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The USS Bunker Hillseemed to Lead a Charmed Life — Until the Fateful Day

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The USS Bunker Hillseemed to Lead a Charmed Life — Until the Fateful Day The USS Bunker Hill seemed to lead a charmed n 11 November 1943, a powerful new attacked and a spirited battle followed. With carrier force appeared in the Pacific for the support of Navy pilots based at Ondonga life — until the fateful Othe first time. The new Essex-class car- and Segi, the task force’s anti-aircraft gunners, riers Bunker Hill (CV-17) and Essex (CV-9) under and the carrier pilots, 41 Japanese planes were day when a horde the command of R/Adm. Alfred E. Montgomery splashed with no damage to the task force. of death-bound had their baptism of fire in an important raid on This action not only aided the Bougainville Rabaul in support of the Bougainville operations campaign but helped to divert enemy attention kamikazes turned her in the northern Solomons. from the upcoming Gilbert Island landings. Aircraft from R/Adm. Montgomery’s task With the entrance of the Essex-class carriers, decks into a fiery force and a second northern task force — the tide had turned for good against the funeral pyre including carriers Saratoga and Japanese empire. Princeton under R/Adm. Sherman The Essex-class carrier was an awesome helped sink a light cruiser and a fighting machine. In the Battle of the BY TIMOTHY P. destroyer while seriously damag- Philippines Sea, the Bunker Hill’s Air Group 8 WARNER ing anoth- er. The Japanese counter- contained 33 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive-bomb- USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) steaming through the Pacific on its way to another Japanese target. 8 SEA CLASSICS/February 2020 seaclassicsnow.com 9.
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