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121-836: USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) was the seventeenth of fifty Casablanca -class escort carrier built for the United States Navy during World War II . She was launched in November 1943, and transferred to the Navy and commissioned in December. She served in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign , the Battle off Samar , in which she was the first ship to undergo kamikaze attack, and the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf , during which she

242-410: A Görz , in 1913. French Military Aviation began the war with several squadrons of Bleriot observation planes, equipped with cameras for reconnaissance. The French Army developed procedures for getting prints into the hands of field commanders in record time. The Royal Flying Corps recon pilots began to use cameras for recording their observations in 1914 and by the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915

363-534: A pressurized escape capsule for the pilot. The aircraft never flew under rocket power with only unpowered glider prototypes flown prior to May 1945. The collection and interpretation of aerial reconnaissance intelligence became a considerable enterprise during the war. Beginning in 1941, RAF Medmenham was the main interpretation centre for photographic reconnaissance operations in the European and Mediterranean theatres. The Central Interpretation Unit (CIU)

484-419: A 7 ft (2.1 m) by 15 ft (4.6 m) hole in her hull, part of which extended below the waterline. Fortunately for Kitkun Bay , the kamikaze's bombs proved to be duds, although the explosion of its fuel tank killed four men and ignited a fire. In addition, leading up to impact, a 5-inch round fired from one of her fellow ships burst near her bow under a gun sponson, killing and wounding several, with

605-829: A bevy of other warships headed towards Mutsu Bay , where Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher accepted the surrender for Japanese forces in northern Honshu and in Hokkaido . Then, she steamed southwards into Tokyo Bay . There, she joined the Operation Magic Carpet fleet, which repatriated U.S. servicemen from around the Pacific. In her maiden Magic Carpet voyage, she picked up 554 servicemen in Japan, including ex- POWs , and ferried them to San Francisco . She conducted additional trips to Pearl Harbor and Okinawa , entering San Pedro on 12 January 1946. She then proceeded up

726-499: A block of land stretching from the Turkish front lines 32 miles (51 km) deep into their rear areas. Beginning 5 January, they flew with a fighter escort to ward off enemy fighters. Using Royal Aircraft Factory BE.12 and Martinsyde airplanes, they not only overcame enemy air attacks, but also bucked 65 mile-per-hour winds, anti-aircraft fire, and malfunctioning equipment to complete their task circa 19 January 1918. During 1928,

847-522: A complement of 890, along with 50 to 56 airmen in the attached squadron. Casablanca -class escort carriers were designed to carry 27 aircraft, but the hangar deck could accommodate more. During the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign , she carried 12 FM-2 fighters , and 8 TBM-1C torpedo bombers , for a total of 20 aircraft. However, during the Philippines campaign and Battle off Samar , she carried 16 FM-2 fighters and 12 TBM-1C torpedo bombers for

968-627: A conventional war. A few days later, on 16 October 1912, a Bulgarian Albatros aircraft performed one of Europe's first reconnaissance flight in combat conditions, against the Turkish lines on the Balkan peninsula , during the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913. The use of aerial photography rapidly matured during the First World War , as aircraft used for reconnaissance purposes were outfitted with cameras to record enemy movements and defences. At

1089-409: A cruising range of 10,240 nautical miles (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Her compact size necessitated the installment of an aircraft catapult at her bow, and there were two aircraft elevators to facilitate movement of aircraft between the flight and hangar deck: one each fore and aft. One 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose gun

1210-611: A forge within the shipfitter's shop exploded, burning several men, killing one, and forcing two others overboard to escape the flames, who were later rescued by the destroyer escort Dionne . On 11 August, Captain John Francis Greenslade took over command of the ship at Eniwetok. At Eniwetok, on 15 August, the crew of Kitkun Bay received word of the Japanese surrender . Kitkun Bay formed Task Unit 49.5.2, turning out on 16 August for Adak Island . There, she joined

1331-563: A group of fifteen Yokosuka D4Ys was detected approaching by Kitkun Bay . At 11:23, one of the bombers made a run on the carrier, but both of its wings were torn off by anti-aircraft fire, and it plunged into the ocean 50 yd (46 m) off her port bow, detonating upon impact and showering the flight deck with seawater. On 26 October, "Taffy 3" was instructed to retire to Manus for replenishment and repairs, arriving there on 1 November. There, Captain Albert Handly took over command of

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1452-644: A puddle within a gun sponson, which was washed overboard. One crewman onboard was killed, four were seriously wounded, twelve were slightly wounded, and two TBM-1C Avengers were rendered inoperational from the attack. This gave Kitkun Bay the uneasy distinction of being the first ship to undergo kamikaze attack in the course of the Pacific War. Many of her fellow ships would follow, including her sisters in "Taffy 3", who were not so lucky, with Kalinin Bay being badly injured and St. Lo suffering fatal damage. At 11:10,

1573-466: A stereoscope, thus creating a perception of depth that could aid in cartography and in intelligence derived from aerial images. The dirigibles were eventually allocated to the Royal Navy , so Laws formed the first aerial reconnaissance unit of fixed-wing aircraft; this became No. 3 Squadron RAF . Germany was one of the first countries to adopt the use of a camera for aerial reconnaissance, opting for

1694-484: A system called Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS), which provided naval aerial reconnaissance capability until the Tomcat's retirement in 2006. Since the 1980s, there has been an increasing tendency for militaries to rely upon assets other than manned aircraft to perform aerial reconnaissance. Alternative platforms include the use of surveillance satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as

1815-402: A torpedo from the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts , suffered a secondary explosion, possibly derived from the cooking off of munitions on board, crippling her handling and forcing her out of the vanguard formation. At 9:05, Fowler guided two Avengers towards Chōkai , where they released their payloads, with Fowler reporting nine 500 lb (230 kg) bomb hits, five amidships, three near

1936-519: A total of 28 aircraft. During the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf , she carried 15 FM-2 fighters, 10 TBM-3 torpedo bombers, along with two reconnaissance planes, an FM-2P and a TBM-3P. Her construction was awarded to Kaiser Shipbuilding Company , Vancouver, Washington , under a Maritime Commission contract, Mc Hull 1108, on 18 June 1942. She was laid down on 3 May 1943 under the name Kitkun Bay , under Frank Knox 's directive naming escort carriers for "sounds, bays, and islands". Her namesake, Kitkun Bay,

