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USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109)
USS ''Cape Gloucester'' was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier, ''Commencement Bay''-class escort carrier of the United States Navy, in service from 5 March 1945 to 5 November 1946. The ''Commencement Bay'' class were built during World War II, and were an improvement over the earlier , which were converted from oil tankers. They were capable of carrying an air group of 33 planes, and due to their origin as tankers and were armed with an anti-aircraft battery of 5"/38 caliber gun, , Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60, , and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, guns. The ships were capable of a top speed of , had extensive fuel storage. After spending another 25 years in the reserve fleet, the ship was scrapped in 1971. 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 f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of Cape Gloucester
The Battle of Cape Gloucester was fought in the Pacific theater of World War II between Japanese and Allied forces on the island of New Britain, Territory of New Guinea, between 26 December 1943 and 16 January 1944. Codenamed Operation Backhander, the US landing formed part of the wider Operation Cartwheel, the main Allied strategy in the South West Pacific Area and Pacific Ocean Areas during 1943–1944. It was the second landing the US 1st Marine Division had conducted during the war thus far, after Guadalcanal. The objective of the operation was to capture the two Japanese airfields near Cape Gloucester that were defended by elements of the Japanese 17th Division. The main landing came on 26 December 1943, when US Marines landed on either side of the peninsula. The western landing force acted as a diversion and cut the coastal road near Tauali to restrict Japanese freedom of movement, while the main force, landing on the eastern side, advanced north towards the airfields. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
