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Introduction August '43–February '44

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Introduction August '43–February '44 Introduction DUE TO THE CRITICAL NEED FOR AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN THE PACIFIC FORWARD AREA DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, NINE SHIPS ORIGINALLY LAID DOWN FOR CONSTRUCTION AS LIGHT CRUISERS (CL) WERE REORDERED TO BE COMPLETED AS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (CV) ON MARCH 18, 1942. THE ACTUAL DATES THAT EACH SHIP WAS CLASSIFIED CV VARIES. THE FIRST FIVE CARRIERS OF THE CLASS WERE COMMISSIONED AS CV'S. TO DISTINGUISH THEM FROM THE LARGER CARRIERS OF THE FLEET, THEY WERE AGAIN RECLASSIFIED ON JULY 15, 1943 AS CVL. THE REMAINING FOUR CARRIERS WERE COMMISSIONED AS CVL'S. THE INDEPENDENCE CLASS CARRIERS, AS THE CVL'S WERE KNOWN, WITH THEIR INTENDED LIGHT CRUISER NAMES FOLLOWS: 1. USS INDEPENDENCE CVL-22 USS AMSTERDAM CL-59 2. USS PRINCETON CVL-23 USS TALLAHASSEE CL-61 3. USS BELLEAU WOOD CVL-24 USS NEW HAVEN CL-76 4. USS COWPENS CVL-25 USS HUNTINGTON CL-77 5. USS MONTEREY CVL-26 USS DAYTON CL-78 6. USS LANGLEY CVL-27 USS FARGO CL-85 7. USS CABOT CVL -28 USS WILMINGTON CL-79 8. USS BATAAN CVL-29 USS BUFFALO CL-99 9. USS SAN JACINTO CVL-30 USS NEWARK CL-100 NOTE --- THE LANGLEY WAS FIRST CALLED CROWN POINT, AND THE SAN JACINTO WAS FIRST CALLED REPRISAL. THE INDEPENDENCE CLASS CARRIERS DISPLACED 11,000 TONS: 15,800 TONS FULL LOAD; OVERALL LENGTH, 623 FEET; BEAM, 71 1/2 FEET; WIDTH, 109 FEET; DRAFT 26 FEET; SPEED 33 + KNOTS; TWENTY-SIX 40MM AND FORTY 20MM AA MOUNTS, AIRCRAFT IN EXCESS OF 45. COMPLEMENT OF 1,569 MEN. ALL NINE OF THE LIGHT CARRIERS SAW EXTENSIVE ACTION IN THE PACIFIC DURING WW II. USS BATAAN CVL-29 THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF THAT GALLANT GROUP OF AMERICAN AND FILIPINO FIGHTING MEN WHO DEFENDED THE PENINSULA OF BATAAN. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR, THESE MEN PUT UP ONE OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT BATTLES IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF HUMAN WARFARE. DEPRIVED OF AIR SUPPORT, FACED BY VAST SUPERIOR NUMBERS, SHORT OF AMMUNITION, SUPPLIES AND FOOD, THESE BRAVE MEN FOUGHT A BITTER STRUGGLE AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS, BUT, A STRUGGLE THAT PROVED THE FIGHTING METTLE OF FILIPINO AND AMERICAN ALIKE. BATAAN FELL, BUT THE SPIRIT THAT MADE IT STAND FOR MONTHS AGAINST THOSE OVERWHELMING ODDS -- A BEACON TO ALL THE LIBERTY LOVING PEOPLES OF THE WORLD -- THAT SPIRIT, INVINCIBLE, THE SPIRIT OF BATAAN, CAN NEVER FALL. IT IS TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE HEROES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AT BATAAN THAT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE USS BATAAN, IN OUR ENDEAVOR TO ASSIST IN MAKING THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, ARE DEDICATED. August ‘43–February ‘44 Commissioning SUNDAY 1 AUG., '43: TODAY A SHIP WAS BORN AND CHRISTENED BATAAN. SECRETARY KNOX DECLARED IN A MESSAGE THAT SHE "HAS A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY WHICH WILL NOT BE DENIED." THE LAUNCHING TOOK PLACE WITHOUT CEREMONY AT THE NEW YORK SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION, CAMDEN, N.J. MRS. GEORGE MURRAY, WIFE OF THE REAR 1 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org ADMIRAL COMMANDING NAS, PENSACOLA, SPONSORED THE NEW CARRIER. MISS MARIA OSMENA, DAUGHTER OF VICE PRESIDENT SERGIO OSMENA, OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH, SERVED AS MAID-OF-HONOR. THE