2057-583: A transport mission bound for the New Hebrides . Kitkun Bay arrived at Espiritu Santo on 14 February, where she took on a load of cargo, ferrying it to Efate , arriving on 18 February. On her return trip, she stopped at Pearl Harbor on 28 February, arriving back at part in San Diego on 6 March. From 9 to 17 March, she conducted pilot qualifications with her intended air contingent, Composite Squadron (VC) 5 until she returned to port, during which VC-5

2178-510: A transport mission to Pearl Harbor, where it was discovered that additional repairs were required. After conducting some exercises with her new aircraft contingent, Composite Squadron (VC) 63, she departed on the morning of 15 June for Ulithi, stopping at Guam. There, she reported to Task Force 30.8, the Third Fleet, forming Task Unit 30.8.23 along with her sister Steamer Bay . The two carriers provided screening and antisubmarine patrols for

2299-472: A twin-engined aircraft designed expressly for the reconnaissance role with defensive armament of 1 light machine gun, entered service in 1941. Codenamed "Dinah" this aircraft was fast, elusive and proved difficult for Allied fighters to destroy. More than 1,500 Ki-46s were built and its performance was upgraded later in the war with the Ki-46-III variant. Another purpose-designed reconnaissance aircraft for

2420-454: A unique additional building slip originally intended to add prefabricated superstructures to Liberty ships. Their relatively small size and mass-production origins led their crews to refer to them as "jeep carriers" or "Kaiser Jeeps" with varying degrees of affection. The Casablanca class initially continued the US Navy's policy of naming escort carriers after bays and sounds, in this case

2541-783: A year to less than 90 days, and proposed building a fleet of 50 small carriers in less than two years. The US naval authorities refused to approve construction of the Kaiser-built ships until Kaiser went directly to the President's advisers. The Allies were in desperate need of carriers to replace early war losses. Kaiser produced the small carriers as rapidly as planned and resistance to their value quickly disappeared as they proved their usefulness defending convoys, providing air support for amphibious operations , and allowing fleet carriers to focus on offensive air-strike missions. Unlike most other large warships since HMS  Dreadnought ,

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2662-718: Is located on the southeastern end of Prince of Wales Island , constituting part of the Alexander Archipelago , at the time within the Territory of Alaska . She was laid down as MC hull 1108, the seventeenth of a series of fifty Casablanca -class escort carriers. She was launched on 8 November 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Francis E. Cruise; transferred to the Navy and commissioned at Astoria , Oregon on 15 December 1943, with Captain John Perry Whitney in command. Upon being commissioned, Kitkun Bay spent

2783-475: The Abnaki -class fleet ocean tug Chowanoc was on standby to take Kitkun Bay under tow when it was safe. Pumping checked her list down to 4°, and repair parties entering the engine room were able to restore partial power. At 20:42, Chowanac secured a line to her, where they proceeded towards Santiago island . On the morning of 9 January, she was able to make steam under her own power, and all personnel sans

2904-809: The Ruler class (the RN's Batch I Bogues were the Attacker class). All ships of the Casablanca class were built in Vancouver , Washington, by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company . The following ships of the class were constructed. pps. 1 & 2 – "Kaiser Company, Inc. – Vancouver", BuShips QQ files, NARA, College Park, MD. - "The Ships We Build", Kaiser Company, Inc., n.d., c. immediate post-war, 1945. Aerial reconnaissance After

3025-572: The B-24 Liberator (photo-reconnaissance variant designated F-7), B-25 Mitchell (F-10) and B-17 Flying Fortress (F-9). The revolutionary B-29 Superfortress was the world's largest combat-operational bomber when it appeared in 1944, with a top speed of over 350 mph which at that time was outstanding for such a large and heavy aircraft; the B-29 also had a pressurized cabin for high altitude flight. The photographic reconnaissance version of

3146-451: The Casablanca -class ships were equipped with uniflow reciprocating engines instead of steam turbines . This was done because of bottlenecks in the gear-cutting industry, but greatly limited their usefulness after the war. Although designated as convoy escort carriers, the Casablanca class was far more frequently used in large fleet amphibious operations, where speed was less important and their small airgroups could combine to provide

3267-498: The Chikuma ' s portside, severely damaging it. Shortly afterwards, Chikuma was finished off by aircraft from Ommaney Bay and Natoma Bay . At 10:51, five kamikaze Zeroes were spotted approaching "Taffy 3" from the northwest. These planes were part of Yukio Seki 's "Shikishima" squadron, which were conducting the first official kamikaze attacks of the war. The carriers and their escorts were caught out of position, and by

3388-472: The French Revolution , the new rulers became interested in using the balloon to observe enemy manoeuvres and appointed scientist Charles Coutelle to conduct studies using the balloon L'Entreprenant , the first military reconnaissance aircraft. The balloon found its first use in the 1794 conflict with Austria , where in the Battle of Fleurus they gathered information. Moreover, the presence of

3509-701: The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the carrier-based , single-engine Nakajima C6N Saiun ("Iridescent Cloud"). Codenamed "Myrt" by the Allies , the Nakajima C6N first flew in 1943 and was also highly elusive to American aircraft due to its excellent performance and speed of almost 400 mph. As fate would have it on 15 August 1945, a C6N1 was the last aircraft to be shot down in World War II . Japan also developed

3630-729: The Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912. On 23 October 1911, an Italian pilot, Capt. Carlo Piazza, flew over the Turkish lines in Libya to conduct an aerial reconnaissance mission; Another aviation first occurred on November 1 with the first ever dropping of an aerial bomb , performed by Sottotenente Giulio Gavotti , on Turkish troops from an early model of Etrich Taube aircraft. The first reconnaissance flight in Europe took place in Greece, over Thessaly, on 18 October 1912 (5 October by

3751-487: The Kaiser Shipbuilding Company 's Vancouver Yard on the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington . The Vancouver yard was expressly built in 1942 to construct Liberty ships , but exigencies of war soon saw the yard building LST landing craft and then escort carriers all before the end of the yard's first year in operation. The yard had twelve building ways and a 3,000-foot (910 m) outfitting dock along with

