USS BADOENG STRAIT   (CVE-116)
(later AKV-16)

CVE-116 was initially named San Alberto Bay for a bay between Prince of Wales and San Fernando Islands, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska (NS0311642).

Renamed Badoeng Strait, 6 November 1943, for a strait in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia), between the islands of Bali and Nusa Besar, and at the confluence of the Bali Sea and the Indian Ocean (NS0311642a). It was the site of a night surface action between Japanese naval units and a Dutch-American force early in the Pacific War. Japanese naval forces, having seized Borneo and the Celebes in January 1942, sailed to Bali in mid-February. Allied ships departed Tjilatjap and Ratai Bay, Sumatra, to intercept the Japanese. The Allied force (Rear Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman, RNN) of three cruisers and accompanying destroyers attacked the retiring Japanese Bali occupation force (Rear Admiral Kyuji Kubo) in Badoeng (Badung) Strait on the evening of 19 February. The naval engagement did not prevent the loss of Bali, or the Dutch East Indies (NS0311642b). (The action in Badoeng Strait was, in fact, a Japanese victory, but there was incomplete information available in 1943 and the Allied attacks were believed to had had some success, see Java Sea Campaign, Combat Narratives, at the Naval History and Heritage Command website.)

Allied forces: Dutch light cruisers De Ruyter, Java (slightly damaged) and Tromp (damaged), and destroyer Piet Hein (sunk). US destroyers USS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS Pope (DD-225), USS Stewart (DD-224, seriously damaged), USS Parrott (DD-218), USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) and USS Pillsbury (DD-227).

Japanese forces: destroyers Asashio (slightly damaged), Oshio (damaged), Arashio and Michishio (heavily damaged).

(Maps NS0311642 and NS0311612a courtesy of Google Maps. Chart NS0311642b courtesy of Naval History & Heritage Command.)

March 1945, arriving in Portland to be completed by Commercial Iron Works.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) early in her career, painted in camouflage Measure 21.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway, date and location unknown. Photo U.S. Navy official.

From Jane's Fighting Ships, 1961–62 edition.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway, date and location unknown.

Aerial view of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway, date and location unknown.

Naval History & Heritage Command photo, # NH 67541.

Aerial view of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway, date and location unknown.

A Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter is catapulted from USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), during operations in the eastern Pacific, circa early 1946. The carrier was then flagship of Commander Carrier Division 17, Rear Admiral Dixwell Ketcham.

Collection of Vice Admiral Dixwell Ketcham.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 95747).

"4 May 1946, U.S.S. Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), San Diego, Calif.
CAPT. T.A. Turner, USN, Commanding — COMDR. W.C. Murphy, USN, Executive Officer"

(Larger, 7.95Mb copy available on request.)

A Ryan FR-1 Fireball launches from the flight deck of the escort carrier USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), March–June 1947. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.253.7133.011.

With small craft in front, USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) is moored at an unknown port, circa 1947–1951. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.035.037.

Gun crews conducting practice firing aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) circa 1948. The post-war enclosed bridge and island structure are evident here.

National Naval Aviation Museum photo, Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection (# 1996.488.035.034).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), exact date and location unknown. This photo might have been taken at Smith Cove, just north of the old "Navy Base, Seattle" that is now Pier 91 (note Mt. Rainier in the background), in early July 1949.

(Thanks to Tracy White, Researcher@Large, who helped identify the possible location.)

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116).

Capt. A.S. Born, USN, Commanding — Cdr. C.J. Odend'hal, Jr., USN, Ex.Off.

16 July 1949.

(Larger, 6Mb copy available on request.)

TBM-3 Avenger, BuNo 53800, in flight over USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), 1949–50.

Air Anti-Submarine Squadron Twenty-Five, tail code "SK," was established as Composite Squadron (VC) 25 at NAS San Diego, 1 April 1949. The squadron became Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 25 on 20 April 1950.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1996.253.1344.

One of the photos available for the crew to purchase. Most likely taken during the later 1940s or early 1950s.

Another view, as above.

"Upon completion of maneuvers, USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) is tied up at Pearl Harbor while her personnel enjoy liberty and Aloha Week celebrations in Honolulu — Photo by James H. Curtright, SN, USN." (original caption from All Hands magazine, February 1950 issue; thanks to Stanley Svec for this information.)

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97371).

"GREETING TO HAWAII—An aerial cameraman pictures the greeting 'Aloha to Hawaii' formed on the USS Badoeng Strait's flight deck by over two hundred mishipmen as the carrier arrives at Pearl Harbor June 30[, 1950]. The naval reserve officers training corps' midshipmen from [??] colleges and universities are participating in the Navy's summer NROTC training cruise. (AP WIREPHOTO via navy radio from Honolulu)"

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) loading Marine Corps F4U-4B Corsair fighters at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California, for transportation to Korea, July 1950. Badoeng Strait carried planes and aircrew of Marine Air Group 33 as part of the trans-Pacific movement of the First Provisional Marine Brigade, the initial Marine Corps deployment of the Korean War. She left San Diego in mid-July and arrived at Kobe, Japan on 31 July, flying her planes off the following day.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (NHHC), # NH 96995.

