U.S.S. FANSHAW BAY

USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) was a Casablanca-class aircraft carrier whose successful efforts earned her five battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for World War II service. Her battle highlights were as follows:

• June 15, 1944: During the invasion of Saipan, Fanshaw Bay narrowly avoided a torpedo but was hit by a bomb after she was targeted by more than seventy Japanese planes. Of her crew, fourteen were killed and twenty-three wounded. The damage was controlled, but she was sent to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
• Sept. 16, 1944: Her planes provided air cover for the rescue of a downed pilot off the coast of Wasile Bay.
• Oct. 25, 1944: In the Battle of Samar, which was part of the Battle for Leyte Gulf, Fanshaw Bay launched planes for antisubmarine missions, observation, drops of psychological warfare material, and support of on-shore troops. Japanese cruisers hit her three times. She survived the attacked and avoided another torpedo, but four of her crew was killed and four wounded, and she needed repair again; another American ship was sunk during the battle.
• March 25, 1945: The carrier’s planes flew in pre-invasion attacks on Okinawa.
• Summer 1945: She took part in the occupation of Japan.

Fanshaw Bay was sold for scrap in 1959.