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3872-712: The Korean War , the United States begun to use RB-47 aircraft; these were at first were converted B-47 bombers, but later purposely built as RB-47 reconnaissance aircraft that had no bombing capability. Large cameras were mounted in the plane's belly and a truncated bomb bay was used for carrying photoflash bombs . Later versions of the RB-47, such as the RB-47H, were extensively modified for signals intelligence (ELINT), with additional equipment operator crew stations in

3993-615: The Marshall Islands . On 23 July, the escort carriers turned their attention towards Tinian , with Kitkun Bay sending sixteen FM-2 Wildcats and eleven TBM-1C Avengers to strike targets around the island. On 1 August, the escort carriers transitioned towards supporting the landings on Guam . As the marines secured the island, the escort carriers retired for Eniwetok, arriving on 7 August. On 8 August, Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie took over command of Carrier Division 26, and broke his flag on Kitkun Bay . On 8 September, she escorted

4114-616: The Presidential Unit Citation for conduct during the Battle off Samar. Casablanca-class escort carrier The Casablanca -class escort carrier was a series of escort carriers constructed for the United States Navy during World War II . They are the most numerous class of aircraft carriers ever built. Fifty were laid down, launched and commissioned within the space of less than two years – 3 November 1942 through to 8 July 1944. Despite their numbers, and

4235-707: The Royal Air Force (RAF) developed an electric heating system for the aerial camera; this innovation allowed reconnaissance aircraft to take pictures from very high altitudes without the camera parts freezing. In 1939, Sidney Cotton and Flying Officer Maurice Longbottom of the RAF suggested that airborne reconnaissance may be a task better suited to fast, small aircraft which would use their speed and high service ceiling to avoid detection and interception. Although this may perhaps seem obvious today with modern reconnaissance tasks performed by fast, high flying aircraft, at

4356-686: The Ryan Model 147 RPV (Remotely Piloted Vehicle) unmanned drone aircraft which were partly funded by the NRO during the 1960s. During the 1960s, the United States Navy opted to convert many of its supersonic carrier-based nuclear bomber, the North American A-5 Vigilante , into the capable RA-5C Vigilante reconnaissance aircraft. Beginning in the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy outfitted and deployed Grumman F-14 Tomcat aircraft in one squadron aboard an aircraft carrier with

4477-512: The U.S. 's high-altitude B-29 (which ended up not being deployed in Europe ). Approximately 50 Ju 388Ls were produced under rapidly deteriorating conditions at the end of the war. As with other high performance weapons introduced by Nazi Germany , too many circumstances in the war's logistics had changed by late 1944 for such aircraft to have any impact. The DFS 228 was a rocket -powered high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft under development in

4598-557: The 1860s, and from tethered kites from the 1880s onwards. An example was Arthur Batut 's kite-borne camera photographs of Labruguière starting from 1889. In the early 20th century, Julius Neubronner experimented with pigeon photography . These pigeons carried small cameras that incorporated timers. Ludwig Rahrmann in 1891 patented a means of attaching a camera to a large calibre artillery projectile or rocket, and this inspired Alfred Maul to develop his Maul Camera Rockets starting in 1903. Alfred Nobel in 1896 had already built

4719-576: The 2010s, American defense conglomerate Lockheed Martin promoted its proposal to develop a hypersonic UAV , which it referred to the SR-72 in allusion to its function as a spiritual successor to the retired SR-71 Blackbird. The company has also developed several other reconnaissance UAVs, such as the Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel . Due to the low cost of miniature UAVs, this technology brings aerial reconnaissance into

4840-595: The B-29 was designated F-13 and carried a camera suite of three K-17B, two K-22 and one K-18 with provisions for others; it also retained the standard B-29 defensive armament of a dozen .50 caliber machine guns . In November 1944 an F-13 conducted the first flight by an Allied aircraft over Tokyo since the Doolittle Raid of April 1942. The Consolidated B-32 Dominator was also used for reconnaissance over Japan in August 1945. The Japanese Army Mitsubishi Ki-46 ,

4961-687: The British Mosquito and the American P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang . Such aircraft were painted in PRU Blue or Pink camouflage colours to make them difficult to spot in the air, and often were stripped of weapons or had engines modified for better performance at high altitudes (over 40,000 ft (12,000 m)). The American F-4, a factory modification of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning , replaced

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5082-556: The Center Force by itself. Although Kitkun Bay was located towards the west of the formation, it was shielded by Fanshaw Bay and White Plains , which bore the brunt of the opening salvoes from the Japanese fleet, which at the time was about 16.6 mi (26.7 km) away. The Japanese were firing dye-marked shells to gauge their aim, and Fanshaw Bay and White Plains were quickly bracketed between plumes of color, much to

5203-483: The Japanese as they withdrew from the Battle off Samar. At 10:15, six TBM-1C Avengers were launched from Kitkun Bay , five of them outfitted with torpedoes, joining four more TBM Avengers to attack the retreating Japanese fleet. Proceeding north, one of the TBM Avengers was forced to break off due to mechanical issues. The remaining strike force sighted Chikuma , and in the ensuing action, scored two torpedo hits on

5324-407: The Japanese fleet approached closer, Kitkun Bay began to jettison some of her armaments at hand, while continuing to frantically emit smoke. At 7:35, Sprague ordered the escort carriers to begin engaging with their 5-inch guns , and by the end of the battle, Kitkun Bay had expended 120 of the 180 rounds available. At 7:59, one of her shells impacted what was possibly a cruiser , starting a fire in

5445-461: The Japanese fleet. At 8:44, Richard L. Fowler, VC-5's commander, led a group of eight FM-2 Wildcats and sixteen TBM Avengers, and under his command, at 8:53, an Avenger from Manila Bay succeeded in landing a torpedo hit on Chikuma , disabling her handling, and bringing her out of the battle. After Gambier Bay had been thoroughly damaged by shells, setting the ship ablaze, the Japanese turned their attention towards Kitkun Bay , as she peeked out of

5566-769: The Julian calendar) over the Ottoman army. The pilot also dropped some hand-grenades over the Turkish Army barracks, although without success. This was the first day of the Balkan wars, and during the same day a similar mission was flown by German mercenaries in Ottoman service in the Thrace front against the Bulgarians. The Greek and the Ottoman mission flown during the same day are the first military aviation combat missions in

