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Bogue-class escort carrier

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USS Bogue (CVE-9)
Class overview
NameBogue class
Builders
Operators
Preceded byLong Island class
Succeeded bySangamon class
Subclasses
In commission1942–1947
Completed45
Lost3
General characteristics
TypeEscort carrier
Displacement
Length
  • 465 ft (142 m) (wl)
  • 495 ft 8 in (151.08 m) (oa)
  • 440 ft (130 m) (fd)
Beam
  • 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m) wl
  • 82 ft (25 m) (fd)
  • 111 ft 6 in (33.99 m) (extreme width)
Draft
  • 23 ft 3 in (7.09 m) (mean)
  • 26 ft (7.9 m) (max)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range26,300 nmi (48,700 km; 30,300 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity
Complement890
Armament
Aircraft carried19-24
Aviation facilities

The Bogue class were a class of 45 escort carriers built in the United States for service with the US Navy and the Royal Navy, through the Lend-Lease program, during World War II. Following the war, ten Bogue-class ships were kept in service by the US Navy and were reclassified for helicopter and aircraft transport operations.

The first 22 ships of the class were converted from finished, or near finished, Maritime Commission C3-S-A1 and C3-S-A2 ships, with 11 retained by the US Navy, and the other 11 transferring to the Royal Navy, where they were renamed and grouped as the Attacker class. Prince William was the last of the USN ships built and comprised all of the lessons learned in the earlier ships, sometimes it is referred to as its own subclass of the Bogue class. The remaining 23 ships were built from the keel up on C3-class designs and classified as Ruler class, or the Ameer-class. Following the war, those ships that served with the Royal Navy were returned to the United States and were either scrapped or converted for mercantile use.

Construction and design

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The Bogue-class escort carriers were based on the Maritime Commission's Type C3 cargo ships hull.[1] They all were named for sounds.[2] All of the ships for the US Navy and half of the ships for the Royal Navy were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, some of the early Royal Navy ships were produced by Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Western Pipe and Steel Company of San Francisco, California.[3]

Specifications

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The Bogue class displaced 8,390 long tons (8,520 t) at standard load and 13,980 long tons (14,200 t) at full load. The ships had a waterline length of 465 ft (142 m) with an overall length of 495 ft 8 in (151.08 m). Their beam was 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m) at the waterline with a maximum beam of 111 ft 6 in (33.99 m). The draft was 24 ft 8 in (7.52 m) at full load and 21 ft (6.4 m) at light load.[4]

Propulsion and power

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The previous Long Island and Charger-class escort carriers had suffered from reliability issues with their diesel engines [dubious – discuss] so it was decided that the Bogues would use two water-tube boilers, built by Foster-Wheeler, feeding steam to an Allis-Chalmers steam turbine engine connected to a single shaft. This produced 8,500 bhp (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph). They could sail 26,300 nmi (48,700 km; 30,300 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4]

Aircraft facilities

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Landing of a US Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avenger on the escort carrier Card on 9 December 1942.
The US Navy escort carrier Barnes underway in the Pacific Ocean, on 1 July 1943, transporting US Army Air Forces Lockheed P-38 Lightning and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft.

The Bogue class had the capacity for up to 24 anti-submarine or fighter aircraft, which could be a mixture of the Grumman Wildcat, Vought F4U Corsair and Grumman Avenger. The exact composition of the embarked squadrons depended upon the mission. Some squadrons were composite squadrons for convoy defence, and would be equipped with anti-submarine and fighter aircraft,[5] while other squadrons working in a strike-carrier role would only be equipped with fighter aircraft.[6] When utilised in ferry service the ships could carry up to 90 aircraft between both the flight and hangar decks. Aircraft facilities consisted of a small combined bridge–flight control island on the forward starboard side of the ship. The flight deck was 440 ft × 82 ft (134 m × 25 m), with nine arresting wires and three barriers at the stern, along with one hydraulic catapult on the port side at the bow, which was able to launch a 3.5 short tons (3.2 t) aircraft at 61 kn (113 km/h; 70 mph). Two 6.5 short tons (5.9 t) elevators were placed on the flight deck, one at the stern and one near the bow. The hangar deck was 262 ft × 62 ft × 18 ft (79.9 m × 18.9 m × 5.5 m) and fully enclosed, which was larger than the previous Long Island class. The hangar deck retained the camber at the bow and stern of the main deck of the merchant ships they were built on. Since the elevators were placed near the ends of the flight deck, pulleys were required for handling planes on and off of them on the hangar deck, which was difficult in normal conditions, and impossible in rough seas. The ships were also equipped with derricks for retrieving seaplanes and loading and unloading aircraft.[7][4]

Armament

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The Bogue class was equipped with a variety of weapons, which varied throughout the war and from ship to ship. The early ships were equipped with two 5-inch (130 mm)/51 caliber guns for surface targets, on sponsons at either side of the stern, these were soon refit with two 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose guns, and standardized on the remaining ships of the class.[8] For anti-aircraft (AA) cover they were only equipped with ten 20-millimeter (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons. This was later augmented with up to eight twin mounted 40-millimeter (1.57 in) Bofors AA guns and an additional 10 to 18 Oerlikons in single or twin mounts.[7][4]

