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Naval Warfare

USS Attu (CVE-102)

Escort Aircraft Carrier [ 1944 ]

USS Attu CVE-102 escort aircraft carrier saw service through the final years of World War 2, eventually being sold for scrapping in 1947.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 01/25/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Portside view of the USS Attu at sea; its cargo origins can clearly be seen at the bow

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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The USS Attu was an escort aircraft carrier serving with the United States Navy in World War 2. She operated primarily in the Pacific Theater and served to resupply and replenish task force groups with fresh aircraft and pilots. She served from Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, New Guinea, Guam, and Ulithi. Upon the cessation of hostilities was announced with Japan, the USS Attu performed in Operation Magic Carpet, shuttling thousands of American soldiers back home for repatriation.

The Attu design was spawned from fifty unfinished cargo vessels under Kaiser Shipbuilding Company and was part of the large complement of Casablanca-class escort carriers to see operational service with the US Navy. She consisted of an unarmored flight deck that generally served naval bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters. Her superstructure was set back between amidships and the stern on the starboard side. The carrier was defended by 1 x 5" main gun, 16 x 40mm cannons and an additional 20 x 20mm cannons for anti-aircraft use.©MilitaryFactory.com

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The USS Attu was laid down (by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company), launched and officially commissioned in 1944. She was decommissioned in 1946 and had her name struck from the Naval Vessel Register that same year. In early 1947 and like many navy vessels seeing combat in the Second World War (which, incidentally, she earned 2 Battle Stars for her exploits), she was unceremoniously sold off for scrapping. The USS Attu was named after the Aleutian Island chain's westernmost and largest island "Attu" off the coast of Alaska. She was originally called "Elbour Bay" before being renamed on November 6th, 1943. In her post-war time, she served under the name of "Gay" as a merchant class vessel.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1944

Origin

United States

Complement

860
PERSONNEL

Class

Casablanca-class

Number-in-Class

50
VESSELS

Ships-in-Class

USS Casablanca (CVE-55); USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56); USS Coral-Sea/Anzio (CVE-57); USS orregidor (CVE-58); USS Mission Bay (CVE-59); USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60); USS Manila Bay (CVE-61); USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62); USS St. Lo (CVE-63); USS Tripoli (CVE-64); USS Wake Island (CVE-65); USS White Plains (CVE-66); USS Solomons (CVE-67); USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68); USS Kasaan Bay (CVE-69); USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70); USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71); USS Tulagi (CVE-72); USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73); USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74); USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75); USS Kadasahan Bay (CVE-76); USS Marcus Island (CVE-77); USS Savo Island (CVE-78); USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79); USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80); USS Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81); USS Saginaw Bay (CVE-82); USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83); USS Shamrock Bay (CVE-84); USS Shipley Bay (CVE-85); USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86); USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87); USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88); USS Takanis Bay (CVE-89); USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90); USS Makassar Strait (CVE-91); USS Windham Bay (CVE-92); USS Makin Island (CVE-93); USS Lunga Point (CVE-94); USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95); USS Salamaua (CVE-96); USS Hollandia (CVE-97); USS Kwajalein (CVE-98); USS Admiralty Islands (CVE-99); USS Bougainville (CVE-100); USS Matanikau (CVE-101); USS Attu (CVE-102); USS Roi (CVE-103); USS Munda (CVE-104)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Flag Ship / Capital Ship
Serving in the fleet Flag Ship role or Capital Ship in older warship designs / terminology.

Length

512.0 ft
156.06 m

Beam

65.2 ft
19.87 m

Draught

20.0 ft
6.10 m

Displacement

7,800
tons

Installed Power: 2 x engines powering 2 x reciprocating screws and 2 x shafts.

Surface Speed

19.0 kts
(21.9 mph)

Range

9,913 nm
(11,408 mi | 18,359 km)

1 x 5" main gun

16 x 40mm cannons

20 x 20mm cannons

Supported Types

Graphical image of a historical warship turreted main gun armament

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

28 aircraft of various makes.

Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period

Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.

Images Gallery

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Portside view of the USS Attu at sea; its cargo origins can clearly be seen at the bow

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