5687-554: The Sulu Sea en route to Lingayen Gulf. Sunk 21 February 1945. Kamikaze aerial attack off Iwo Jima . Damaged at Lingayen Gulf on 6 January 1945 after kamikaze with two 551-pound (250 kg) bombs hit her flight deck. She was repaired and put back in service. Some ships were retained postwar as aircraft transports, where their lack of speed was not a major drawback. Some units were reactivated as helicopter escort carriers (CVHE and T-CVHE) or utility carriers (CVU and T-CVU) after

5808-542: The West Coast, entering Puget Sound on 18 February. There, Kitkun Bay was decommissioned on 19 April, and struck from the Navy list on 8 May. She was sold on 18 November to Zidell Ship Dismantling Company of Portland for $ 12,700. She was transferred in January 1947, and scrapped sometime in early 1947. Kitkun Bay received six battle stars for World War II service, and along with the rest of Taffy 3, received

5929-688: The aircraft's extreme performance characteristics in addition to risk of being captured as spies . The American U-2 shot down in Soviet airspace and capture of its pilot caused political turmoil at the height of the Cold War. Beginning in the early 1960s, United States aerial and satellite reconnaissance was coordinated by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Risks such as loss or capture of reconnaissance aircraft crewmembers also contributed to U.S. development of

6050-573: The armed MQ-9 Reaper . By 2005, such UAVs could reportedly be equipped with compact cameras capable of identifying an object the size of a milk carton from altitudes of 60,000 feet. The U-2 has repeatedly been considered for retirement in favour of drones. In 2011, the USAF revealed plans to replace the U-2 with the RQ-4 Global Hawk , a UAV, within four years; however, in January 2012, it

6171-637: The balloon had a demoralizing effect on the Austrian troops, which improved the likelihood of victory for the French troops. To operate such balloons, a new unit of the French military, the French Aerostatic Corps , was established; this organisation has been recognised as being the world's first air force . After the invention of photography, primitive aerial photographs were made of the ground from manned and unmanned balloons, starting in

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6292-421: The blast sending a crewman into the water, where he had to be rescued. Altogether, the attack killed sixteen and wounded thirty-seven. Kitkun Bay quickly acquired a list of 13° to port, and she was down 4 ft (1.2 m) by her stern. Furthermore, water enveloped the engineering compartments, forcing the crew inside to evacuate, and smoke filtered throughout the belowdecks. Spurred by this serious situation,

6413-842: The bomb bay; unarmed weather reconnaissance WB-47s with cameras and meteorological instruments also served the United States Air Force (USAF) during the 1960s. The onset of the Cold War led to development of several highly specialized and clandestine strategic reconnaissance aircraft , or spy planes, such as the Lockheed U-2 and its successor the SR-71 Blackbird (both from the United States ). Flying these aircraft became an exceptionally demanding task, with crews specially selected and trained due to

6534-456: The bow, and one near the stern, fatally damaging the heavy cruiser . At 9:40, Chōkai was scuttled by torpedoes from the destroyer Fujinami . Undaunted, Tone had closed the distance to within 12,000 yd (11,000 m) of Kitkun Bay , with its salvo straddling the fleeing carrier on both sides. As a parting shot, a volley passed Kitkun Bay ' s side by only 20 yd (18 m). However, at this point, Admiral Kurita, discouraged by

6655-408: The carriers conducted training in conjunction with other warships throughout the rest of May. On 31 May, Kitkun Bay sallied forth as part of an armada escorting Transport Division 16 towards Saipan of the Mariana Islands for the planned landings there. Kitkun Bay , along with the other carriers, launched fighter and antisubmarine patrols. On 8 June, she arrived at Kwajalein Atoll . There, she

6776-413: The command of Vice Admiral Theodore Stark Wilkinson , which included landing craft, as it transited towards the invasion site. During the latter half the transit, the American fleet was bedeviled by kamikazes, which sunk Ommaney Bay and damaged both Manila Bay and Kadashan Bay . On the evening of 8 January, Kitkun Bay was still screening Task Force 79, when at 18:06, a group of Japanese aircraft

6897-440: The concern of their command on board. The officers would certainly be more concerned if they were able to correspond the color of the dyed water to that of a particular Japanese ship, as the pink dyes corresponded to the Japanese battleship Yamato , with its 18 in (460 mm) guns, the largest ever manufactured, and the yellow dyes corresponded to the Japanese battleship Kongo , with its 14 in (360 mm) guns. As

7018-469: The conflict and, by spring 1945, became the dominant reconnaissance type flown by the USAAF in the European theatre . American photo-reconnaissance operations in Europe were centred at RAF Mount Farm , with the resulting photographs transferred to Medmenham for interpretation. Approximately 15,000 Fairchild K-20 aerial cameras were manufactured for use in Allied reconnaissance aircraft between 1941 and 1945. The British de Havilland Mosquito excelled in

7139-493: The development of increasingly capable surveillance payloads, allowing miniature UAVs to provide high levels of capability in never before seen packages. Reconnaissance pods can be carried by fighter-bomber aircraft. Examples include the British Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP); Chinese KZ900 ; UK RAPTOR ; and the US Navy's F-14 Tomcat Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS). Some aircraft made for non-military applications also have reconnaissance pods, i.e.