"Personnel load bombs onto USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) in San Diego, as the ship is made ready to get underway. The ship is part of the response to the North Korean invasion of South Korea."

National Naval Aviation Museum photo, # 1996.488.035.039

Undated photo of F4U Corsairs of VMF-214, VMF-223 and VMF(N)-513 and a helicopter of VMO-6 loaded onto USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116). The ship is en route to Pusan, Korea.

Source: U.S. National Archives (photo # 80-G-416920).

"Old Glory" flies from USS Badoeng Strait's icy rigging, during operations off Korea, 14 November 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the All Hands collection at the Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC), # NH 97027.

Crewmen clear snow from the carrier's flight deck, during operations off the Korean coast, 14 November 1950. Planes on deck are Marine Corps F4U-4B Corsair fighters.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97372).

Marine Corps F4U-4B Corsair fighter parked on the snowy flight deck of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), during operations off the Korean coast, 14 November 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 97373).

Aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), crewmen use a power brush and shovels to remove ice and snow from the carrier's flight deck, during operations off the Korean coast, 30 November 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 97374).

Aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), crewmen use a power brush to remove ice and snow from the carrier's flight deck, during operations off the Korean coast, 30 November 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 97375).

U.S. Navy and Marine ordnance personnel load Marine F4U Corsair fighter-bombers with rockets and napalm bombs aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) off the coast of Korea, December 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 97059).

Lieutenant Joseph Wosser next to his Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMF-323) "Death Rattlers," Marine Air Group 12, aboard the escort carrier USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116). Photo courtesy Joseph Wosser.

Photo and text from Combat over Korea, by Philip Chinnery.

T/Sgt [Technical Sergeant] Hugh "Whiskey" Newell in his Vought F4U-4B Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMF-323) "Death Rattlers," Marine Air Group 12, aboard the escort carrier USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116). He was killed on 7 December 1950, while attacking Chinese positions near Haguru-ri during the Marines retreat from the Chosin Reservoir. Photo courtesy T.C. Crouson.

Photo and text from Combat over Korea, by Philip Chinnery.

"SAN DIEGO, Cal., Feb. 8[, 1951]—HER DADDY COMES HOME—Little Rebecca Braswell, 2 1/2, watches aircraft carrier Badoeng Strait arrive from Korean war with her daddy, Chief Quatermaster L.D. Braswell. There were other wives and children on the pier when the carrier arrived yesterday but Rebecca had found a solitary spot to seek out the face and waving hand of her daddy on the big ship. He had been away seven months. (AP WIREPHOTO)."

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), antenna arrangement, broadside view, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 11 July 1951 (NY8 5439).

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), ARC identifier 24741373; local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 137781"; box 1584A, folder 371.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), antenna arrangement, head on view, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 11 July 1951 (NY8 5440).

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), ARC identifier 24741375; local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 137782"; box 1584A, folder 371.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), antenna arrangement, bow view about 45° relative, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 11 July 1951 (NY8 5441).

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), ARC identifier 24741377; local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 137783"; box 1584A, folder 371.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), antenna arrangement, stern view about 135° relative, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 11 July 1951 (NY8 5442).

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), ARC identifier 24741379; local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 137784"; box 1584A, folder 371.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), antenna arrangement, view from directly astern, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, 11 July 1951 (NY8 5443).

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), ARC identifier 24741381; local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 137785"; box 1584A, folder 371.

Korean War. Ensign Robert A. Berg, USN, after making 15,000th landing aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), received a cake from Ms Charlotte Knight, Associate Editor of Collier's Magazine[, circa December 1951]. Left to right: Ms Knight; Ensign Berg and Aircrewman William C. Dawson. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-436740.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway off Korea operating Vought F4U Corsairs of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 212, 13 January 1952. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation, Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection, photo # 1996.488.035.040.

"Carl, Janet, and Carol Wilbur (left to right) are over joyed upon the return of their father Lieutenant Commander Carl E. Wilbur onboard while the ship pulls in at Naval Air Station, San Diego, California," 1952.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration, # 80-G-441735.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway on 6 August 1952, while en route to the Far East for her third, and final, Korean War deployment. Seven F4U Corsair fighter bombers are spotted on the forward end of her flight deck. The "LD" painted on their vertical stabilizers shows that they belong to Marine Fighter Squadron 212 (VMF-212).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97370).

