USS Rendova (CVE-114) circa 1953
History
United States
Name	USS Rendova
Builder	Todd-Pacific Shipyards
Laid down	15 June 1944
Launched	29 December 1944
Commissioned	22 October 1945
Decommissioned	27 January 1950
Recommissioned	3 January 1951
Decommissioned	30 June 1955
Reclassified	Cargo Ship and Aircraft Ferry, AKV-14, 1959
Stricken	1 April 1971
Homeport	San Diego
Fate	Sold for scrap, late 1971
General characteristics
Class and type	Commencement Bay-class escort carrier
Displacement	10,900 long tons (11,100  t) 24,100 long tons (24,500 t) full load [1]
Length	557 ft (170 m)
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draft	32 ft (9.8 m)
Propulsion	2-shaft Allis-Chambers, geared turbines, 16,000 shp
Speed	19 knots (22 mph; 35 km/h)
Complement	1,066 officers and men
Armament	2 × 5 in (130 mm) guns (2×1) 36 × 40 mm AA guns
Aircraft carried	34
Service record
Part of:	US Pacific Fleet (1945–50, 1951–55) Pacific Reserve Fleet (1950–51, 1955–71)
Operations:	Korean War (1951) Operation Ivy (1952)
Awards:	2 Battle stars (Korea)

USS Rendova (CVE-114) was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy.

She was originally assigned the name Mosser Bay ^[1] she was laid down by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Washington, 15 June 1944; launched 29 December 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Anna-Marie H. Kurtz; and commissioned 22 October 1945, Capt. R. W. Ruble in command. She was completed at Willamette Iron and Steel Works. ^[2]

Design

In 1941, as United States participation in World War II became increasingly likely, the US Navy embarked on a construction program for escort carriers, which were converted from transport ships of various types. Many of the escort carrier types were converted from C3-type transports, but the Sangamon-class escort carriers were instead rebuilt oil tankers. These proved to be very successful ships, and the Commencement Bay class, authorized for Fiscal Year 1944, were an improved version of the Sangamon design. The new ships were faster, had improved aviation facilities, and had better internal compartmentation. ^[3]

Rendova was 557 ft 1 in (169.80 m) long overall, with a beam of 75 ft (23 m) at the waterline, which extended to 105 ft 2 in (32.05 m) at maximum. She displaced 21,397 long tons (21,740 t) at full load, of which 12,876 long tons (13,083 t) could be fuel oil (though some of her storage tanks were converted to permanently store seawater for ballast), and at full load she had a draft of 27 ft 11 in (8.51 m). The ship's superstructure consisted of a small island. She had a complement of 1,066 officers and enlisted men. ^[4]

The ship was powered by two Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines, each driving one screw propeller, using steam provided by four Combustion Engineering-manufactured water-tube boilers. The propulsion system was rated to produce a total of 16,000  shp (12,000 kW) for a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Given the very large storage capacity for oil, the ships of the Commencement Bay class could steam for some 23,900 nautical miles (44,300 km; 27,500 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). ^[4]

Her defensive anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns in single mounts, thirty-six 40 mm (2 in) Bofors guns, and twenty 20 mm (1 in) Oerlikon light AA cannons. The Bofors guns were placed in three quadruple and twelve twin mounts, while the Oerlikon guns were all mounted individually. She carried 33 planes, which could be launched from two aircraft catapults. Two elevators transferred aircraft from the hangar to the flight deck. ^[4]

Service history

Rendova, named after the landings on Rendova, completed shakedown in early January 1946, and reported for duty with the 1st Fleet in February. During March, she conducted exercises off the west coast, but in April, her complement was reduced to a maintenance crew. Immobilized at San Diego for a year, she remained on the active list as the administrative headquarters for Carrier Division 15 (CarDiv 15). In the spring of 1947, she returned to full active duty and for the next year conducted training exercises off the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands.

On 1 April 1948, she departed San Francisco en route to Turkey with a cargo of AT-6 training planes for that country's air force. Steaming via the Panama Canal, she arrived at Yesilkoy 28 April, off loaded her cargo, and continued her voyage 4 May. She moved south to Suez, thence crossed the Indian and Pacific Oceans. With numerous good will visits en route, she returned to San Diego 1 July, only to depart again on another mission, this time to Tsingtao, on the 28th. At Tsingtao 23 – 27 August, she was back in San Diego, her homeport, in late September and through the fall trained on the west coast. With the new year, 1949, she again sailed west; operated between Tsingtao and Okinawa until mid-April; then returned to her homeport and resumed 1st Fleet training operations. In October, she arrived at Bremerton, where, after overhaul, she was decommissioned, 27 January 1950, and berthed with the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Rendova and crew were present for two nuclear tests during Operation Ivy. The official names of the test were Ivy Mike and Ivy King. Crew were subjected to minimal exposure, officially rated to be .02 rem gamma total. The blasts were held near Eluklab Island. Rendova was present for both atmospheric and ground testing. These tests were the first ever successful detonations of hydrogen bombs.

Korean war

Six months later the North Korean Army crossed the 38th Parallel and Rendova was ordered activated. Recommissioned 3 January 1951, she reported for duty in April and on 3 July steamed west. She arrived at Yokosuka 2 August; underwent further training off Okinawa; then on 20 September, arrived at Kobe to relieve USS Sicily as part of CTG 95.1.

On the 22nd, she completed embarking personnel, planes ( F4Us), and equipment of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 212. On the 23rd, she conducted carrier qualifications for the squadron. On the 24th, she loaded ammunition and supplies at Sasebo and on the 25th, she got underway for operating area "Nan" in the Yellow Sea. There she relieved HMS Glory (R62) assuming CTE 95.11, and on the 26th, launched her first close air support sortie. During the next months, she cruised off the west coast of Korea, alternating with HMAS Sydney (R17) as CTE 95.11. VMF-212 recorded 1,743 sorties in support of ROK, U.S. Marine, and EUSAK ground forces; enforcing the U.N. blockade; rendering SAR assistance; and flying armed and photo reconnaissance missions. On 17 November, the ship and the squadron established a new sortie record for CVEs – 64.

Rendova completed her last support operation 6 December. By the 22nd, she was back at San Diego and with the new year, 1952, she resumed west coast training operations with the 1st Fleet. In September, she sailed west again and for two months participated in Operation "Ivy" – an atomic test series in the Marshalls, then she returned to California.

In commission, in reserve in 1953, she continued her training activities off the west coast, and in 1954 returned to the active fleet and another WestPac deployment, this time as a hunter-killer carrier. Back in California by mid-June, she conducted exercises out of Long Beach until October, then shifted to Mare Island for preinactivation overhaul. She reported to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Francisco Group, 2 February 1955 and was decommissioned 30 June. Reclassified AKV-14 in 1959, she remained in the Reserve Fleet until struck from the Navy list 1 April 1971.

Awards

Notes

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• Friedman, Norman (1986). "United States of America". In Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 105–133. ISBN  978-0-85177-245-5.
• "Rendova (CVE-114)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.