Escort Carrier Photo Index: Can you help us?

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed by and/or Copyright
NS03xxx01	105k	An unidentified U.S.-built escort carrier, background, in Royal Navy service. In the foreground is the U.S.-built Catherine-class fleet minesweeper HMS Foam (ex-BAM 27) along with an Algerine-class fleet minesweeper, apparently HMS Bramble. Imperial War Museum photo, from "Allied Escort Ships of World War II," by Peter Elliott. Tony Drury points out: "Assuming that the ID of HMS Bramble is correct (I can't read her number) this picture is in UK waters as Bramble only operated in UK waters and the western approaches. Bramble didn't begin operating until July 1945 so this gives us a starting point. The CVE Puncher made her maiden voyage (San Diego to New York) in company with HMS Foam but I can't trace the sweeper's whereabouts after she reached the UK in the summer of 1944."	Robert Hurst
~~NS03xxx02~~ NS0311424	95k	An unknown CVE with a Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter on deck. My guess is USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), but there is nothing in the photo to identify the squadrons or the ship. Can you identify the ship, date or location? (Larger image available on request.) David Buell has identified this ship as USS Rendova (CVE-114) and writes: Using the larger photo you sent, I listed certain salient features of the island structure and equipment. These included the radars and their positions, configurations of bulwarks, and masts. I listed and eliminated any CVEs which did not carry the features seen in this photo. Primarily, this first item is SPS-6 radar, which this photo shows. This eliminates CVEs 105, 109, 111, 113 and 117. Added to this group are CVEs 121 and 123, which were completed but never operational. SPS-6 became operational about the time of the Korean War, which helps date this photo. The above noted CVEs went out of commission right after World War II and only carried SK-2 radar, never SPS-6. Another feature seen in various locations on all he CVE 105 class are the DBM radar domes which were typically mounted two on a bracket on the mainmast either low and just above the bridge itself or higher up near the SP radar. Using photos available on NavSource as well as my personal collection, I listed all 105-class CVEs and the positions of their DBM domes. As it turned out, a few had DBM mounted in a third configuration. More about this later. The book by Stephan Terzibaschitsch, "Escort Carriers and Aviation Support Ships of the US Navy" was a valuable resource as it contains dozens of CVE 105 class photos. Another identifying feature is a small bulwark on the roof of the island which is probably the secondary conn. All of the photos I have seen of the Commencement Bay-class as commissioned have either an open railing or a canvas "dodger" over the railing at this position. However, most if not all of the class active postwar received a steel bulwark around this position. There were three types seen in photos, but the type seen in the Mystery Photo is of interest here. Only four CVEs had this type bulwark, so used this as my second eliminator (after the SPS-6) for identification. These CVEs are Rendova, Bairoko, Badoeng Strait, and Point Cruz. This bulwark varies from the other two variations in that is slightly angular, has a wind baffle at the top, and smooth on front. DBM locations. The Mystery Photo has no low-mounted DBM bracket over the bridge, so that eliminates Bairoko and Badoeng Strait who had DBM twin mounted on the bracket low over the bridge. They would have shown in the Mystery Photo were they present. This leaves Rendova and Point Cruz. Point Cruz had her SPS-6 mounted forward on the mast, not aft as in the Mystery photo, and did not have the DBM domes bracketed singally as seen in the mystery photo towards the top of the frame, although hers were not on a double bracket either. Rendova is the only one with this configuration. The last photo of Rendova on the NavSource page that was submitted by Darryl Baker shows this to good effect. In the Mystery Photo, the DBM is dark but visable. Trump card: In the Mystery Photo, the starboard catapult runs toward the photographer and changes color as it runs into the ship's number painted on the flight deck. At the very bottom edge of the photo, one can see a lighter section with an angled tip to the right. This is the bottom of a "4" painted on the flight deck. Refer to the photo on the NavSource Rendova page submitted by Stanley Svec of a crew formation on the flight deck and you can see how the number "4" and the flight deck markings also match up those to those in the Mystery Photo. All other USN numbers have curves (except "1" & "7" but CVEs 111/117 were not active at the time of this photo). Also seen in the Mystery Photo is the stub of the number "1" on the flight deck further to the right of frame. The position of the catapult in relation to the deck edge determined the locations of the painted on numbers. Since no other CVE-105 class ship carried a number "4" on its flight deck, I am 100% certain that this is USS Rendova, CVE 114. Bob Crawford also comments: "Am I the only one noticing the inverted '4' in the bottom left and the bottom of a '1' just forward of the Helo? If you look at photo NS0311423 on USS Rendova page, it seems to fit the format."	Robert M. Cieri

An unknown CVE with a Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter on deck. My guess is USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), but there is nothing in the photo to identify the squadrons or the ship.