BATAAN THUS BECAME THE FIRST SHIP TO BE NAMED AFTER A WW II BATTLE. WEDNESDAY 17 NOV., '43: THE USS BATAAN JOINED THE NAVY TODAY. THE COMMISSIONING WAS HELD AT PIER #2, PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD. MORE THAN 600 GUESTS ATTENDED. IT WAS THE FIRST WARTIME COMMISSIONING IN THE DELAWARE RIVER VALLEY AND THE SECOND IN THE NATION TO BE PUBLICIZED. CAPTAIN VALENTINE H. SCHAEFFER, USN, FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER, RECEIVED THE SHIP FROM REAR ADMIRAL N. F. DRACMEL, USN, COMMANDANT OF THE FOURTH NAVAL DISTRICT. CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER STATED -- "THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN IS NOW IN COMMISSION. THE DESIGNERS, SHIPBUILDERS, AND WORKERS HAVE DONE THEIR JOB. OUR WORK IS NOW CUT OUT FOR US: PLENTY OF IT. I CAN PROMISE YOU DRILLS AND MORE DRILLS, AND THEN SOME DRILLS, INTENSIVE TRAINING ACTIVITY TO UTILIZE TO THE UTMOST THE LIMITED TIME THAT IS AVAILABLE. "A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF HIS SHIP'S COMPANY ARE INEXPERIENCED. FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TOUR OF DUTY ABOARD A FIGHTING SHIP. HOWEVER, WE ALSO HAVE ON BOARD A NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN WHO ARE SEASONED VETERANS OF MANY OF THE MAJOR BATTLES OF THIS WAR. "WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A NAME WHICH HAS AS MEANING TO IT -- BATAAN. THE USS BATAAN COMMEMORATES A CAMPAIGN THAT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE FORTITUDE AND ENDURANCE OF FREE MEN IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS. IT HAS A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY THAT SHALL NOT BE DENIED. "FROM THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC COMES THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MAC ARTHUR; 'I FEEL THAT IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, THE USS BATAAN WILL ADD FRESH LAURELS TO THAT HALLOWED NAME'. "I UNDERSTAND THAT MAC ARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA STILL ANSWER ALL PHONE CALLS WITH THE WORDS 'BATAAN SPEAKING.' "BEFORE LONG THIS SHIP GOES INTO ACTION, THE WORLD AGAIN WILL KNOW THAT BATAAN IS SPEAKING -- THIS TIME FROM THE DECK OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEARING THAT NAME "BATAAN FEEL, BUT THE SPIRIT THAT MADE IT STAND FOR MONTHS AGAINST THOSE OVERWHELMING ODDS -- A BEACON TO ALL THE LIBERTY LOVING PEOPLES OF THE WORLD -- THAT SPIRIT, INVINCIBLE, THE SPIRIT OF BATAAN CAN NEVER FALL. "IT IS IN HONOR OF THESE MEN THAT THIS SHIP BEARS THE NAME THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN. IT IS A FIGHTING NAME AND WITH GOD'S HELP, WE WILL MAKE IT A FIGHTING SHIP." February–March 1944: Shakedown TUESDAY, 15 FEB. '44 TO WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH '44: OUR POST SHAKEDOWN OVERHAUL PERIOD BEGAN IN EARNEST. THE SHIP'S PERSONNEL WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS WITH FOUR AND ONE HALF DAY LEAVE PERIOD FOR EACH SECTION -- OFFICERS HAD A FIVE DAY LEAVE FORTHCOMING. AS THE FIRST LEAVE SECTION WENT OVER THE BOW, THE NAVY YARD PAINTERS STARTED THEIR CAMOUFLAGE TASK. CURIOSITY RAN HIGH AS PAINTERS STARTED SPRAYING, SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM, WITH BLACK, WHITE, LIGHT GRAY, AND DARK GRAY. "WHAT AREA IS THIS COLOR?" BECAME THE $64,000 QUESTION. AS THE THIRD LEAVE PARTY RETURNED, THE OVERHAUL PERIOD WAS APPROACHING ITS END. OUR CAMOUFLAGE WAS COMPLETE -- A PANORAMA OF DISMAL BLACK. ENLIVENED WITH AN OFF-SETTING WHITE BORDER. INTERMINGLED 2 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WITH