USS Mobile (CL-63)-- Part 4: Operations in the Phillipines , Okinawa and the End of the War

In October the Mobile was detached with two destroyers to sink an enemy cargo ship which they accomplished.  Then the Mobile formed a division around two crippled American cruisers, the Houston and Canberra in a ruse to trick the Japanese fleet into attacking, but it was discovered by enemy scout planes and they didn't take the bait.

For the rest of 1944, the Mobile operated in the Philippines area.

On December 26, she left for the West Coast for overhaul and alterations.

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1945

Returning to operations, the Mobile joined Task Force 54 (TF54) in the invasion of Okinawa.  Arriving on April 4, the ship then spent the next two months providing fire support, anti-aircraft and anti-submarine patrols.

She operated in the Philippines for the rest of the war.

After that it was duties involving the occupation of Japan and later "Magic Carpet" runs returning service men to the United States.

Decommissioned in 1947, she entered the Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington, and remained there until 1959 when she was struck from the Naval Registrar and sold for scrapping.

--GreGen

USS Detroit-- Part 5: At Pearl Harbor and Japanese Surrender

After repairs, the Detroit patrolled off the west coast of South America.

Then it acted as the flagship of the support group for a fast carrier group which she did until the end of the war.

The Detroit entered Tokyo Bay September 1, 1945, and was one of just two ships to be present at both the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as well as the Japanese surrender.  (The other ship was the battleship USS West Virginia.)

Then, the ship stayed for the occupation of Japan and then returned U.S. servicemen home in Operation Magic Carpet.

She was decommissioned in Philadelphia 11 January 1946 and sold for scrap 27 February.

--GreGen

USS Bayfield (APA-33)-- Part 3: Service in WW II, Korean War and Vietnam War

 Continued from May 19, 2017.

The Bayfield then went to the Pacific and was at the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

With the end of the war, the Bayfield participated in "Operation Magic Carpet" to return veterans to the States.  It was at the atomic testing for "Operation Crossroads " at Bikini Atoll, but not one of the target ships.  It was stationed 22 miles from the detonation.

From 1946, the Bayfield was in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.  It was also active in the Korean War.

In 1954 it carried refugees from the partition of Vietnam.and was still in service during the Vietnam War until 1968.

Click on the USS Bayfield label to see the other entries on this interesting ship.

Quite a Remarkable Ship.  --GreGen

USS Card (CVE-11)-- Part 2: World War II and Vietnam

The Card's third cruise began 24 Nov 1943.  On December 23rd, the hunter-killer group ran into a U-boat Wolfpack.  The Card had 15 contacts in just five hours.  The USS Schenck sank the U-645, but three U-boats ganged up on the USS Leary and sank it.  The Card had to dodge German submarines all night before breaking off action.

The escort carrier saw other actions in the Atlantic before being sent to the Pacific.  After the war, it was assigned to the "Magic Carpet" operation from August to December 1945 which brought the soldiers and Marines home.

It was deactivated until 1958 when it returned as the USNS Card and operated with a civilian crew transporting aircraft.

May 2, 1964, it was in Saigon, South Vietnam, when North Vietnamese frogman Lam Son Nao planted an explosive charge on the hull which blew a hole in the ship, causing it to settle into 20 feet of water.

It was raised and repaired.

Decommissioned in 1970, it was scrapped in 1971.

The Story of a Ship.  The Story of a Crew.  --GreGen