After the war, the 10 remaining Bogue class escort carriers retained in US service were re-designated as "helicopter escort carriers" (CVHE) in 1955, and five of these were re-designated as "utility escort carriers" (CVU) in 1958, then aircraft ferry (AKV) in 1958, and operating under US Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) during the Vietnam War.[8]

Transfer to the Royal Navy

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Main article: Attacker-class escort carrier
Main article: Ruler-class escort carrier

Thirty-four of the 45 ships of the Bogue class were transferred to the Royal Navy under the provisions of the Lend-Lease program; they were given new names for their RN service and returned to the US Navy after the war. Out of the first group of 22 ships, 11 were transferred to the RN and reclassified as Attacker class. These ships had been converted from Maritime Commission Type C3 cargo ships that were finished or had already been laid down.[9] A second group of 23 ships were built from the keel up, based on C3-S-A1 or C3-S-A1 plans, and transferred to the RN and reclassified as Ruler class, or Ameer class, in British service, and sometimes as the Prince William class by the US Navy.[10]

As delivered, these carriers required modifications to conform to Royal Naval standards. The Attacker class ships had their conversions carried out in drydocks in United Kingdom, but due to these ports being overwhelmed 19 of the 23 ships of the Ameer class were converted by Burrard Dry Dock at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. These included extending the flight deck, fitting redesigned flying controls and fighter direction layout, modifications to the hangar, accommodation and store rooms, extra safety measures, oiling at sea arrangements, gunnery and other internal communications, extra wireless and radio facilities, ship blackout arrangements and other changes necessary for British service.[11]

The consequential delays in getting these ships into active service caused critical comments from some in the US Navy.[12]

Ships of class

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Converted from C-3 cargo ships.

First group

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List of Bogue-class/​Attacker-class escort carriers
Hull
number 		US name Pennant
number 		British name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
CVE-6 Altamaha (ex-Mormacmail) D18 Battler Ingalls Shipbuilding 15 April 1941 4 April 1942 15 November 1942 12 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrap 14 May 1946
CVE-7 Barnes (ex-Steel Artisan) D02 Attacker Western Pipe and Steel Company 17 April 1941 27 September 1941 30 September 1942 5 January 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use February 1947
CVE-8 Block Island (ex-Mormacpenn) D80 Hunter (ex-Trailer) Ingalls Shipbuilding 15 May 1941 22 May 1942 9 January 1943 29 December 1945 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use 17 January 1947
CVE-9 Bogue (ex-Steel Advocate) — — Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation 1 October 1941 15 January 1942 26 September 1942 30 November 1946 Sold for scrapping 1960
CVE-10 Breton D32 Chaser Ingalls Shipbuilding 28 June 1941 15 February 1943 9 April 1943 12 May 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-11 Card — — Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation 27 October 1941 27 February 1942 8 November 1942 13 May 1946 Converted to an aircraft transport as USNS Card, sold for scrapping in 1971
CVE-12 Copahee — — 18 June 1941 21 October 1941 15 June 1942 5 July 1946 Sold for scrapping 1961
CVE-13 Core — — 2 January 1942 15 May 1942 10 December 1942 4 October 1946 Sold for scrapping 1971
CVE-14 Croatan D64 Fencer Western Pipe and Steel Company 5 September 1941 4 April 1942 20 February 1943 21 December 1945 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-15 Hamlin D91 Stalker 6 October 1941 5 March 1942 21 December 1942 29 December 1945 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-16 Nassau — — Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation 27 November 1941 4 April 1942 20 August 1942 28 October 1946 Sold for scrap 1961
CVE-17 St. George D73 Pursuer Ingalls Shipbuilding 31 July 1941 18 July 1942 14 June 1943 12 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrapping 1946
CVE-18 Altamaha — — Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation 19 December 1941 22 May 1942 15 September 1942 27 September 1946 Sold for scrapping 1961
CVE-19 Prince William D12 Striker Western Pipe and Steel Company 15 December 1941 7 May 1942 18 May 1943 12 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrapping 1948
CVE-20 Barnes — — Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation 19 January 1942 2 May 1942 20 February 1943 29 August 1946 Sold for scrapping 1960
CVE-21 Block Island — — 19 January 1942 1 May 1942 8 March 1943 — Torpedoed by German submarine U-549, scuttled 29 May 1944
AVG-22 — D40 Searcher 20 February 1942 20 June 1942 7 April 1943 29 November 1945 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-23 Breton — — 25 February 1942 27 June 1942 12 April 1943 20 August 1946 Sold for scrapping 1972
AVG-24 — D70 Ravager 11 April 1942 16 July 1942 25 April 1943 27 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-25 Croatan — — 15 April 1942 1 August 1942 28 April 1943 20 May 1946 Sold for scrapping 1971
BAVG-6 — D24 Tracker 3 November 1941 7 March 1942 31 January 1943 2 November 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-31 Prince William — — 18 May 1942 23 August 1942 9 April 1943 29 August 1946 Sold for scrapping, 1961

Second group

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Built from the keel up as escort carriers. All were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation. General characteristics as the Attacker class, except for displacement and armament.

