Military Archives - Destination's Journey

US Escort Carrier USS Altamaha CVE-18

USS Altamaha (CVE-18) in the New Hebrides, September 1944

US Escort Carrier USS Altamaha CVE-18

Launched on 22 May 1942 and commissioned on 15 September 1942, USS Altamaha (AVG-18/ACV-18/CVE-18) was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier in the United States Navy during World War II. Before commissioning, her designation was changed from AGV-18 to ACV-18. On 15 July 1943 the designation was changed again, this time to CVE-18.

From commissioning until March 1944, Altamaha undertook training and transport tasks, delivering planes and cargo throughout the Pacific.

On 24 February 1944, in a test off the California coast, blimp K-29 landed on USS Altamaha (CVE-18). this was the first time a non-rigid airship landed and took off from an aircraft carrier at sea.

From March to April 1944, she undertook anti-submarine patrols off the Marshall Islands. On 11 April she was the subject of a torpedo attack, but evaded all four torpedoes.

After returning the the US west coast for maintenance she resumed transport duties for the remainder of the war. Post war, she was assigned to Operation Magic Carpet, and transported armed forces personnel and equipment throughout the Pacific back to the United States.

The carrier was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 27 September 1946. The ship was redesignated CVHE-18 on 12 June 1955. Altamaha was sold on 25 April 1961 to Eisenberg & Co., New York City, N.Y., and, later that year, was scrapped in Japan.

Photograph Menu

USS Altamaha ACV-18

USS Altamaha CVE-18

Interior Photos

Interior of Communications Room of USS Altamaha (ACV-18) May 1943

Transporting Aircraft

USS Altamaha leaves San Francisco, 16 July 1943, with her decks crammed with P-51 Mustangs and a lone SOC Seagull

USS Altamaha (CVE-18) with a deck load of Army P-51 Mustang fighters off San Francisco, California, on 16 July 1943 — USS Altamaha leaves San Francisco, 16 July 1943, with her decks crammed with P-51 Mustangs and a lone SOC Seagull

With Blimp K-29

On 24 February 1944, in a test off the California coast, blimp K-29 landed on USS Altamaha (CVE-18). this was the first time a non-rigid airship landed and took off from an aircraft carrier at sea.

Aircraft Operations

Grumman F4F Wildcat

The remarkable series of photographs was taken by an alert Official Navy Photographer aboard USS Altamaha, during a practice cruise on May 17, 1943. The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat, attempting a landing on the deck, veered to one side and plunged into the water. The pilot was saved.

Crews on the catwalk and gun platform duck for safety when the Grumman F4F heads in their direction. May 17, 1943

The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat VC 11 White F4 veered over the edge with a damaged wing — Crews on the catwalk and gun platform duck for safety when the Grumman F4F heads in their direction. May 17, 1943

Grumman F6F Hellcat

Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat getting ready for a jet-assisted take-off from USS Altamaha (CVE-18), on 1 March 1944

Grumman TBF Avenger

Vought F4U Corsair

Russian Battleship Borodino

Russian Battleship Borodino

Launched on 8 September 1901, Borodino was the lead ship of her class of five pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Russian Navy. Entering service in August 1904, she sailed only two months later on 15 October, with the Second Pacific Squadron to break the Japanese blockade of Port Arthur.

The Japanese captured the port while the squadron was in transit and their destination was changed to Vladivostok. The ship was sunk during the Battle of Tsushima in May 1905 due to explosions set off by a Japanese shell hitting a magazine. There was only a single survivor from her crew of 855 officers and enlisted men.

Class and type	Borodino-class pre-dreadnought battleship
Displacement	14,091 long tons (14,317 t)
Length	397 ft (121 m) (o/a)
Beam	76 ft 1 in (23.2 m)
Draft	29 ft 2 in (8.9 m)
Installed power	20 Belleville boilers16,300 ihp (12,155 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 triple-expansion steam engines
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range	2,590 nmi (4,800 km; 2,980 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement	782 (designed)
Armament	2 × twin 12 in (305 mm) guns 6 × twin 6 in (152 mm) guns 20 × single 75 mm (3 in) guns 20 × single 47 mm (1.9 in) guns 4 × 15 in (381 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor	Krupp armor Belt: 5.7–7.64 inches (145–194 mm) Deck: 1–2 inches (25–51 mm) Turrets: 10 inches (254 mm)

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Borodino-class

Borodino just after launch 8 September 1901 — Borodino under construction

German Battleship Bismarck

Bismarck was the first of two Bismarck-class battleships built for Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched in February 1939. Work was completed in August 1940, when she was commissioned into the German fleet. Bismarck and her sister ship Tirpitz were the largest battleships ever built by Germany, and two of the largest built by any European power.

In the course of the warship’s eight-month career under its sole commanding officer, Captain Ernst Lindemann, Bismarck conducted only one offensive operation, lasting 8 days in May 1941, codenamed Rheinübung. The ship, along with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, was to break into the Atlantic Ocean and raid Allied shipping from North America to Great Britain. The two ships were detected several times off Scandinavia, and British naval units were deployed to block their route. At the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the battlecruiser HMS Hood initially engaged Prinz Eugen, probably by mistake, while HMS Prince of Wales engaged Bismarck. In the ensuing battle Hood was destroyed by the combined fire of Bismarck and Prinz Eugen, which then damaged Prince of Wales and forced her retreat. Bismarck suffered sufficient damage from three hits to force an end to the raiding mission.

The destruction of Hood spurred a relentless pursuit by the Royal Navy involving dozens of warships. Two days later, heading for occupied France to effect repairs, Bismarck was attacked by 16 obsolescent Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; one scored a hit that rendered the battleship’s steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, the already-crippled Bismarck was severely damaged during a sustained engagement with two British battleships and two heavy cruisers and sank with heavy loss of life.