U.S.S. BAIROKO

USS Bairoko was built in Tacoma, WA. She was in a class of Commencement Bay escort aircraft carrier weighing 10,300 tons. In July 1945, she was commissioned where she sailed during her career. From October 1945 to January 1946 she performed exercises in the Far East. Throughout her career she served in the Pacific and was deployed to the Western Pacific from February-May 1947. She participated in the atomic bomb testing at Bikini Island. Bairoko retired in April 1950, but was recommissioned in September 1950 during the Korean War.

Bairoko’s first operation was to transport aircraft from the U.S. to the war zone from November to December 1950. She supported UN forces on shore and anti-submarine planes to be sure that there was no Soviet intervention during August 1951. An explosion and fire caused damages and casualties in May 1951, but she was able to continue in action.

After serving off of the U.S. west coast, she was deactivated and decommissioned in February 1955. In May 1959, she was recommissioned as an aircraft carrier transport. She was reclassified AKV-15, but never served in that capacity. In August 1960 USS Bairoko was sold and scrapped.