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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

USS PUGET SOUND   (CVE-113)
(later CVHE-113 and AKV-13)

(Ex- HOBART BAY)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign: November - Kilo - Bravo - Lima
Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons

   

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: China Service Medal (extended) / American Campaign Medal
2nd Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal / World War II Victory Medal / Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Asia" clasp)

CLASS - COMMENCEMENT BAY
Displacement 21,397 Tons (full load), Dimensions, 557' 7" (oa) x 75' x 30' 8" (Max)
Armament 2 x 5"/38AA 36 x 40mm, 20 x 20mm, 33 Aircraft.
Machinery, 16,000 SHP; Allis-Chambers, Geared Turbines, 2 screw
Speed, 19 Knots, Crew 1066.

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Name
Hobart Bay
NS0311312
106k

CVE-113 was initially named Hobart Bay for a bay along the coast of Alaska, on the East shore of Stephens Passage, southeast of Rocky Point and northeast of Sitka (NS0311312). It was named in 1889 by LCDR Henry B. Mansfield, USN.

Renamed Puget Sound, 5 June 1944, for an arm of the Pacific Ocean extending some 80 miles south into Washington State (NS0311312a). An important U.S. Navy Yard is located in the sound, at Bremerton. (AV-13, initially named Puget Sound, was renamed Salisbury Sound on the same date, 5 June 1944.)

(Maps NS0311312 and NS0311312a courtesy of Google Maps.)

NavSource
Puget Sound
NS0311312a
156k
1945–1946
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311301
85k

Christening of CVE-113 at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Tacoma, Washington; bow-on passing down ways (note that she is being launched into the body of water that bears her name).

National Archives photo # 80-G-291118.

Daniel Dunham
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311302
91k

Puget Sound (CVE-113) at sea on builder's trials, June 1945. She is camouflaged in Measure 22.

National Archives photo # 80-G-369822.

Daniel Dunham
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318
532k

Commissioning ceremony, Monday, 18 June 1945, Tacoma, Washington.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318a
317k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318b
365k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318c
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318d
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318e
357k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318f
350k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318g
331k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318h
435k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318i
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311318j
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CAPT Charles F. Coe, USS Puget Sound's first commanding officer, and his wife, Charlotte Wyman Sells Coe, cut the ceremonial cake.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311321
441k

First landing aboard USS Puget Sound (CVE-113), 20 July 1945. CAPT Charles F. Coe, USN, ship's commanding officer (center, left), and Maj. Robert G. Owens, Jr., USMC, commanding officer, Marine Carrier Air Group (MCVG) 6 (center, right).

Maj. Owens was a highly-decorated US Marine Corps aviator, and retired as a Major General in 1972. He became an Ace during Word War II, with seven victories. His personal decorations include: a Navy Cross, five Legions of Merit, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, seven Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and a Presidential Unit Citation.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311323
147k

A U.S. Marine Corps Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat aircraft of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 321 being readied on the deck of USS Puget Sound (CVE-113), 1945. Note that the F6F is armed with a Tiny Tim rocket.

National Naval Aviation Museum photo, No. 1996.253.7189.025.

Robert Hurst
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311310
126k

F6F Hellcat mishap, date (probably summer 1945) and location (probably near Hawaii) unknown. The Hellcat appears to be attached to a Marine Fighter Squadron based at MCAS Ewa (note identification letter "W").

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311310a
138k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311310b
115k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311310c
117k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313
150k

Landing operations.

NS0311313: Landing Signal Officer (LSO).

NS0311313aNS0311313d: F4U Corsair.

NS0311313e: F6F Hellcat.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313a
142k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313b
156k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313c
207k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313d
218k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311313e
109k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316
738k

Flight deck operations.

NS0311316NS0311313c: F4U Corsair.

NS0311316d: TBF/TBM Avenger.

NS0311316e: Catapult officer and Corsair.

NS0311316f: Corsair.

NS0311316g: Corsair.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316a
746k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316b
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316c
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316d
607k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316e
312k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316f
287k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311316g
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CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311315
767k

An F6F Hellcat "in the drink."

