Ships
- USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) Commanding officer from 14 October 1943 · Relieved on 7 August 1944
- USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) Captain from 18 August 1945 · Relieved on 23 February 1946
Source-limited. Only his service record could be confirmed.
Harold Letcher Meadow was born on 16 February 1901. He graduated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1921-A and became a naval aviator. He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 30 June 1936, commander on 1 January 1941 and temporary captain on 20 June 1942.
In the first year of the war he commanded the seaplane tender Albemarle (AV-5), from 8 April to 6 October 1942. In July 1943 he briefly commanded the new escort carrier Bolinas (CVE-36), from 22 July to 2 August 1943. She was one of the ships built for and handed to the Royal Navy.
On 14 October 1943 he commissioned the Casablanca-class escort carrier Natoma Bay (CVE-62), and he commanded her until 7 August 1944. In that time she took part in the amphibious campaigns of the Central and Southwest Pacific. In April 1944 she was with the forces covering the Hollandia and Aitape landings in New Guinea. A Natoma Bay association history also names the Marshall Islands, Kavieng, Emirau and Saipan; that list should be checked against DANFS before publishing.
After the war he commanded the fleet carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17), from 18 August 1945 to 23 February 1946, the months when she was carrying troops home.
Open items: date and place of death, family, and later career are not confirmed.
Sources
uboat.net, Allied Warship Commanders: Harold Letcher Meadow (born 16 Feb 1901; USNA 1921A; ranks; Albemarle, Bolinas, Natoma Bay; Hollandia, April 1944).
NHHC/DANFS, "Natoma Bay"; NavSource CVE-62 commanding officers.
Natoma Bay CVE-62 association biographies (yumpu document).
Live Pacific Ships page (Bunker Hill command dates).