CVE-99 was initially named Chapin Bay for a bay in Alaska, on the southeast coast of Admiralty Island, Alexander Archipelago (the bay was named in 1892 by LT William Irwin Moore, USN, in command of the U.S. Coast Guard and geodetic Survey steamer Patterson, for ENS Frederick Lincoln Chapin, USN, a member of his party).

Renamed Admiralty Islands, 26 April 1944, prior to launching, for a group of 18 islands located within the Bismarck Archipelago in the southwest Pacific Ocean, north of New Guinea (NS0309920; Manus and Los Negros are the largest islands in the center of the group). The islands were the scene of an amphibious landing, 29 February 1944, and the campaign officially ended on 18 May. Subsequently, the islands became a major air and naval base during World War II.

NS0404604: VADM Thomas C. Kinkaid (left center) with General Douglas MacArthur (center) on the flag bridge of USS Phoenix (CL-46) during the pre-invasion bombardment of Los Negros Island, 28 February 1944 (courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, via Fred Weiss; photo # SC 188839).

(Maps courtesy of Google Maps Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman..)

Keith Anderson comments: "Th[is] photo of the Admiralty Islands [...] was taken before the ship went to sea. Navigator Pete Cowan told me the dark shape on the foredeck were the deck stanchions before they were installed."

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo # 19-LCM-CVE-99-1.

"This photo was taken onboard the USS Admiralty Islands (CVE-99) on April 18th, 1945. The Escort Carrier was supporting the campaign to capture the island of Okinawa. The photo shows the Grumman Hellcat Ensign Roy Edward Jones was flying, seconds after his fatal crash on the USS Admiralty Islands. Ensign Jones was applying full throttle after a wave-off, and the tail hook tragically caught the last wire slamming the aircraft onto the deck. The Hellcat broke in half and the engine and cockpit went over the side. One of Roy's fellow pilots—still in full flight gear—is shown looking over the side as the aircraft sinks. The Hellcat is F6F-5 #71332. The aircraft was from the USS Essex [(CV-9)]—a small bit of the distinctive USS Essex marking is visible on the tail."

"Charles E. Hubenthal wrote to me that he flew this very same Hellcat when he and Jack Lyons sighted the Battleship Yamato on April 7th, 1945. The Yamato was sunk later that day. Charles again flew this Hellcat on April 11th on a 5.0 hour CAP. The Essex was supporting the Marine invasion of Okinawa at this time, and the planes were seeing very hard use."

"Roy was transporting the Hellcat to the USS Admiralty Islands for overhaul or disposal. The men called these aircraft 'Flyable duds.'"

Copy of the deck log for the day of the accident, Wednesday, 18 April 1945.

Eyewitnesses recall:

"The other accident you inquired about involved planes that were not 'duds.' They were returning from a strike on the Jap Home Islands. They were based on one of the large carriers, but it had a crash landing with ensuing fire. The carrier asked us to take aboard their remaining air borne planes. One of the pilots could not jettison his spare belly mounted gas tanks (required before landing). We landed the other planes while he continued to try to jettison his tanks. With planes parked beyond the forward wire barriers, we brought him aboard. When he caught the first arresting gear wire the belly tank released, went flying down the flight deck, hit a flight deck crewman,exploded, throwing gas on all the parked planes. It creamated the crewman and set ablaze all the parked planes and the flight deck. I was on my way to the bridge at the time of the crash and was trapped in a small passageway with burning gasoline at either end. Miraculously, I escaped without injury. As a result of the fire damage we were ordered to the States for repairs to the Flight deck and arrived at San Pedro on V.J. Day."

"I was not on the bridge at the time of touch down. I was en route to the bridge to get my evening twilight sights. I usually went to the bridge about 45 minutes or so before twilight. When the crash occurred I was in a small passage way between the combat intelligence center and the island. Burning gasoline was spilling from the flight deck to each end of the passage way. My only way out was through the door into the combat intelligence center which was a double door with a light lock. The light lock was broken, so the outside door was locked so light would not show from the ship after dark. With no other other way of escape, I pounded on the steel door in the hopes that someone would hear me and open the door. No one heard me, but for some reason unknown to me, someone opened the door. I ran through the CIC, down a ladder to the hanger deck, then aft to another ladder that would take me to the flight deck. I took this path because the bridge got so hot it had to be abandoned because of the fire. The captain announced on the P.A. system that the bridge was being abandoned and that after steering station and steering engine room should be manned immediately. My battle station was the after steering station which was designated 'Battle 2.' By the time I escaped the fiery passage and reached the steering station (which was no more than a sponson just a few feet lower than the flight deck and equipped with only a compass, and sound powered telephones for communication with main engine and steering rooms), my quartermaster 2nd class had already 'taken command' stopped the engines so no wind was crossing the deck to fan the fire and had a destroyer alongside with a fire hose wetting down the flight deck."

"So much happened in such a short time. For several days people were trying to exchange information and piece the whole thing together. I am almost certain the pilot who landed with the belly tank was not injured. If a pilot was injured it had to be the pilot who had just landed, jumped from his plane and ran. I seem to remember someone said he jumped from the flight deck to the forecastle. This is quite a drop and could have caused a serious injury. It was still good light at the time, so I doubt that darkness contributed to the accident. You had a good observation—why a belly tank for a short flyable dud flight? My recollection is that these planes were diverted to our ship because of an inoperative flight deck on their own ship."

In grateful memory of
Roy Edward Jones
Who died in the service of his country
At Sea, Pacific Area, attached U.S.S. Admiralty Islands, 18 April 1945
He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die
That freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings.
Freedom lives, and through it he lives—
In a way that humbles the understandings of most men.

/s/ Harry Truman
President of the United States of America

USS Admiralty Islands remained at Saipan "for approximately two weeks before she received orders to join TG 30.8 and support air and bombardment strikes on the Japanese home islands. Admiralty Islands sustained another operational casualty on 20 July [1945], when a plane crashed while attempting to land. One man died as a result of the ensuing fire." (DANFS, Dictionary of American Fighting Ships; see also NS0309909.)

When General Quarters was sounded after this crash, Delbert J.Waid steered the ship.