USS Hoggatt Bay
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History | |
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Name | Hoggatt Bay |
Namesake | Hoggatt Bay, Baranof Island, Alaska |
Ordered | as a MC hull 1112[2] |
Awarded | 18 June 1942 |
Builder | Kaiser Shipyards |
Laid down | 17 August 1943 |
Launched | 4 December 1943 |
Commissioned | 11 January 1944 |
Decommissioned | 20 July 1946 |
Stricken | 1 September 1959 |
Identification |
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Nickname(s) | Hokey Pokey Maru[1] |
Honors and awards | 5 Battle stars |
Fate | Scrapped in May 1960 |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type | Casablanca-class escort carrier |
Displacement |
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Length | |
Beam |
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Draft | 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m) (max) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed | 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) |
Range | 10,240 nmi (18,960 km; 11,780 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
Complement |
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Armament |
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Aircraft carried | 27 |
Aviation facilities | |
Service record | |
Part of: |
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Operations: |
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USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) was the twenty-first of fifty
Design and description
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Inboard_and_outboard_profiles_of_a_Casablanca-class_escort_carrier%2C_1946.png/220px-Inboard_and_outboard_profiles_of_a_Casablanca-class_escort_carrier%2C_1946.png)
Hoggatt Bay was a Casablanca-class escort carrier (Type S4-S2-BB3), the most numerous type of
One
Construction
Her construction was awarded to
Service history
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/SNJ_Texan_taking_off_from_USS_Hoggatt_Bay%2C_circa_in_1944_%28UA_571.23%29.jpg/220px-SNJ_Texan_taking_off_from_USS_Hoggatt_Bay%2C_circa_in_1944_%28UA_571.23%29.jpg)
Upon being commissioned, Hoggatt Bay spent the month of January undergoing
Marianas and Palau Islands campaign
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/2000lb_bomb_on_USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29.jpg/220px-2000lb_bomb_on_USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29.jpg)
Stopping at Pearl Harbor on 8 May, Hoggatt Bay then proceeded for Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands on 11 May, assigned to Escort Division (CortDiv) 39, otherwise known as Task Unit 16.14.6. En route, her aircraft spotted a possible submarine signature on 16 May, which they attacked with little apparent result. She moored at Majuro from 17 to 21 May, before departing on 22 May to be a part of an antisubmarine patrol, operating south of Truk Atoll of the Caroline Islands. Navy codebreakers had intercepted Japanese communications indicating the establishment of a seven submarine scouting line (referred to as the NA line), stationed approximately 120 miles (190 km) northeast in the Admiralty Islands in order to safeguard against a possible thrust towards the Palau Islands. By 26 May, when Hoggatt Bay rendezvoused with the division, it had already sunk five Japanese submarines, four of them from the NA line. With Hoggatt Bay's escorting destroyers joining in, the group formed Task Group 30.4, a dedicated antisubmarine hunter-killer formation. On the early morning of 31 May, the Buckley-class destroyer escort England claimed her sixth submarine kill in thirteen days.[10][11][12]
On 3 June, Task Group 30.4 moored at Manus in the Admiralty Islands to restock and replenish. Putting back to sea on 4 June, the task group received an aerial contact of a surfaced submarine to the north of its search area on 8 June. Thus, the task group proceeded northwards, and on 10 June, one of Hoggatt Bay's Wildcats sighted an oil slick approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of the escort carrier. The Fletcher-class destroyer Taylor was dispatched to investigate, and soon received a strong sonar contact, the Japanese submarine Ro-111. Taylor dropped two depth charges, and at 15:41, the submarine surfaced 2,500 yards (2,300 m) in front of the destroyer. It was quickly engaged by Taylor's guns, with the submarine sustaining heavy damage before diving again at 15:46. After another round of depth charges, two large underwater explosions were heard at 15:58, with a large air bubble rising up to the surface afterwards, confirming the submarine's destruction.[11][13]
On 19 June, Hoggatt Bay returned to Manus, before proceeding to Eniwetok in the Marshalls, staying there for a period of four days to replenish. On 1 July, the escort carrier set out to conduct another antisubmarine patrol. Shortly after midnight, on July 19, one of VC-14's aircraft spotted a surface signature, the Japanese submarine I-5. The Evarts-class destroyer escort Wyman and the Buckley-class Reynolds were dispatched to investigate, with Wyman receiving a clear sonar contact. As the destroyer escorts dropped their second round of depth charges, a large explosion was felt, shattering I-5, the force of which shattered the lights on Wyman as she went in for a third round.[11]
After replenishing at Eniwetok from 22 to 25 July, Hoggatt Bay set out for her third antisubmarine patrol on 26 July. At 17:31 in the evening of 28 July, a lookout spotted a surfacing submarine, what was probably the Japanese submarine I-55 (1943), approximately 8 miles (13 km) to Hoggatt Bay's starboard. The surfacing may have been accidental, or the submarine's crew may have been unaware of its position, as no personnel were observed manning the deck guns throughout the course of the engagement. Wyman and Reynolds were sent to intercept the submarine, with Wyman turning to fire its guns, shelling the submarine for a period of two minutes, whilst Reynolds charged in to drop depth charges, a procedure that was halted due to Wyman's precise battery. As Reynolds approached and the submarine sank below the surface, a series of explosions were heard, and an oil slick formed at the surface.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/20mm_Multiple_Gunnery_Practice_on_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29.jpg/220px-20mm_Multiple_Gunnery_Practice_on_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29.jpg)
