CVE-82 was named Saginaw Bay for a bay on the north coast of Kuiu Island, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska. The bay was in turn named in 1869 by CDR Richard W. Meade III, USN, for charting purposes, for his ship, USS Saginaw.

(Image: Google Maps.)

USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82).

Starboard profile meticulously drawn by John Robert Barrett.

Champagne flies as Mrs. Howard L. Vickery, wife of Rear Admiral Howard L. Vickery, vice chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission, christens Saginaw Bay on Wednesday, 19 January 1944.

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

USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) underway, probably during a ferry mission to Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo, dated April 1944.

Photo dated 3 April 1944, but listed as received on 4 July 1945. A night photo of dry-dock USS ABSD-2 with USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) seen from the bow. The carrier is in camouflage 33/14A.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-333692.

F4U Corsairs on flight deck of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 19 April 1944. Note: original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334951).

TBM Avenger aircraft flies over USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82). Photographed on 14 June 1944. Note: original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334948).

U.S. Navy pilots of Composite Squadron (VC) 78 prepare chart board in ready room of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) before take-off. Left to right: Lieutenant White; Lieutenant Post; Lieutenant Commander Hyde and Ensign Martz. Photographed on 18 June 1944, while training off the US West Coast. Note, original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334962).

Catholic Church Services being held in the Ready Room aboard USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 8 July 1944, Pearl Harbor, TH. Note: original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334981).

Lieutenant Calhoun on watch from the bridge of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 20 July 1944. Note, original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334998).

LCT(5)-256 making fast to starboard side aft of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 20 July 1944, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. Note, original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo (# 80-G-334999).

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Smoke rising from aerial bombardment of Mt. Suribachi. Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) on D-Day, 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307177.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Assault craft streaming toward beach on Iwo Jima. Note smoke rising on beach from naval shelling and the battleship. Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307178.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Iwo Jima covered with bomb craters from incessant attacks by carrier-based planes. Shown: Entire view of island with bombardment of beachhead in foreground. Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) on D-Day, 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307181.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Iwo Jima covered with bomb craters from incessant attack by carrier-based planes. Smoke rising from burning installations. Northwest section. Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), D-Day, 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307183.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Smoke rising from aerial and naval bombardment of Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima. Photographed by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE 82). Note the four destroyers in foreground. D-Day, 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307186.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Iwo Jima covered with bomb craters from incessant attack by carrier-based planes. Note smoke rising from burning installations. Photographed by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), D-Day, 19 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307196.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Mt. Suribachi, looking into cone, following severe bombing by carrier-based planes of U.S. invasion fleet, view south to north. Photographed by USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307201.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Mt. Suribachi, looking into cone, following severe bombing by carrier-based planes of U.S. invasion fleet, view from North to South. Photographed by USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307202.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Mt. Suribachi, looking into cone, following severe bombing by carrier-based planes of U.S. invasion fleet, view from west. Photographed by USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307203.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. Motojama airfield after terrific bombarding by carrier-based planes. Shown: North Control area (218K, P) dispersal area, Field No.3 and portion of runway. Photographed by USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307204.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. U.S. ships and landing craft anchored off East Beach during landing operations. Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307206.

Battle for Iwo Jima, February–March 1945. «Carrier-based plane releases target (area 183 J), East Boat Basin at the bottom, F-56, 20"» Taken by plane from USS Saginaw Bay (CVE 82), 27 February 1945.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-307208.

Aerial view of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) underway, 12 April 1945.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-334947.

USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) at Pearl Harbor, mid-to-late 1945.

Rear Admiral George Henderson, USN, aboard USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82). Photograph received 19 July 1945. Note, original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-334923.

TBF/TBM Avenger in flight. Photographed by aircraft of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82). Photograph received 19 July 1945. Note, original mount card is extremely curved.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-80-G-335014.

A Google Map by Dennis B. McCarty. History of USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82) from keel laying in Vancouver, WA, to scrapping in Rotterdam.

Dennis is the son of Vernon C. McCarty, EM2/c, who served aboard Saginaw Bay during World War II. Dennis explains: "I believe that the information is factually and historically correct. The map is very intuitive and reveals a lot of information when you use the dialogue box, click on locations or legs of travel, etc. The more that you zoom in, the easier it is to separate each item."

NS0308206a: Download history as a PDF file.

Coffee mug, 1989 Reunion, Charleston, SC. USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), VC-78, VC-88 Association.

Patches, USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82), VC-78, VC-88 Association.