7260-688: The effectiveness of a much larger ship. Their finest hour came in the Battle off Samar , when Taffy 3 , a task unit composed of six of these ships and their screen of three destroyers and four destroyer escorts gave battle against the Japanese main battle force ("Center Force"). Their desperate defense not only preserved most of their own ships, but succeeded in turning back the massive force with only their aircraft joined by aircraft from Taffy 1 and 2 comprised additional Casablanca -class carriers, machine guns, torpedoes, depth charges , high-explosive bombs, and their own 5-inch/38-caliber guns . Tasked with ground support and antisubmarine patrols, they lacked

7381-530: The entire front twice a day and had taken over half a million photos since the beginning of the conflict. In January 1918, General Allenby used five Australian pilots from No. 1 Squadron AFC to photograph a 624-square-mile (1,620 km ) area in Palestine as an aid to correcting and improving maps of the Turkish front. This was a pioneering use of aerial photography as an aid for cartography . Lieutenants Leonard Taplin , Allan Runciman Brown , H. L. Fraser, Edward Patrick Kenny , and L. W. Rogers photographed

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7502-409: The entire system of German trenches was being photographed. The first purpose-built and practical aerial camera was invented by Captain John Moore-Brabazon in 1915 with the help of the Thornton-Pickard company, greatly enhancing the efficiency of aerial photography. The camera was inserted into the floor of the aircraft and could be triggered by the pilot at intervals. Moore-Brabazon also pioneered

7623-488: The entirety of the crew was ordered onto the flight deck, where the aircraft at hand were repositioned towards the starboard side in an attempt to correct the list. All non-essential crew were transferred off the ship onto her screens, and Rear Admiral Ofstie ordered all confidential documents on board to be destroyed, before transferring himself and his complement to the destroyer Smith , which ferried him to Shamrock Bay . The flames were extinguished by 19:10, and by 19:47,

7744-554: The escort carriers completely by surprise. Upon coming to an understanding of the severity of the situation, Sprague ordered Taffy 3 to steam eastward, in hopes of being shielded by a passing rain squall. Kitkun Bay swung to 70°, into the wind to aid in launching planes. At 6:55, Kitkun Bay went to flight quarters, "on the double", launching a set of eight FM-2 Wildcats from 6:56 to 7:03. At 7:10, Kitkun Bay sent out six TBM-1C Avengers, each armed with four 500 lb (230 kg) semi-armor piercing bombs. At 7:11, another FM-2 Wildcat

7865-399: The fast carriers, which launched strikes all along the Japanese islands, and conducted replenishment missions in support of the rest of the fleet. Notably, at this point, the Japanese were conserving their forces for the expected invasion of Japan , and Kitkun Bay encountered little serious opposition in her patrols. Nonetheless, Kitkun Bay suffered men lost during this period. On 4 August,

7986-409: The fastest non-jet Allied fighters of the time. The twin piston -engined Junkers Ju 388 high-altitude bomber was an ultimate evolution of the Ju 88 by way of the Ju 188 . The photographic reconnaissance Ju 388L variant had a pressurized cockpit from the Ju 388's original multi-role conception as not only a bomber but also a night fighter and bomber destroyer , due to RLM 's perceived threat of

8107-399: The first rocket carrying a camera, which took photographs of the Swedish landscape during its flights. Maul improved his camera rockets and the Austrian Army even tested them in the Turkish-Bulgarian War in 1912 and 1913, but by then and from that time on camera-carrying aircraft were found to be superior. The first use of airplanes in combat missions was by the Italian Air Force during

8228-429: The fore. At 8:03, Kitkun Bay launched a further three FM-2 Wildcats, to join the eight launched earlier. To avoid the Japanese cruisers Chikuma and Tone , the escort carriers set a southwesterly course, which brought Gambier Bay and Kitkun Bay in the crosshairs of the Japanese force. In the meantime, the pilots of Kitkun Bay ' s air contingent, VC-5 had been distinguishing themselves in their fight against

8349-517: The hands of soldiers on the ground. The soldier on the ground can both control the UAV and see its output, yielding great benefit over a disconnected approach. With small systems being man packable, operators are now able to deploy air assets quickly and directly. The low cost and ease of operation of these miniature UAVs has enabled forces such as the Libyan Rebels to use miniature UAVs. Low cost miniature UAVs demand increasingly miniature imaging payloads. Developments in miniature electronics have fueled

8470-502: The high-altitude Tachikawa Ki-74 reconnaissance bomber, which was in a similar class of performance as the Mosquito , but only 16 were built and did not see operational service. The Luftwaffe began deploying jet aircraft in combat in 1944, and the twin- jet Arado Ar 234 Blitz ("Lightning") reconnaissance bomber was the world's first operational jet-powered bomber. The Ar 234B-1 was equipped with two Rb 50/30 or Rb 75/30 cameras, and its top speed of 460 mph allowed it to outrun

8591-403: The images, using Swiss stereoautograph machines made by Wild (Heerbrugg) and physical models made to facilitate understanding of what was there or what it was for. It is claimed that Medmanham's greatest operational success was Operation Crossbow which, from 23 December 1943, destroyed the V-1 infrastructure in northern France. According to R.V. Jones , photographs were used to establish

8712-583: The incorporation of stereoscopic techniques into aerial photography, allowing the height of objects on the landscape to be discerned by comparing photographs taken at different angles. In 1916, the Austro-Hungarian Empire made vertical camera axis aerial photos above Italy for map-making. By the end of the war, aerial cameras had dramatically increased in size and focal power and were used increasingly frequently as they proved their pivotal military worth; by 1918 both sides were photographing

8833-440: The island of Samar from 20 to 25 October, providing air support for U.S. forces onshore, and dropping leaflets on Japanese positions. In the meantime, Admiral William Halsey Jr. led his Third Fleet northwards, after spotting Vice Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa 's diversionary Northern Force. Thus, the only ships covering the vulnerable landing crafts of Leyte Gulf were the three escort carrier task groups and their screens. Taffy 3,

8954-401: The island. It careened into the port walkway netting, tore through the port catwalk, bringing 15 ft (4.6 m) of it along, which detonating its 550 lb (250 kg) bomb on board, before plunging into the ocean some 25 yd (23 m) from her port side. The bomb showered fragments throughout the flight deck, puncturing more than 100 holes, and breached the gasoline lines, forming

9075-812: The landing craft participating in the landings on Peleliu and Angaur of the Palau Islands , providing close air support as they landed on 15 September. On 21 September, the escort carriers withdrew to Ulithi of the Caroline Islands . They then proceeded to Seeadler Harbor on Manus Island of the Admiralty Islands , where they prepared for the planned Philippines campaign . Kitkun Bay left Seeadler Harbor on 12 October as part of an advance contingent, escorting Rear Admiral William Fechteler 's Task Group 28.2. She arrived off of Mindanao on 19 October, and commenced operations in support of

