Fanshaw Bay sailed from
San Diego 6 April 1944 with Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan, Commander
Carrier Division 25, embarked, and reached Majuro 20 April. After 10
days of antisubmarine patrols and air searches out of Majuro, she
returned to Pearl Harbor for replenishment and training. She sailed
29 May for Eniwetok and final preparations for the assault on Saipan,
for which she sailed 11 June.
Operating about 30 miles east of Saipan, Fanshaw Bay launched
antisubmarine patrols, combat air patrol, and photographic
reconnaissance flights as well as raids on Japanese positions to
pave the way for the invasion on 15 June. During an attack by five
enemy aircraft on that day, Fanshaw Bay saved herself from a torpedo
by prompt maneuvering, but two days later in a melee of raids from
all sides which included about 70 Japanese planes, Fanshaw Bay was
struck by a bomb, after her antiaircraft guns and fighter planes had
splashed many of the attackers. The bomb penetrated the after
elevator and exploded in midair above the hangar deck, killing 14
and wounding 23. Fires broke out, and the fire main was ruptured,
flooding several compartments aft. In just under an hour the damage
was brought under control, but Fanshaw Bay listed 3° to port and
settled 6 feet by the stern. She transferred Rear Admiral Bogan to a
destroyer, and sailed for Pearl Harbor for battle damage repairs.
Fanshaw Bay arrived at Manus on 28 August 1944 for training in
preparation for the invasion of Morotai, for which she sailed 10
September, with Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, the new division
commander, embarked. Her planes flew combat air patrol and support
missions, and on 16 September provided air cover for one of the
pilots, down just a few hundred feet off the enemy-held shore of
Wasile Bay. Diving low, they provided protection until two daring
motor torpedo boats dashed in to snatch him out from under enemy
shore guns. The escort carrier replenished at Manus from 7 October
to 12 October, then put out for the invasion of Leyte on 20 October.
Through the first four days of the invasion, Fanshaw Bay operated
off Samar, launching combat air patrol, antisubmarine patrols,
observation flights and drops of psychological warfare material, as
well as raids and strikes in direct support of the troops ashore.
Warned on 24 October that Japanese surface ships were on the move,
she flew off early the next morning all her aircraft to attack the
enemy while the escort carriers retired from the threat of the
Japanese surface ships, far faster, and with far greater firepower.
Just 6 minutes after her planes were ordered away, she came under
fire from the Japanese cruisers, and although a heavy rain squall
shielded the escort carriers briefly, she soon began receiving hits.
By 0855, when she took the third hit, she was under fire from two
cruisers and two destroyers, later joined by a third destroyer whose
torpedo attack she avoided. All through this battle, the American
destroyers fought gallantly to protect their vulnerable charges, and
at 0924, the Japanese battle line at last broke formation to avoid
an air attack. Later, kamikaze planes attacked and sunk St. Lo.
Fanshaw Bay fired effectively in this attack, splashing among others
a plane just about to crash into Kitkun Bay. With her screen
detached to rescue St. Lo's survivors, Fanshaw Bay shaped her course
for Manus, unprotected, and throughout the day landed planes from
her sunk or damaged sisters. In this Battle off Samar phase of the
Battle for Leyte Gulf, Fanshaw Bay lost four men killed, and four
wounded, but won enduring esteem and a Presidential Unit Citation
for the distinguished role she played in this and other actions.
Fanshaw Bay replenished at Manus from 1 November 1944 to 7 November,
then returned by way of Pearl Harbor to San Diego for battle damage
repairs. After refresher training and patrol duty in Hawaiian waters,
Fanshaw Bay arrived at Ulithi 14 March 1945 to re-embark Admiral
Sprague, now Commander Carrier Division 26. She sortied for the
invasion of Okinawa 21 March, and four days later her planes began
pre-invasion attacks on the island. Fanshaw Bay flew cover for the
landings 1 April, and continued daily operations in support of the
advance of troops on the island until 28 May when she arrived at San
Pedro Bay to replenish. Between 9 June and 27 June, she sailed off
the Sakishima Gunto, between Okinawa and Taiwan, to launch air
strikes, then provided air cover for minesweeping in the East China
Sea through July.
After calling at Guam and Eniwetok to load aircraft and replenish,
Fanshaw Bay sailed to Adak, and from there took part in the
occupation of northern Japan until returning to Pearl Harbor 24
September 1945; here she landed Rear Admiral E. W. Litch, who had
relieved Admiral Sprague during the Okinawa operation. She arrived
on the west coast with Marine Corps passengers 3 November, and after
a voyage to Tokyo Bay to return men of all military services to San
Diego, was placed out of commission in reserve at Tacoma,
Washington, 14 August 1946. She was sold 26 September 1959. |