Pacific ships
USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88)

USN · CVE

Cape Esperance

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Afloat

Casablanca-class escort carrier, CVE-88, named for the night battle off Cape Esperance. Laid down as Tananek Bay and renamed on 6 November 1943. Kaiser, Vancouver. Commissioned 9 April 1944, Captain R. W. Bockius. She ferried aircraft and, from November 1944, replenished the fast carriers off Leyte, Luzon, Formosa, and the home islands. Two battle stars. Decommissioned at Bremerton on 22 August 1946.

ClassCasablanca class
TypeEscort carrier (CVE)
HullCVE-88
BuilderKaiser, Vancouver
Launched1944-03-03
Commissioned1944-04-09
FateAfloat. Casablanca-class escort carrier. Commissioned 9 April 1944. Aircraft ferry and replenishment. Two battle stars. Decommissioned at Bremerton on 22 August 1946. Recommissioned 5 August 1950 as an aircraft transport. Decommissioned 15 January 1959. Sold 14 May 1959.
Armament (class)Escort carrier. Flight deck over a merchant hull, small island set aft, one 5-inch gun.
Command

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

The armament line is the class drawing, not a measurement of this hull.

USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88). U.S. Navy photograph. Public domain.

The pictures on this page are the originals.

Command

Robert Wurts BockiusBockius, Robert WurtsCaptain from 9 April 1944Relieved on 3 May 1945Patrick Henry, Jr.Henry, Patrick Jr.Captain from 3 May 1945Relieved on 10 May 1946Joseph Thomas LawlerLawler, Joseph ThomasCommander in command from 10 May 1946Relieved on 22 August 1946

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