After finishing her patrol, Hoggatt Bay was detached from Task Group 30.4 and spent August in replenishment at Eniwetok and Kwajalein, before arriving at Manus as a part of the newly formed antisubmarine Task Group 30.7, escorted by the Evarts-class destroyer escorts Steele, Bebas, and Seid, as well as the Cannon-class destroyer escort Samuel S. Miles.[7] The task group was assigned to antisubmarine operations protecting the various ships that were engaged in the Battle of Peleliu and the Battle of Angaur, a task which it conducted through September and October. At 03:11 in the early morning of 3 October, the radar operators of Hoggatt Bay detected a surface signature approximately 20,000 yards (18,000 m) away from the carrier. Samuel S. Miles was detached to investigate, and discovered it to be the Japanese submarine I-177. As the destroyer escort closed to within 5,000 yards (4,600 m), the submarine dove, and thirteen minutes later, having established sonar contact, Samuel S. Miles fired her first volley using her Hedgehog mortars. Following the second run, a series of three large explosions rocked the destroyer escort, communicating the submarine's destruction.[10][11][14]
Philippines campaign
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_underway_at_sea%2C_circa_in_1945.jpg/220px-USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_underway_at_sea%2C_circa_in_1945.jpg)
Hoggatt Bay replenished at Manus from 9 to 12 October, before departing for Palau. She served as an escort for the
After spending the latter half of October and the beginning of November undergoing replenishment and maintenance at Ulithi, she spent November providing an air screen and conducting antisubmarine patrols for ships operating in support of the ongoing Battle of Leyte. On 29 November, whilst moored at Manus, VC-14 was rotated off the carrier, and Composite Squadron (VC) 88 came aboard the carrier. She spent December conducting amphibious exercises in Huon Gulf in preparation for the planned Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, a task assigned to Task Force 77, which Hoggatt Bay joined at Manus. On 22 December, Captain Josephus Asa Briggs assumed command of Hoggatt Bay whilst she was replenishing at Manus. On 27 December, Hoggatt Bay, as well as the rest of Task Force 77, left Manus for Luzon. Pausing at Kossol Roads on 31 December, the formation saw its first of many kamikaze attacks on 3 January 1945, with a plane shot down just 1,000 yards (910 m) from Hoggatt Bay.[10][11]
As the kamikaze threat intensified, Hoggatt Bay's fighters were scrambled almost constantly. However, it was not until 13 January that she found herself directly menaced, after a kamikaze, aiming for her sister ship Tulagi and dissuaded by heavy anti-aircraft fire, switched its destination for Hoggatt Bay. As it dove, it was greeted by a direct hit from her 5-inch gun, which tore the plane into shreds.[15] After arriving in Lingayen Gulf on 6 January, the air contingent of Hoggatt Bay began conducting close air support for the landing infantry. On 15 January, an Avenger, piloted by VC-88's commander, Lieutenant commander E. N. Webb, found itself unable to release one of its 500 pounds (230 kg) bombs during a close air support mission. As the Avenger came to a stop on Hoggatt Bay's flight deck, the bomb detonated, killing thirteen onboard and wounding fourteen others. A fire broke out, but was quickly extinguished. Harder to remedy was the noticeably concave flight deck, but nonetheless, flight operations resumed within three hours.[11][16]
Battle of Okinawa
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_at_anchor%2C_circa_in_1945_%28UA_571.23%29.jpg/220px-USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_at_anchor%2C_circa_in_1945_%28UA_571.23%29.jpg)
Hoggatt Bay was ordered to retire to Ulithi on 17 January, arriving on 23 January. There, her aircraft contingent was detached, and she was sent back to the West Coast for further repairs, overhaul, and conversion into a proper
On 12 May, Hoggatt Bay commenced air operations over southern Okinawa, conducting a variety of services, such as providing air screening,
Post-war
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_World_War_II_track_chart_%28UA_571.23%29.png/220px-USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_World_War_II_track_chart_%28UA_571.23%29.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Heavy_Seas_on_the_USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_5_December_1945_2.jpg/220px-Heavy_Seas_on_the_USS_Hoggatt_Bay_%28CVE-75%29_5_December_1945_2.jpg)
Hoggatt Bay arrived at
On 15 September,
Hoggatt Bay's first Magic Carpet trip began on 3 November, when she headed westwards, bound for Pearl Harbor. Midway through, her destination changed to Saipan, and she ferried approximately 1200 passengers back to the West Coast, sailing into
After arriving, Hoggatt Bay was
References
- ^ Kennedy 1974, p. 99.
- ^ a b Kaiser Vancouver 2010.
- ^ a b c Chesneau & Gardiner 1980, p. 109.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hoggatt Bay
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, pp. 34–35.
- ^ a b c Hazegray 1998.
- ^ a b Y'Blood 2014, p. 113.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 276.
- ^ Maksel 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g DANFS 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Regimental Histories 1946.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 100–101.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, pp. 101–102.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 117.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 315.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 316.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 397.
- ^ Y'Blood 2014, p. 411.
Sources
Online sources
- "Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- "Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 27 November 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
- "World Aircraft Carriers List: US Escort Carriers, S4 Hulls". Hazegray.org. 14 December 1998. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- Maksel, Rebecca (14 August 2012). "How Do You Name an Aircraft Carrier?". Air & Space/Smithsonian. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
Bibliography
- Chesneau, Robert; Gardiner, Robert (1980), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, ISBN 9780870219139
- Kennedy, Don H. (1974). Ship Names: Origins and Usages during 45 Centuries. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia. ISBN 0-8139-0531-1.
- Y'Blood, William (2014), The Little Giants: U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan (ISBN 9781612512471
- United States Navy (1946), The story of the U.S.S. Hoggatt Bay, Bangor, Maine: World War Regimental Histories
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Photo gallery of USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75 at NavSource Naval History