As above.

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway off San Diego, California, on 17 February 1953. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.035.041.

Stern on view of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) after regular overhaul. San Francisco Naval Shipyard, 28 August 1953.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, identifier 24741387, local identifier "19-NN - CVE-116 Badoeng Strait - 145193" (old Bureau of Ships photo # BS145193).

A Grumman AF-2S Guardian anti-submarine plane landing on board USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), 1 April 1954. This was the ship's 20,000th landing.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52419).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) at sea with Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4 on board, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52409).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) at sea with Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4 on board, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52410).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) at sea with Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4 on board, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52411).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) at sea with Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4 on board, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52412).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) operating with Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52413).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) underway while operating Sikorsky HO4S helicopters of squadron HS-4, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 52414).

Sikorski HO4S helicopter, of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) lifts off for a routine guard mail run, during exercises off the U.S. west coast, 27 July 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 52417).

S2F aboard USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), Summer 1955, Pacific Ocean.

VS-38, S2F ASW on USS Badoeng Strait, Pacific Ocean, Summer 1955. R.N. Runion, AE2; Jerry Kane, AE3; Bruce Chapin, AE3.

Photo number (6293-56) indicates the year is 1956. Probably in the San Francisco Bay.

Source: San Francisco Naval Shipyard – Hunters Point, Historical Shipyard Photographic Collection 1904–74 NARA Pacific Region (San Francisco).

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), anchored in May 1956, part of the USN fleet supporting the Operation Redwing, Test Cherokee, Hydrogen Bomb Test at Bikini Atoll. This test was the first hydrogen-bomb drop by a USAF bomber, B-52. USS Silverstein (DE-534), along with another unidentified DE, are anchored in the background.

LIFE magazine, J.R. Eyerman photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

As seen from an unidentified ship, a starboard bow view of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), anchored in May 1956, part of the USN fleet supporting the Operation Redwing, Test Cherokee, Hydrogen Bomb Test at Bikini Atoll.

LIFE magazine, J.R. Eyerman photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

A view of USN ships supporting the Operation Redwing, Test Cherokee, Hydrogen Bomb Test at Bikini Atoll in May 1956. USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) and USS Catamount (LSD-17), two unidentifiable auxiliaries and an unidentifiable destroyer escort anchored before the first air-dropped hydrogen bomb test.

LIFE magazine, J.R. Eyerman photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

Commencement Bay-class carriers. Top to bottom: USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116); USS Annapolis (AGMR-1), ex-USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107); and USS Block Island (CVE-106).

From "Historic Fleets," Naval History magazine, 1997.

"Warship [ex-USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116)] in Process of Being Scrapped at the American Ship Dismantling Division on the Willamette River," Portland, OR, April 1973. Photographer: David Falconer.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, local identifier 412-DA-5624, Record Group 412 (Records of the Environmental Protection Agency, 1944–2006).

"USS Badoeng Strait, Commissioning Program, 14 November 1945"

Four larger copies of photos from "USS Badoeng Strait, Commissioning Program, 14 November 1945"

USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116). Postcard, dated 1947.

Torpedo Squadron (VT) 41 was established at Naval Air Station Seattle, WA, 26 March 1945, LT Joseph P. Keigher in command. It was equipped with General Motors TBM-1, TBM-1C, and TBM-3 Avenger torpedo-bombers, as part of Escort Carrier Air Group (CVEG) 41. Its primary mission was anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

VT-41 was redesignated Attack Squadron (VA) 1E on 15 November 1946, with CVEG-41 simultaneously redesignated CVEG-1. The Group, made up of VA-1E and Fighting Squadron (VF) 1E, was assigned to USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116) on 4 December 1946. Their tail code was "BS" (call sign "Beef Steak"). Operating from Badoeng Strait, the squadron saw extensive service in ASW trials and tactics development in 1947–1948, in the Pacific.

On 1 September 1948, VA-1E and VF-1E were merged into Composite Squadron (VC) 21. VC-21 was in turn redesignated Antisubmarine Squadron (VS) 21 on 23 April 1950, and Sea Control Squadron (retaining the VS-21 designator) on 1 October 1993. The squadron was finally disestablished on 28 February 2005.

Over the years, the squadron operated variants of the TBM/TBF Avenger, AF Guardian, S2F/S-2 Tracker, and S-3 Viking. It deployed aboard a long list of carriers, in addition to Badoeng Strait: USS Sicily (CVE-118), USS Bairoko (CVE-115), USS Bataan (CVL-29), USS Princeton (CVS-37), USS Philippine Sea (CVS-47), USS Kearsarge (CVS-33), USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14), USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), USS Constellation (CV-64), USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Enterprise (CVN-65), and USS Independence (CV-62), and took part in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Model of USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116).