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U.S.S. OMMANEY BAY

(CVE-79)


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USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) was an Casablanca-class aircraft carrier built and active during World War II, for which she received two battle stars. She was part of the Pacific Fleet, operating with task unit “Taffy 2,” near the Philippines and assisting during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. Ommaney Bay met a bitter end in nearby waters some months later. Below are highlights from her World War II service.

  • Transported troops and cargo to Australia.
  • Provided air cover and air strikes during the invasion of the Palau Islands.
  • During the Battle off Samar on Oct. 24, 1944, the naval battle that was the central part of the Battle for Leyte Gulf, Ommaney Bay’s aircraft launched strikes that helped destroy one Japanese ship and cripple several more. The outnumbered Americans were victorious.
  • Two months later, she supported missions on the island of Mindoro.
  • On Jan. 4, 1945, a kamikaze struck Ommaney Bay in the waters between Mindanao and Leyte. The kamikaze plane’s bombs went off and in turn set off explosions of the gas tanks in planes on board the carrier. Flames and smoke rose from the carrier and crept toward her torpedo warheads; the crew had to abandon ship.

One of the destroyers in her group finished her that evening with a torpedo. Ninety-three of her crew were killed.

CVE-79 Deployments - Major Events

Add a CVE-79 Shellback Initiation Add a CVE-79 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
OCT1943-Keel Date: 6 OCT 1943
at Kaiser Shipyards
DEC1943-Launch Date: 29 DEC 1943
JAN1944-Shellback Initiation - 4 JAN 1944 - Pacific Ocean
FEB1944-Commissioned: 11 FEB 1944
SEP1944-OCT1944Battle of Palau Islands
OCT1944-NOV1944Invasion of Leyte, Phillipines
DEC1944-JAN1945Battle of Phillipines
JAN1945-JAN1945Sunk by Kamikaze

CVE-79 General Specifications

Class: Casablanca-class escort carrier

Complement: 860 Officers and Enlisted

Displacement: 7800 tons

Length: 512 feet 3 inches

Beam: 65 feet 2 inches

Draft: 22 feet 6 in

Range: 10 240 Nautical Miles

Final Disposition: Sunk (