9196-443: The landings on Leyte starting on 20 October. At the time of the invasion, Taffy 3 , under the command of Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague , consisted of Fanshaw Bay , St. Lo , White Plains , Kalinin Bay , Kitkun Bay , and Gambier Bay , along with an accompanying screen of three destroyers and four destroyer escorts . Rear Admiral Ofstie had responsibility over Kiktun Bay and Gambier Bay , but Sprague had authority over

9317-436: The larger Essex and Independence -class aircraft carriers , none were named to commemorate historical naval vessels. Although Essex -class aircraft carriers were completed in 20 months or less, 1941 projections on the basis of the 38-month average pre-war construction period estimated no new fleet carriers could be expected until 1944. Kaiser had reduced construction time of cargo ships ( Liberty ships ) from more than

9438-629: The last half of 1942 Lockheed would produce 96 F-5As, based on the P-38G with all later P-38 photo-reconnaissance variants designated F-5. In its reconnaissance role, the Lightning was so effective that over 1,200 F-4 and F-5 variants were delivered by Lockheed, and it was the United States Army Air Forces 's (USAAF) primary photo-reconnaissance type used throughout the war in all combat theatres. The Mustang F-6 arrived later in

9559-531: The latter part of World War II . It was designed by Felix Kracht at the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (German Institute for Sailplane Flight) and in concept is an interesting precursor to the post-war American U-2 , being essentially a powered long- wingspan glider intended solely for the high-altitude aerial reconnaissance role. Advanced features of the DFS 228 design included

9680-428: The north, where there was known to be no Allied surface presence. In fact, a TBM Avenger from St. Lo had stumbled into the midst of the Japanese fleet, and began radioing Rear Admiral Sprague warnings. Thirdly, Fanshaw Bay ' s radar operators spotted an unmistakable surface signature of unknown surface ships just 18.5 mi (29.8 km) away. As such, the opening stages of the Battle off Samar caught Sprague and

9801-580: The northmost task group, would bear the brunt of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita 's Center Force as it swung through the San Bernardino Strait . On the early morning of 25 October, Kurita's Center Force had already crossed the San Bernardino Strait unmolested, and was entering the open waters of Leyte Gulf . White Plains ' s radar had possibly spotted the Japanese force maneuvering into position at 3:00, but this information

9922-465: The nose-mounted four machine guns and cannon with four high-quality K-17 cameras. Approximately 120 F-4 and F-4As were hurriedly made available by March 1942, reaching the 8th Photographic Squadron in Australia by April (the first P-38s to see action). The F-4 had an early advantage of long range and high speed combined with ability to fly at high altitude ; a potent combination for reconnaissance. In

10043-652: The numerous inlets of the Alexander Archipelago that form the southeast coastline of Alaska , though several were subsequently renamed to carry on the US Navy's tradition of naming aircraft carriers after battles. Those ships that appear to be named after islands, seas, straits or cities actually commemorated battles fought at those locations. Several had their original "Bay" names changed to battle names while under construction, and two of them, Midway (CVE-63) and Coral Sea (CVE-57), lost their battle names mid-career to new Midway -class aircraft carriers , becoming USS  St. Lo and USS  Anzio respectively. Unlike

10164-465: The only US aircraft carriers to ever record a hit on an enemy warship by its own guns. St. Lo hit a Japanese destroyer with a single round and Kalinin Bay damaged a Myōkō -class cruiser with two hits. In addition, the gun crew on USS  White Plains may have struck the cruiser Chōkai , with up to six 5-inch shells. One of these rounds may even have caused a large secondary explosion – probably from one of Chōkai ' s own torpedoes – on

10285-675: The only aircraft carrier in history to conduct flight operations with a captured enemy vessel in tow. Of the eleven United States aircraft carriers of all types lost during World War II, six were escort carriers, five of which were of the Kaiser-built Casablanca class: Sunk 24 November 1943. Submarine torpedo launched from IJN I-175 SW off Butaritari (Makin). Sunk 25 October 1944. Concentrated surface gunfire from IJN Center Force during Battle off Samar. Sunk 25 October 1944. Kamikaze aerial attack during Battle of Leyte Gulf. Sunk 4 January 1945. Kamikaze aerial attack in

10406-598: The photo-reconnaissance role; the converted bomber was fitted with three cameras installed in what had been the bomb bay. It had a cruising speed of 255 mph, maximum speed of 362 mph and a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet. The first converted PRU (Photo-Reconnaissance Unit) Mosquito was delivered to RAF Benson in July 1941 by Geoffrey de Havilland himself. The PR Mk XVI and later variants had pressurized cockpits and also pressurized central and inner wing tanks to reduce fuel vaporization at high altitude . The Mosquito

10527-526: The plane attempted to pull out, it was further damaged, before nose-diving into the ocean. A second plane also tried to engage the carrier, but it was quickly shot down, splashing down about 300 yd (270 m) off her port quarter. The next day, on 19 June, Kitkun Bay ' s aircraft participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea , providing a screen and intercepting Japanese planes. From 5 to 10 July, Kitkun Bay replenished at Eniwetok of

10648-667: The planned landings on Luzon . Kitkun Bay was assigned as the flagship of Task Unit 77.4.3, the Lingayen Protective Group, along with her sister Shamrock Bay . On 31 December, the American fleet set out from Seeadler Harbor. En route, until 8 January 1945, when the American fleet arrived within Lingayen Gulf , the task unit's aircraft contingent provided an air screen for the Task Force 79, under

10769-511: The preservation of more famous and larger carriers as museums, none of these modest ships survive today. Five were lost to enemy action during World War II and the remainder were scrapped. Casablanca was the first class designed from keel up as an escort carrier. It had a larger and more useful hangar deck than previous conversions. It also had a larger flight deck than the Bogue class . Unlike larger carriers which had extensive armor, protection

10890-404: The resistance he was facing, and uncertain about the intelligence provided to him, convinced himself to withdraw. At 9:25, to the bewilderment of Rear Admiral Sprague, the Japanese fleet turned around and retired. Remarkably, Kitkun Bay , despite several near-misses, suffered no significant damage during the engagement, and only a few casualties from flying fragments. "Taffy 3" continued harassing

11011-497: The rest of December and early January undergoing outfitting at U.S. Naval Ship Yard Tongue Point , Astoria , Oregon . She then underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast, heading to Naval Air Station North Island , San Diego , California . She arrived at San Diego on 22 January 1944, and after spending a week conducting exercises off the Channel Islands , she loaded Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron (VMTB) 242 on

