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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by Mike Smolinski

LPH-6 Thetis Bay

(Ex CVE-90 and CVHA-1)

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Kilo - Yankee - Tango

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba)
Second Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal
Third Row - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Cuba, 3-Quemoy-Matsu, 2-Vietnam)

Thetis Bay Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter):

Laid down, 23 December 1943, as a Casablanca Class Escort Aircraft Carrier under Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 1127) at Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, WA.

Launched, 16 March 1944

Commissioned USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90), 21 April 1944, CAPT. Donald E. Wilcox US Navy, in command

During World War II Thetis Bay was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific theater and participated in the following campaign:

Third Fleet operations against Japan

Decommissioned, January 1947

Laid up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet Tacoma, WA. Group

Withdrawn from the Reserve Fleet for conversion to an Assault Helicopter Carrier

Designated Assault Helicopter Carrier (CVHA-1), 1 July 1955

Converted at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, Hunters Point

Recommissioned USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1), 1 September 1955, CAPT. Thomas W. South US Navy, in command

Redesignated Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (LPH-6), 28 May 1957

Decommissioned and struck from the Naval Register 1 March 1964

Thetis Bay as CVE-90 earned one battle star for World War II service

Final Disposition, sold for scrapping in December 1964 to Peck Iron and Metal Co., Portsmouth, VA.

LPH Specifications:
Displacement 7,800 t.(lt), 11,000 t.(fl)
Length 512' 3"
Beam 65' 2"
Draft 22'6" (max)
Speed 19.3 kts
Complement 900
Troop Accommodations 938
Armament four twin 40mm AA gun mounts
Propulsion Plant two Skiner, Uniflow VTE Reciprocating engines, four 285 psi boilers, 1 shaft; 9,000 SHP

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By
USS Thetis Bay (CVHA-1)
	149k	Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) Commissioning Ceremony Program	Robert M. Cieri
	80k	Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) underway, circa 1955-56. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, December 1959 issue	Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
	11k	Thetis Bay (CVHA-1) off Luzon, Philippine Islands,February. 1958, during vertical envelopment exercises with Marine Corps Test Unit 1	Charles Zarek Sgt. USMC 1956-1958 7th Comm BTN, 1st MAR DIV
	5k
	10k
	13k
USS Thetis Bay (LPH-6)
	26k	Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	.
	118k	Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	.
	84k	Thetis Bay (LPH-6) underway, sometime between May 1959 (when she was redesignated (LPH-6) and December 1961 when she was redeployed to the Atlantic Fleet and arrived at Norfolk), She has aboard Marine Squadron HMRL-163, ("YP" tail code) a Pacific Fleet squadron which became HMM-163 in February 1962. US Navy photo.	Robert M. Cieri

View the Thetis Bay (LPH-6) ex (CVE-90)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
No Information Available

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Last Updated 2 July 2007