The USS Princeton (CVL-23)

From Wikipedia.

The Independence-class light aircraft carrier was lost at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944.  It was laid down as a Cleveland-class light cruiser Tallahassee CL-61 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp. of Camden, NJ on June 2, 1941 and reclassified as the CVL-23, in Feb. 1942 and renamed Princeton in March.

Launched Oct. 18, 1942, sponsored by Margaret Dodds, wife of Princeton University President Harold Dodds.

The new aircraft carrier was 622.5 feet long with 71.5-foot beam, weighed 13,000 tons, capable of 31 knots and crew of 1,569 officers and men and could carry 45 aircraft.

It was sunk Oct. 24, 1944. 

This is a follow-up to my March 7, 2012, blog entry on the death of Harold T. Berc, 92, who served as fire director on the USS Princeton when it sank and was awarded a Bronze Star for his efforts.

GreGen