USS Copahee Country United States Ship Class Bogue-class Escort Carrier Hull Number CVE-12 Builder Todd Pacific Shipyards, Tacoma, Washington, United States Laid Down 18 Jun 1941 Launched 21 Oct 1941 Commissioned 15 Jun 1942 Decommissioned 5 Jul 1946 Displacement 7800 tons standard; 15700 tons full Length 496 feet Beam 115 feet Draft 26 feet Machinery Two 285psi boilers, one steam turbine, one shaft Power Output 8500 SHP Speed 16 knots Crew 890 Armament 2x5-inch guns, 8x2x40mm Bofors guns, 27x20mm Oerlikon cannon Aircraft 24 USS Copahee was originally laid down as the civilian ship Steel Architect under Maritime Commission contract. On 8 Feb 1942, due to war demands, she was acquired by the United States Navy, and was converted into an escort carrier, commissioning in Jun 1942 with Commander J. G. Farrell in command. She reached the South Pacific in late Sep 1942, carrying with her aircraft, cargo, and passengers. Between 7 and 11 Oct, she cruised toward Guadalcanal, delivering 20 United States Marine Corps aircraft to Henderson Field. She spent the remainder of 1942 in overhaul in the United States. Upon completion of the overhaul, she participated in training exercises at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States, then returned to San Diego, California, United States briefly. On 25 Feb 1943, she departed San Diego for a transport run that would last until 7 Jun, carrying aircraft, cargo, and personnel to the Hawaii, New Hebrides, Fiji, and New Caledonia. Between 2 Sep 1943 and 19 Jan 1944, she made one transport run to Pearl Harbor and two transport runs to Townsville and Brisbane, Australia, delivering aircraft. Between 10 Apr and 3 Jun, she ferried aircraft between Pearl Harbor and Majuro, Marshall Islands. In Jun and Jul 1944, she supported the Mariana Islands Campaign by transporting replacement aircraft and airmen to the US Navy 5th Fleet. On 28 Jul 1944, she arrived at San Diego with 13 captured Japanese A6M Zero fighters and 1 captured B5N torpedo bomber, along with 37 engines, for further research. After a period in overhaul, she resumed transport duty, embarking on six voyages in the Pacific before the end of the Pacific War. Between 6 Sep and 21 Dec 1945, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, transporting military personnel from the Mariana Islands, Gilbert Islands, and the Philippine Islands back to the United States, arriving at Alameda, California on 21 Dec 1945. She was decommissioned at Tacoma, Washington, United States on 5 Jul 1946 and entered the reserve fleet. In 1955, she was reclassified the helicopter escort carrier CVHE-12 in reserve, but never fulfilled that role. She was stricken for disposal in 1959, and was sold for scrap in 1961
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 17:58:11 +0000
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