11132-725: The size and the characteristic launching mechanisms for both the V-1 flying bomb and the V-2 rocket . Immediately after the Second World War, the long range aerial reconnaissance role was quickly taken up by adapted jet bombers , such as the English Electric Canberra and its American development the Martin B-57 , that were capable of flying higher or faster than enemy aircraft or defenses . Shortly after

11253-400: The smoke. The Japanese gunnery gradually adjusted their aim, and starting from their first salvo at 8:28, crept up to within 500 yd (460 m). Despite the desperate use of smoke screens, and the heroic defense of her escorts, by 8:55, the Japanese had already closed the distance to only 6.25 mi (10.06 km). At 8:59, the cruiser Chōkai , which already had her stern blown off by

11374-437: The south. At 17:55, six planes broke through the air screen, and approached the escort carriers. One of these planes, identified as a Nakajima J1N , made a run on Kitkun Bay from her starboard bow. The aircraft was engaged by anti-aircraft fire, but still managed to release its torpedo within 100 yd (91 m) of the carrier. However, due to her hard turn, the torpedo missed Kitkun Bay by about 25 ft (7.6 m). As

11495-401: The starboard side that proved fatal to the heavy cruiser. White Plains ' s gun crew claimed to have put all six 5-inch rounds into Chōkai from a range of 11,700 yards (10,700 m), near the maximum effective range for the 5-inch/38 gun. However, Japanese sources attributed the loss of Chōkai to bomb damage from an air attack. Another noteworthy achievement of the Casablanca class

11616-489: The start of the conflict, the usefulness of aerial photography was not fully appreciated, with reconnaissance being accomplished with map sketching from the air. Frederick Charles Victor Laws started experiments in aerial photography in 1912 with No. 1 Squadron RAF using the British dirigible Beta . He discovered that vertical photos taken with 60% overlap could be used to create a stereoscopic effect when viewed in

11737-581: The success of the work of Medmenham was the use of stereoscopic images, using a between plate overlap of exactly 60%. Despite initial scepticism about the possibility of German rocket development, stereoscopic analysis proved its existence and major operations, including the 1943 offensives against the V-2 rocket development plant at Peenemünde , were made possible by work carried out at Medmenham. Later offensives were also made against potential launch sites at Wizernes and 96 other launch sites in northern France. Particularly important sites were measured, from

11858-408: The technique of high-altitude, high-speed photography that was instrumental in revealing the locations of many crucial military and intelligence targets. Cotton also worked on ideas such as a prototype specialist reconnaissance aircraft and further refinements of photographic equipment. At its peak, British reconnaissance flights yielded 50,000 images per day to interpret. Of particular significance in

11979-422: The time concentrated anti-aircraft fire could be brought to bear, the kamikazes were nearly on-top of the formation. The first kamikaze to strike set its sights on Kitkun Bay , diving from her port side. As it approached the carrier, the kamikaze changed the angle of its dive, aiming directly for Kitkun Bay ' s island, but at the last second, perhaps due to the incapacitation of the pilot, it streaked just over

12100-502: The time it was radical thinking. Cotton and Longbottom proposed the use of Spitfires with their armament and radios removed and replaced with extra fuel and cameras. This concept led to the development of the Spitfire PR variants. With their armaments removed, these planes could attain a maximum speed of 396 mph while flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet, and were used for photo-reconnaissance missions. The Spitfire PR

12221-498: The torpedoes and armor-piercing bombs to tackle a surface fleet alone. Taffy 3 was to be protected by Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet with carriers and battleships. But the Third Fleet had left the scene to pursue a decoy carrier fleet, inadvertently leaving Taffy 3 the only force between the massive Japanese fleet and undefended landing forces at Leyte Gulf. The lightly armed vessels each had only one 5-inch/38 cal gun mounted aft, yet two of their number, St. Lo and Kalinin Bay , became

12342-587: The unit as a whole. As the U.S. fleet gathered off the Philippines, the Japanese garrison on Suluan managed to alert their command. This prompted Admiral Soemu Toyoda to launch Shō-Gō 1, a gambit to defend Japan's access to the oil fields of Southeast Asia. On 18 and 19 October, Taffy 3 conducted strikes against Japanese bases located within Cebu , Negros , and Panay , destroying a total of thirty-eight planes, and damaging twenty-eight more. She then steamed off

12463-612: The unit's strength. A large number of photographic interpreters were recruited from the Hollywood Film Studios including Xavier Atencio . Two renowned archaeologists also worked there as interpreters: Dorothy Garrod , the first woman to hold an Oxbridge Chair, and Glyn Daniel , who went on to gain popular acclaim as the host of the television game show Animal, Vegetable or Mineral? . Sidney Cotton 's aerial photographs were far ahead of their time. Together with other members of his reconnaissance squadron, he pioneered

12584-436: The vessel. Transiting eastwards, VC-5's planes were detached to Ford Island on the morning of 18 November, and the squadron's pilots were unloaded at Pearl Harbor later that day. She was put into dry dock for repairs, being discharged on 29 November, when she took on Composite Squadron (VC) 91 as her air squadron. Entering Manus on 17 December, Ofstie put on Kitkun Bay again as his flagship. At Manus, preparations were made for

12705-529: The war, but most were deactivated and placed in reserve once the war ended, stricken in 1958-9 and scrapped in 1959–61. One ship, USS  Thetis Bay , was heavily modified into an amphibious assault ship (LPH-6), but was scrapped in 1966. Originally, half of their number were to be transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease , but instead they were retained in the US Navy and the Batch II Bogue -class escort carriers were transferred instead as

12826-540: The war. By VE-day , the print library, which documented and stored worldwide cover, held 5,000,000 prints from which 40,000 reports had been produced. American personnel had for some time formed an increasing part of the CIU and on 1 May 1944 this was finally recognised by changing the title of the unit to the Allied Central Interpretation Unit (ACIU). There were then over 1,700 personnel on

12947-446: The wounded returned later that day. Limited flight operations were even resumed, although she was ordered to retire on 11 January as part of a convoy. Making stops for limited repairs at Leyte Gulf, where she transferred her aircraft off, Manus, and Pearl Harbor, she returned to the United States by late February. Moored at Terminal Island for repairs and refitting, Kitkun Bay would not set sail again until 27 April, when she underwent