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311315a
610k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311314
275k

With patrol and anti-submarine blimp (non-rigid airship) [ZNP-]K-85 (BuNo 33477).

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound, and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311314a
353k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311314b
310k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311303
71k

USS Puget Sound (CVE-113), Tokyo Bay, October 1945.

National Archives photo # 80-G-369815.

Daniel Dunham
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311307
162k

USS Puget Sound (CVE-113) at anchor in Tokyo Bay, Japan, October 1945.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (#NH 106719).

Naval History & Heritage Command
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311319
361k

Hiroshima.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311320
204k

Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka ("cherry blossom") rocket-powered, human-guided kamikaze bombs. The Allied nickname was "Baka Bomb" ("Baka" is a Japanese word meaning "foolish" or "idiotic").

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311320a
321k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311320b
240k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311304
438k

Vertical view, USS Puget Sound (CVE-113).

National Archives photo # 80-G-369796.

Daniel Dunham
Larger copy submitted by Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311317
785k

TBF/TBM Avenger.

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken, USS Puget Sound,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311317
1.03M

Planes (P-80 Shooting Stars?) preserved for transportation.

CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311305
97k

Men on bridge of USS Puget Sound (CVE-113).

National Archives photo # 80-G-369840.

Daniel Dunham
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311306
84k

USN photo of Puget Sound (CVE-113) underway, 1945, location unknown.

David Buell
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311308
284k

Paul Bronken and some of his shipmates aboard USS Puget Sound (CVE-113), Tokyo Bay, 1 Novermber 1945.

(Larger copy available on request.)

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311308a
601k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311308b
388k

Paul Bronken

CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311308c
352k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311308d
421k

USS Puget Sound (CVE-113), CAPT Charles F. Coe reassigned—CAPT Walter F. Rodee assuming command, 11 February 1946.

(Larger copy available on request.)

CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311309
109k

The Commencement Bay-class escort carrier Puget Sound (CVE-113), newly completed, in January 1946. She was armed with two 5-in/38, three quadruple and twelve twin 40-mm, and twenty single 20-mm guns. Radars were the SK-2, SP, and SG.

From U.S. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman.

Robert Hurst
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311
164k

USO shows (1946?).

If you have any additional information, please let us know.

(Larger copies available on request.)

Sally & Penny Bronken, daughters of Paul Bronken,
and Hugh K. Telleria, son-in-law
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311a
135k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311b
134k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311c
179k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311d
131k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311e
144k
CVE-113 Puget Sound
NS0311311f
174k
Men of the Puget Sound

Photos from the collection of Paul Bronken.
Submitted by his daughters, Sally & Penny Bronken, and Hugh K. Telleria, his son-in-law.



CVE-113
NS0311322
265k
CVE-113
NS0311322l
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CVE-113
NS0311322a
510k
CVE-113
NS0311322b
315k
CVE-113
NS0311322c
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CAPT Charles F. Coe, CO
CVE-113
NS0311322n
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CVE-113
NS0311322k
389k
CVE-113
NS0311322d
538k
With a midget submarine
CVE-113
NS0311322e
345k
CVE-113
NS0311322f
281k
CVE-113
NS0311322g
320k
CVE-113
NS0311322m
369k
CVE-113
NS0311322h
530k
CVE-113
NS0311322o
426k
CVE-113
NS0311322j
396k
CVE-113
NS0311322i
425k
CVE-113
NS0311322p
336k
CVE-113
NS0311322q
273k
An Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer alongside
CVE-113
NS0311322r
655k
CVE-113
NS0311322s
282k
CVE-113
NS0311322t
298k
CVE-113
NS0311322u
273339k
CVE-113
NS0311322v
416k
CVE-113
NS0311322w
368k

For more information about this ship, see:

Read the USS PUGET SOUND (CVE-113 / CVHE-113 / AKV-13) DANFS History entry

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Mr. Jerome F Whittman
Address:11 Carson Ave Babson Park, FL, 33827-9770
Phone: 941-638-2360
E-mail: None

Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Escort Carrier Sailors & Airmen Association

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This page was created by Paul Yarnall and is maintained by Fabio Peña
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Last update: 25 December 2023