CVE-119 was initially named Trocadero Bay for a bay off Bucareli Bay, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska (it was named Caños del Trocadero in 1779 by Francisco Antonio Maruelle; Trocadero was the name of a fort in the Bay of Cadiz).

Renamed Point Cruz, 5 June 1944, after a decisive land battle fought 7 to 10 November 1942 on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (NS0311927a).

NS0311927b: This view looking south over Point Cruz shows the jumble of sharp-grassed ridges, foothills and mountainous jungle which was Guadalcanal.

Maps NS0311927 and NS0311927a courtesy of Google Maps. Photo NS0311927b from Marines in World War II Historical Monograph, The Guadalcanal Campaign, by Major John L. Zimmerman, USMCR (Historical Section, Division of Public Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, 1949).

Point Cruz (CVE-119) was launched on Friday, 18 May 1945.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119). CAPT Douglas T. Day, Jr., USN, commanding. 16 March 1946.

Cropped version of the photo above, scanned from the scrap book of the father of Jeff Lawrence, plank owner of USS Point Cruz (CVE-119).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) arrives home, sometime in 1951–1956.

Series of photos identifying antennas. Possibly taken in late 1952 at Bremerton.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photos from Record Group 19.

NS0311923: # rg19nn-b1584a-001-025.

NS0311923a: # rg19nn-b1584a-001-026.

NS0311923b: # rg19nn-b1584a-001-027.

NS0311923c: # rg19nn-b1584a-001-028.

NS0311923d: # rg19nn-b1584a-001-029.

Dockside, Yokosuka, Japan, early 1950s. Photo by Charles R. Tabor.

A "Polka-dots" Vought F4U-4 Corsair fighter assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Attack Squadron Three Three Two (VMA-332) aboard the escort carrier USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) in 1953, during a deployment to Korea. Photo from U.S. Navy Naval Aviation News, March 1954.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) underway circa 1953, with Avengers of Anti-submarine Squadron (VS) 38 on her flight deck.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.488.035.046.

Aerial photo of USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) off Korea in the Spring of 1953. Based at Sasebo, Japan, the ship took part in Operation Platform, using her helicopters to airlift Indian troops to the Panmunjom buffer zone to supervise the POW exchange.

Source: LIFE Magazine Archives, Joe Scherschel Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

Aerial photo of USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) off Korea in the Spring of 1953. Based at Sasebo, Japan, the ship took part in Operation Platform, using her helicopters to airlift Indian troops to the Panmunjom buffer zone to supervise the POW exchange.

Source: LIFE Magazine Archives, Joe Scherschel Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

Indian/Commonwealth troops being loaded onto helicopters on USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) off Korea in the spring of 1953. They are being airlifted to the Panmunjom buffer zone to supervise the POW exchange.

Source: LIFE Magazine Archives, Joe Scherschel Photographer, shared by Peter DeForest.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) underway at sea east of Japan, 23 July 1953. She has anti-submarine aircraft on her flight deck: seven TBM-3S and TBM-3Ws and one HO4S helicopter.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NH&HC), # NH 106718.

Also National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-630786.

Vought F4U-4 Corsair fighters assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Attack Squadron (VMA) 332 ("Polka-Dots") aboard the escort carrier USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) on 27 July 1953 during a deployment to Korea. Official caption: "READYING FOR COMBAT—Planes of the Marine (Polka Dot) squadron await ordnance on the last day of the Korean War. Corsair attack bombers flown by squadron pilots racked up an impressive record of destruction in the short time they took part in the Korean War." Photographer: Cpl. G.R. Corseri, USMC.

Defense Visual Information photo no. HM-SN-98-06901, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) file # 127-GK-1-A348757.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) at anchor at Hong Kong, 7 October 1953. F4U-4B Corsairs from Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 332 "Polka-dots" are parked on the flight deck.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) underway circa 1954, location unknown. (USN photo.)

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) underway in a photo dated January 1955, with an HO4S-3S of Helicopter Squadron (HS) 4 and S2F-1 Trackers of Antisubmarine Squadron (VS) 25 on board.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.488.035.048.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Note: TED-6 - AN/URR-13A evaluation antenna #5 is located on portside, forward, at an angle of 315° clockwise from ship's heading. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24004), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-030).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Note: TED-6 - AN/URR-13A evaluation antenna #5 is located on starboard side, aft, at an angle of 135° clockwise from ship's heading. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24005), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-031).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Note: View shown is looking forward along portside. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24006), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-032).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24008), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-033).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24009), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-034).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Note: View shown is port, aft. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24010), 15 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-035).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24068), 21 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-036).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), antennas. Official Navy photograph, Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California (# NY13-24069), 21 March 1955.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo from Record Group 19 (# rg19nn-b1584a-001-037).

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) underway on 25 June 1955, with a Sikorsky HO4S-3S of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS) 4 and Grumman S2F-1 Trackers of Antisubmarine Squadron (VS) 25 spotted aft. (U.S. Navy Photo # USN 688159.)

U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation, photo # 1996.488.035.047. Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection.

The escort carrier Point Cruz (CVE-119) as an unarmed aircraft transport (T-AKV 19), September 1965.

Drawing (by A.D. Baker III) and text from U.S. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman.

Smohalla (YTM-371) alongside the aircraft transport USNS Point Cruz (T-AKV 19), Yokosuka, Japan, 11 June 1966.

Cropped image, as above.

Wardroom, Korea. Left to right: Chief Machinist Christiansen; Chief Machinist V. N. Miller; Captain C. C. Marcy (CO); Lieutenant Tooley (Doctor); Lieutenant Scott (Gunnery Officer); Commander T. L. Friede (XO); Lieutenant S. L. Nichols.

Chief Machinist Arthur Charles "Chris" Christiansen, Jr., (far left) and his crew, during Korea. He served 30 years in the Navy (1931-1961) and retired as a CWO3.

Ray Lawrence (born Ray Skrepich) and friends.

Arrangements on official trial run, USS Point Cruz (CVE-119), Wednesday, 10 October 1945.

Invitation to the Commissioning Ceremony.

USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) commissioning, dance, 12 October 1945.

If you recognize anyone in this photo, please let us know. Larger copy available on request.

Plank Owner's Certificate for Ray Lawrence (born Ray Skrepich).

"Domain of the Golden Dragon, Ruler of the 180th Meridian" Certificate for Ray Lawrence (born Ray Skrepich).