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USS Casablanca (CVE 55)

- formerly ALAZON BAY, formerly AMEER -
- formerly ACV 55, formerly AVG 55 -
- decommissioned -


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Named after a port of French Morocco which was the major base for the American campaigns in North Africa during World War II, the USS CASABLANCA was the first CASABLANCA - class escort carrier. Originally assigned the name AMEER and the designator AVG, she became ACV 55 on August 20, 1942, and was renamed ALAZON BAY on January 23, 1943. She became CASABLANCA on April 3, 1943, and CVE 55 on July 15, 1943. Decommissioned on June 10, 1946, the CASABLANCA was sold on April 23, 1947.

General Characteristics:Awarded: 1942
Keel laid: November 3, 1942
Launched: April 5, 1943
Commissioned: July 8, 1943
Decommissioned: June 10, 1946
Builder: Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Wash.
Propulsion system: four boilers
Propellers: two
Length: 512.5 feet (156.2 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 108 feet (32.9 meters)
Beam: 65 feet (19.9 meters)
Draft: 22.6 feet (6.9 meters)
Displacement: approx. 10,400 tons full load
Speed: 19 knots
Catapults: one
Aircraft: 28 planes
Armament: one 5-inch L/38 gun, 16 40mm guns, 20 20mm guns
Crew: 860


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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS CASABLANCA. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.


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History of USS CASABLANCA:

USS CASABLANCA has borne three names and three type designators. Originally assigned the name AMEER and the designator AVG, she became ACV 55 on 20 August 1942, and was renamed ALAZON BAY on 23 January 1943. She became CASABLANCA on 3 April 1943, and CVE 55 on 15 July 1943. CASABLANCA was launched 5 April 1943 by Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Wash., under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs. F. D. Roosevelt; acquired by the Navy 8 July 1943; commissioned the same day, Commander W. W. Gallaway in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

CASABLANCA operated in the Straits of Juan de Fuca as a training ship for escort carrier crews from the time of her commissioning through August 1944. On 24 August, she cleared San Francisco carrying men, airplanes, and aviation gasoline to Manus, great base for western Pacific operations. Returning to Seattle 8 October, she resumed her training operations in Puget Sound until 22 January 1945, when she began a repair period at San Diego.

Putting to sea 13 March, CASABLANCA called at Pearl Harbor, then delivered passengers and aircraft brought from the west coast at Guam. Acting as transport for passengers, aircraft, and aviation gasoline, she operated between Samar, Manus, and Palau until 12 May, when she put back for a west coast overhaul. She returned with passengers to Pearl Harbor 24 June, and through the summer transported sailors from the west coast to Pearl Harbor and Guam. After brief employment in carrier qualification training off Saipan in August, she carried homeward bound servicemen to San Francisco, arriving 24 September. Continuing to aid in the redeployment of Pacific forces, CASABLANCA carried passengers on a voyage from the west coast to Pearl Harbor in September and October, and in November, made a passage to Pearl Harbor, Espiritu Santo, and Noumea to embark more passengers. Her last voyage on this duty, from 8 December to 16 January 1946, was from San Francisco to Yokohama. CASABLANCA cleared San Francisco 23 January for Norfolk, Va., arriving 10 February. There she was decommissioned 10 June 1946, and sold 23 April 1947.


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