BATTLESHIP GRAY AND A SOFTER GRAY HORIZON BLENDING EVERYTHING -- STACKS, MOTOR WHALE BOATS, JEEPS, TRACTORS, GUN MOUNTS -- FELT THE ARTIST'S BRUSH. IT CONVEYED STARK REALITY. WE WERE RAPIDLY APPROACHING OUR "D-DAY". AMMUNITION BY THE THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS COVERED THE HANGER DECK. AT THE AFTER BOW A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS HUMAN CARAVAN BEARING CRATES OF FRESH PROVISIONS POURED OVER THE AFTER BOW. MORNING BROUGHT THE AIR GROUP PERSONNEL ABOARD. AS NEW PLANES WERE LIFTED ABOARD, HEARTS POUNDED AND SPECULATION WAS RIFE -- "THIS IS IT." BUT --WHERE WERE WE HEADING; WHAT WAS OUR DESTINATION? LIBERTY ON MARCH 1 ADDED THE FINISHING NOTE -- NINE O'CLOCK FOR ENLISTED MEN, TEN O'CLOCK FOR CHIEFS, AND TWELVE O'CLOCK FOR OFFICERS -- CINDERELLA LIBERTY. TOMORROW WAS THE DAY. THURSDAY, 2 MARCH '44: DAWN BROKE CLEAR AND COOL. THE SHARP NOTES OF QUARTERS SOUNDED, AND THEN THE NEWS -- UNDERWAY. THE PILOT CAME ABOARD; FRESH WATER LINES, TELEPHONE CONNECTIONS, AND THE BROWS WERE REMOVED. AT 0800 THE FAMILIAR STRAINS OF THE SHIP'S SONG CAME OVER THE LOUD SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY THE STIRRING MUSIC OF "ANCHORS AWEIGH". THE USS BATAAN HAD STARTED ON HER "RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY". THE PILOT DISEMBARKED AND WE WERE HEADED DOWN THE RIVER PAST MEMORY-FILLED GLOUCHESTER, BIRTHPLACE CAMDEN, AND INTO THE BAY PAST CHESTER AND WILMINGTON. IN COMPANY WITH THE USS BENNION, WE HEADED OUT TO SEA. THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT HAD FIRING PRACTICE. AS A PLANE TOWING A SLEEVE MADE SEVERAL RUNS. SCORE: ONE SLEEVE DOWNED. ONE TORN TO SHREDS -- A REMARKABLE FEAT -- BOTH CREDITED TO MOUNT NO. 11, LT. WM. BARNETT, USN R IN CHARGE. FRIDAY, 3 MARCH '44: OUR FIRST GENERAL QUARTERS IN THREE WEEKS BROKE THE MORNING SILENCE, REMINDING ONE AND ALL THAT WE WERE AGAIN IN DANGEROUS WATERS. THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS HELD THEIR FIRST UNDERWAY MEETING AND ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE SCHEDULED. SATURDAY, 4 MARCH '44: GAS MASKS WERE ISSUED. A NEAR DISASTER OCCURRED ON THE 20MM MOUNT NO. 6 AS THE CUT-OUT AM FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE ADJOINING GUN SHIELD WAS HOT. FORTUNATELY NO SERIOUS CASUALTIES ENSUED. ONE MAN WAS LACERATED AROUND THE FACE, ARMS AND BODY, AND A FEW MORE WERE SLIGHTLY BRUISED. OFFICER OF THE DECK INSTRUCTIONS WERE RESUMED IN THE WARDROOM UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF LT. COMDR. SHARP. SUNDAY, 5 MARCH THRU TUESDAY, MARCH '44: THROUGH MONA PASSAGE AND A SWING TOWARD THE WEST. A FAKE SUB SCARE RAN HURRIEDLY THROUGH THE SHIP. ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE HELD WITH THE ONLY CASUALTIES A FEW BUSTED TIRES. MONDAY'S PLAN OF THE DAY CONTAINED THE TERSE STATEMENT, "THE SHIP WILL ARRIVE AT THE CANAL ZONE ON WEDNESDAY." FAILURE OF PERSONNEL TO OBSERVE WATER TIGHT INTEGRITY WAS BROUGHT OUT AND ALL HANDS WERE REMINDED OF THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST OFFICIAL WAR BALLOTS. WE WERE AGAIN REMINDED TO CONSERVE FRESH WATER. TOMORROW WE ARRIVE AT THE CANAL. THE PLAN OF THE DAY FOR TUESDAY LISTED NUMEROUS DEFICIENCIES IN CLEANLINESS AND ALL HANDS WERE AGAIN REMINDED THAT LIFE BELTS MUST BE WORN TOPSIDE AT ALL TIMES. HOWEVER, THE ANTICIPATION OF OUR TRANSIT THROUGH THE CANAL CAPTIVATED THE FANCY OF ALL HANDS. THE BOS'N DEPARTMENT WORKED FEVERISHLY RIGGING THE NECESSARY PLUMB BOBS. GUN TURRETS DISMANTLED TO SQUEEZE US UNDER THE 100 FT.
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