strait, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska (NS0307910). The name is derived from Cape Ommaney, and was given by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) in 1925.

(Map courtesy of Google Maps.)

Ommaney Bay was sponsored by Mrs. P. K. Robottom, wife of Captain Robottom, USN, Commanding Officer of the Receiving Station, Puget Sound Naval Yard, Bremerton, Washington.

(From "Bo's'n's Whistle," Vol. 4, No. 2; January 28, 1944; pages 4 & 5.)

Naval Station Astoria, Oregon, oblique view looking northeast, altitude 1000 feet, 19 February 1944.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-218308.

Three CVEs can be seen in the lower half of the picture, fitting out. They are, top to bottom, USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), commissioned the day before; USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), that had just shifted berth from pier 3 to pier 2; and USS Savo Island (CVE-78).

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) underway off Hawaii with lifts lowered, July 1944. Note additional width of after lift, enabling non-folding aircraft as the older F4F Wildcats to be brought up from and taken down to the hangar deck. She was camouflaged in Measure 33, Design 15A (USN photo.)

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) at Manus, Admiralty Islands, prior to entering floating drydock ABSD-2, 22 November 1944.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (#NH 106820-A). This image is cropped from the original print for photo #NH 106820.

Failed Kamikaze strike by a Yokosuka P1Y Frances on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), at 0945 on 15 December 1944.

NS0307909: National Archives photo (# 80-G-270983).

NS0307909a: National Archives photo (# 80-G-270985).

NS0307909b: National Archives photo (# 80-G-270989).

Series of photos showing a Japanese Frances plane making a suicide attack on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), 15 December 1944.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-270979.

Series of photos showing a Japanese Frances plane making a suicide attack on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), 15 December 1944.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-270982.

Series of photos showing a Japanese Frances plane making a suicide attack on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), 15 December 1944.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-270984.

Series of photos showing a Japanese Frances plane making a suicide attack on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), 15 December 1944.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-270986.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) about four minutes after being hit by suicide plane in Sulu Sea on 4 January 1945. She sank about an hour later. USS West Virginia (BB-48) in foreground.

Source: Antiaircraft Action Summary, Suicide Attacks, April 1945, United States Fleet, Headquarters of the Commander in Chief, COMINCH P-009

The "Big O" was hit by a twin-engined Frances at 1712, January 4, 1945. With the fire main ruptured, fires quickly spread out of control. At 1750 the order to abandon ship was given.

The Fletcher-class destroyer in the foreground is USS Twiggs (DD-591).

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) was hit by a Kamikaze on 4 January 1945. Within a half-hour, all power was lost and the ship drifted to a stop. This photo appears to have been taken before she lost power. The ship sank later in the day.

National Archives photo (# 80-G-270965).

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) burning in Sulu Sea after Japanese kamikaze dive on her flight deck. Note USS Patterson (DD-392) is coming alongside to help. Photographed by USS West Virginia (BB-48), 4 January 1945. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-273153.

As above.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), showing explosion on board after the ship was attacked by a kamikaze in the Sulu Sea, 4 January 1945. Destroyers are standing by.

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1978.

Naval History and Heritage Command, photo # NH 86336.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) exploding after being hit by a kamikaze attack, in the Sulu Sea off Luzon, during the Lingayen Operation, 4 January 1945. Two destroyers are standing by.

Naval History and Heritage Command, photo # NH 43063.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) on fire in the Mindoro Strait, Philippine Islands on 4 January 1945 after a kamikaze came in at dusk undetected. USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) is in the foreground.

USN photo.

[T]he explosion that doomed the carrier, the detonation of torpedo warheads stored aft, can be seen to the left of the mass of smoke that obscures all but her bow. Fortunately, the last of her crew had been taken off just minutes before. Photo National Archives and Records Administration.

Photo and text from Fire From The Sky, by Robert C. Stern.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) burning after being hit by a kamikaze in the Sulu Sea, 4 January 1945. U.S. Navy photo from the USS Columbia (CL-56) World War II cruise book.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) after being attacked by a Japanese Zero or Judy during the Luzon campaign. The progress of the explosion is shown. Photograph by USS New Mexico (BB-40), released 4 January 1945. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-273087-B.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) burning after being hit by a Japanese suicide plane. Note the explosion that blew out the fantail. Photograph by USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87), released 4 January 1945. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-273110.

This appears to be a photo of USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) burning in the distant background, after being hit by a Japanese Kamikaze. Other ships in the photo are possibly USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) or USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87), to the left of the smoke column; USS Wake Island (CVE-65), and USS New Mexico (BB-40), to the right.

Caption, written not long after the fact, reads "A CVE burning on the Sulu Sea.” Probably, USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) burning in the background, with (possibly) USS Wake Island (CVE-65) in the middle distance.

Frank Bumb entered the Navy on 26 August 1943. He was assigned to the escort aircraft carrier USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79).

Frank E. Bumb, Storekeeper 1c, USNR, was wounded in action while in the service of his country.