13068-604: Was 512 ft 3 in (156.13 m) long overall , had a beam of 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m), and a draft of 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m). She displaced 8,188 long tons (8,319  t ) standard , 10,902 long tons (11,077 t) with a full load . She had a 257 ft (78 m) long hangar deck and a 477 ft (145 m) long flight deck . She was powered with two Skinner Unaflow reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing 9,000 horsepower (6,700 kW), thus enabling her to make 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). The ship had

13189-422: Was assigned to serve as the flagship of Task Unit 52.11.1. On 13 June, her fighters notched their first kill, shooting down a Mitsubishi G4M1 variant bomber at 11:05. She arrived off Saipan on 14 June, and her aircraft contingent commenced close air support on the following day. On the afternoon of 18 June, a large formation of Japanese aircraft, estimated at thirty to fifty planes, was detected approaching from

13310-614: Was damaged by another kamikaze and forced to withdraw. Post-war, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet , repatriating U.S. servicemen from around the Pacific. She was decommissioned in April 1946, and sold for scrapping in November. Ultimately, she was broken up in early 1947. Kitkun Bay was a Casablanca -class escort carrier, the most numerous type of aircraft carriers ever built, and designed specifically to be mass-produced using prefabricated sections, in order to replace heavy early war losses. Standardized with her sister ships , she

13431-520: Was detached for further training. For the rest of March, she performed pilot qualifications for a variety of different squadrons. During April, she was moored at Naval Base San Diego , where maintenance and repairs were conducted. During this period, Rear Admiral Harold Bushnell Salada , commander of Carrier Division 26, designated Kitkun Bay as his flagship . On 1 May, she left port with VC-5 attached. Joined by her sisters Gambier Bay and Nehenta Bay , she arrived at Ford Island on 8 May, where

13552-504: Was detected approaching some 20 mi (32 km) from the southwest. The fighters of Kitkun Bay and Shamrock Bay , which had been conducting air patrols at the time, were diverted to intercept the planes. However, two of the kamikazes evaded the screen, and at 18:55, soon after the sun had set, one of the kamikazes started its dive upon Kitkun Bay . Undeterred by intense flak, it leveled off slightly at around 3,000 yd (2,700 m), before smashing into her portside at 18:57, carving

13673-512: Was dispatched. Sprague also radioed for assistance from Vice Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf , the commander of Task Group 77.2, which had just defeated the Southern Force in the Battle of Surigao Strait . Unfortunately for Sprague, Oldendorf was at least three hours sail away, Task Group 77.2 was scattered over an immense distance because of the previous night's battle, and it was low on both fuel and ammunition. Taffy 3 would have to confront

13794-600: Was disregarded by the ship's command. Although World War II era surface radar was notoriously faulty, the speed and course of the spotted blip was consistent with the course set by the Center Force. At 4:30, the escort carriers went to general quarters in preparation for another round of airstrikes and close air support. The first indication of Japanese contact happened shortly after 6:30, when Taffy 3 experienced three almost simultaneous warnings. Firstly, they began receiving unencrypted Japanese chatter. Secondly, they spotted antiaircraft fire, estimated at 20 mi (32 km) to

13915-758: Was faster than most enemy fighters at 35,000 ft, and could roam almost anywhere. Colonel Roy M. Stanley II of United States Air Force (USAF) stated of the aircraft: "I consider the Mosquito the best photo-reconnaissance aircraft of the war". The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) designation for the photo-reconnaissance Mosquito was F-8. Apart from (for example) the Mosquito, most World War II bombers were not as fast as fighters , although they were effective for aerial reconnaissance due to their long range, inherent stability in flight and capacity to carry large camera payloads. American bombers with top speeds of less than 300 mph used for reconnaissance include

14036-482: Was fitted with five cameras, which were heated to ensure good results (while the cockpit was not). In the reconnaissance role, the Spitfire proved to be extremely successful, resulting in numerous Spitfire variants being built specifically for that purpose. These served initially with what later became No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU). Other fighters were also adapted for photo-reconnaissance, including

14157-527: Was instead decided to extend the U-2's service life. Critics have pointed out that the RQ-4's cameras and sensors are less capable and lack all-weather operating capability; however, some of the U-2's sensors could be installed on the RQ-4. In late 2014, Lockheed Martin proposed converting the manned U-2 fleet into UAVs, which would substantially bolster its payload capability; however, the USAF declined to provide funding for such an extensive conversion. During

14278-682: Was later amalgamated with the Bomber Command Damage Assessment Section and the Night Photographic Interpretation Section of No 3 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF Oakington , in 1942. During 1942 and 1943, the CIU gradually expanded and was involved in the planning stages of practically every operation of the war, and in every aspect of intelligence. In 1945, daily intake of material averaged 25,000 negatives and 60,000 prints. Thirty-six million prints were made during

14399-549: Was limited to splinter plating. Their small size made them useful for transporting assembled aircraft of various sizes, including ferrying many aircraft types that were unable to operate from their decks. However, aircraft that were operational on the ships were limited to smaller and lighter aircraft such as the Grumman F4F Wildcat . The hull numbers were assigned consecutively, from CVE-55 Casablanca to CVE-104 Munda . Casablanca -class carriers were built by

14520-630: Was mounted on the stern. Anti-aircraft defense was provided by eight Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft guns in single mounts, as well as twelve Oerlikon 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons , which were mounted around the perimeter of the deck. By the end of the war, Casablanca -class carriers had been modified to carry thirty 20 mm (0.79 in) cannons, and the amount of Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) guns had been doubled to sixteen, by putting them into twin mounts. These modifications were in response to increasing casualties due to kamikaze attacks. Casablanca -class carriers were designed for

14641-508: Was when USS  Guadalcanal , under command of Captain Daniel V. Gallery , participated in the first capture-at-sea of a foreign warship by the US Navy since the War of 1812 when a crew of volunteers from USS  Pillsbury boarded U-505 after Gallery's Guadalcanal -centered hunter-killer group forced it to the surface with depth charges. Guadalcanal also earned the distinction of being

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