Can you identify the ship, date or location? (Larger image available on request.)

Using the larger photo you sent, I listed certain salient features of the island structure and equipment.
These included the radars and their positions, configurations of bulwarks, and masts.
I listed and eliminated any CVEs which did not carry the features seen in this photo. Primarily, this first item is SPS-6 radar, which this photo shows. This eliminates CVEs 105, 109, 111, 113 and 117. Added to this group are CVEs 121 and 123, which were completed but never operational. SPS-6 became operational about the time of the Korean War, which helps date this photo. The above noted CVEs went out of commission right after World War II and only carried SK-2 radar, never SPS-6.
Another feature seen in various locations on all he CVE 105 class are the DBM radar domes which were typically mounted two on a bracket on the mainmast either low and just above the bridge itself or higher up near the SP radar. Using photos available on NavSource as well as my personal collection, I listed all 105-class CVEs and the positions of their DBM domes. As it turned out, a few had DBM mounted in a third configuration. More about this later. The book by Stephan Terzibaschitsch, "Escort Carriers and Aviation Support Ships of the US Navy" was a valuable resource as it contains dozens of CVE 105 class photos.
Another identifying feature is a small bulwark on the roof of the island which is probably the secondary conn. All of the photos I have seen of the Commencement Bay-class as commissioned have either an open railing or a canvas "dodger" over the railing at this position. However, most if not all of the class active postwar received a steel bulwark around this position. There were three types seen in photos, but the type seen in the Mystery Photo is of interest here. Only four CVEs had this type bulwark, so used this as my second eliminator (after the SPS-6) for identification. These CVEs are Rendova, Bairoko, Badoeng Strait, and Point Cruz. This bulwark varies from the other two variations in that is slightly angular, has a wind baffle at the top, and smooth on front.
DBM locations. The Mystery Photo has no low-mounted DBM bracket over the bridge, so that eliminates Bairoko and Badoeng Strait who had DBM twin mounted on the bracket low over the bridge. They would have shown in the Mystery Photo were they present. This leaves Rendova and Point Cruz. Point Cruz had her SPS-6 mounted forward on the mast, not aft as in the Mystery photo, and did not have the DBM domes bracketed singally as seen in the mystery photo towards the top of the frame, although hers were not on a double bracket either. Rendova is the only one with this configuration. The last photo of Rendova on the NavSource page that was submitted by Darryl Baker shows this to good effect. In the Mystery Photo, the DBM is dark but visable.
Trump card: In the Mystery Photo, the starboard catapult runs toward the photographer and changes color as it runs into the ship's number painted on the flight deck. At the very bottom edge of the photo, one can see a lighter section with an angled tip to the right. This is the bottom of a "4" painted on the flight deck. Refer to the photo on the NavSource Rendova page submitted by Stanley Svec of a crew formation on the flight deck and you can see how the number "4" and the flight deck markings also match up those to those in the Mystery Photo.
All other USN numbers have curves (except "1" & "7" but CVEs 111/117 were not active at the time of this photo).
Also seen in the Mystery Photo is the stub of the number "1" on the flight deck further to the right of frame.
The position of the catapult in relation to the deck edge determined the locations of the painted on numbers.
Since no other CVE-105 class ship carried a number "4" on its flight deck, I am 100% certain that this is USS Rendova, CVE 114.

Bob Crawford also comments: "Am I the only one noticing the inverted '4' in the bottom left and the bottom of a '1' just forward of the Helo? If you look at photo NS0311423 on USS Rendova page, it seems to fit the format."

NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

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