USS Makin Island (CVE-93)
Ts 7800 ( Standard) 10,400 ts (insert)
156.1 m
32.9 m
6.9 m
860 50 aircrew
4 piston steam engines, 9000 hp two propellers
19 kn
10,200 nautical miles (~ 19,000 km ) at 15 kn
28
The USS Makin Iceland (CVE -93 ) was an escort aircraft carrier of the Casablanca class and stood from 1944 to 1946 in service with the United States Navy. Named in the Gilbert Islands to the institution designated by the U.S. troops as Makin Atoll Iceland Butaritari ship was used in the Pacific theater and received five battle stars for his efforts.
History
The construction of the Makin Iceland was approved on June 18, 1942, the keel was laid on January 12, 1944 at Kaiser Shipbuilding in Vancouver, Washington. After the baptism by Mrs. BB Nichol, the carrier was launched on April 5, 1944 from the stack and a month later was placed under the command of Commander WB Whaley in Astoria into service on May 9.
After the first test drives before the U.S. west coast, the Makin left Iceland on June 19, 1944 San Diego to transport aircraft and personnel after Pearl Harbor, Majuro and Kwajalein. On July 24, the ship was back in California, where it spent the next months with maneuvers. On 16 October, the Makin Iceland ran out on her first combat mission over Pearl Harbor and Eniwetok, she ran after Ulithi, where she arrived on 5 November. On 10 November, the carrier ran into the waters off Leyte, where he provided air support for the invading forces. On 22 November, course was set to Manus, where the preparations for the invasion of the main Philippine island of Luzon began.
As the flagship of Rear Admiral Calvin T. Durgin, the commander of Task Group 77.4, the Makin Iceland Manus left on 27 December, to meet in the Strait of Surigao with the invasion fleet. On the way to the Gulf of Lingayen, the association came under heavy Japanese air attacks, in which the sister ship of Makin Iceland, the USS Ommaney Bay sunk and several ships were damaged. Despite the attacks, the Makin Iceland met on January 6, 1945 on intact to the invasion beaches, where they provided air support for the troops landed for the next eleven days. After she returned to Ulithi.
During the invasion of Iwo Jima, the Makin Iceland was again flagship of Admiral Durgin. The carrier arrived on February 16, a front of the island, where his aircraft provided close air support until March 8. Despite renewed attacks, the Japanese heavy Makin Iceland remained undamaged. After replenishment had been stashed in the Ulithi Atoll, Task Group 52.2 was with the Makin Iceland as a flagship to Okinawa, where the Association arrived on 25 March. In the following 67 days, the air group of the support provided almost continuous fire support for the U.S. troops who fought down the bitter resistance of the Japanese on the island. On June 1, Makin Iceland was replaced on their position and ran to Guam, where she arrived on 5 June.
On 11 July, a further application was followed, this time the Makin Iceland was as security for attacks and demining in the South China Sea divided. During the deployment of various Japanese targets were bombed on the Chinese mainland. On 13 August, the carrier ran in Buckner Bay on a Okinawa, where he remained until the beginning of September. On 9 September, the Makin Iceland ran Honshu, where they sailed into Wakanoura Wan. Her responsibilities included the air cover of the evacuation of American prisoners of war. On 18 October Course was put on the U.S. West Coast, where the carrier sailed into San Francisco on November 5. After a Magic Carpet ride to Shanghai, the Makin Iceland anchored on December 30, 1945 in Seattle.
The Makin Iceland was placed in the Puget Sound Navy Yard on April 19, 1946 out of service after the removal from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July, she was sold on 1 January 1947 for scrapping.