List of Bogue-class/​Ameer ("Ruler") -class escort carriers
Hull
number 		US name Pennant
number 		British name Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
CVE-32 Chatham D26 Slinger 25 May 1942 19 September 1942 11 August 1943 12 April 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-33 Glacier D51 Atheling 9 June 1942 7 September 1942 28 October 1943 6 December 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-34 Pybus D98 Emperor 23 June 1942 7 October 1942 6 August 1943 28 March 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrapping 1946
CVE-35 Baffins D01 Ameer 18 July 1942 18 October 1942 20 July 1943 20 March 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-36 Bolinas D38 Begum 3 August 1942 11 November 1942 2 August 1943 26 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-37 Bastian D09 Trumpeter 25 August 1942 15 December 1942 4 August 1943 19 June 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-38 Carnegie D42 Empress 9 September 1942 30 December 1942 12 August 1943 28 March 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrapping 1946
CVE-39 Cordova D62 Khedive 22 September 1942 30 January 1943 25 August 1943 19 July 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-40 Delgada D90 Speaker 9 October 1942 20 February 1943 20 November 1943 25 September 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-41 Edisto D77 Nabob 20 October 1942 22 March 1943 7 September 1943 10 October 1944 Torpedoed by German submarine U-354, judged not worth repair. Later salvaged and sold for mercantile use.
CVE-42 Estero D23 Premier 31 October 1942 22 March 1943 3 November 1943 21 May 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-43 Jamaica D21 Shah 13 November 1942 21 April 1943 27 September 1943 7 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-44 Keweenaw D07 Patroller 27 November 1942 6 May 1943 25 October 1943 7 February 1947 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-45 Prince D10 Rajah 17 December 1942 18 May 1943 17 January 1944 7 February 1947 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-46 Niantic D03 Ranee 5 January 1943 2 June 1943 8 November 1943 22 January 1947 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-47 Perdido D85 Trouncer 1 February 1943 16 June 1943 31 January 1944 12 April 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-48 Sunset D48 Thane 23 February 1943 15 July 1943 19 November 1943 1945 Torpedoed by German submarine U-1172, declared a total loss and sold for scrap.
CVE-49 St. Andrews D19 Queen 12 March 1943 2 August 1943 7 December 1943 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-50 St. Joseph D72 Ruler 25 March 1943 21 August 1943 22 December 1943 29 January 1946 Returned to US, sold for scrapping 1946
CVE-51 St. Simon D31 Arbiter 26 April 1943 9 September 1943 31 December 1943 12 April 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-52 Vermillion D55 Smiter 10 May 1943 27 September 1943 20 January 1944 6 May 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-53 Willapa D79 Puncher 21 May 1943 8 November 1943 5 February 1944 16 February 1946 Returned to US, sold for mercantile use
CVE-54 Winjah D82 Reaper 5 June 1943 22 November 1943 18 February 1944 2 July 1946 Used for captured aircraft transport after May 1945,
then returned to US, sold for mercantile use.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Petrescu & Petrescu 2013, p. 196.
  2. ^ Jane, Prendergast & Parkes 1961, p. 320.
  3. ^ Fontenoy 2006, p. 286.
  4. ^ a b c d Chesneau 1998, p. 216.
  5. ^ Poolman 1972, p. 98.
  6. ^ Morison 2002, p. 342.
  7. ^ a b Konstam 2019, p. 26.
  8. ^ a b Wragg 2005, p. 192.
  9. ^ Konstam 2019, p. 23.
  10. ^ Konstam 2019, pp. 29–30.
  11. ^ Poolman 1972, pp. 88–89.
  12. ^ Konstam 2019, p. 30.

Bibliography

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  • Petrescu, Relly; Petrescu, Florian (February 2013). The Aviation History. Norderstedt: Books on Demand GmbH. ISBN 9783848266395.
  • Chesneau, Roger (1998). Aircraft Carriers of the World: 1914 to the Present. London, England: Brockhampton Press. ISBN 1860198759.
  • Fontenoy, Paul (2006). Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc. ISBN 9781851095735.
  • Jane, Frederick Thomas; Prendergast, Maurice; Parkes, Oscar (1961). Jane's Fighting Ships. Santa Barbara, California: Jane's Publishing Company Limited.
  • Wragg, David (2005). The Escort Carrier in the Second World War: Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable!. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 9781783409327.
  • Gardiner, Robert (1984). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9780870219139.
  • Konstam, Angus (2019). British Escort Carriers 1941–1945. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4728-3625-0.
  • Poolman, Kenneth (1972). Escort Carrier 1941–1945. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0273-8.
  • Morison, Samuel (2002). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-07062-4.
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