USS Liscome Bay CVE-56 US Navy Escort Carrier

USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) was the second of the Casablanca-class escort carriers to be built for the US Navy. Launched on 19 April 1943, she was commissioned on 7 August the same year. After training and transport duties, she was sent to take part in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign. Liscome Bay’s aircraft provided close air support for the invasion of Makin Island and remained on station after the main task force left to continue support for mopping up operations.

On the 23rd of November 1943, the Japanese submarine I-175 fired a torpedo at Liscome Bay which struck her at 5:10 AM. This caused the ammunition magazine to detonate, shearing off the stern of the ship. Only 23 minutes after the explosion, Liscome Bay listed to starboard and sank; 53 officers and 591 sailors were killed, including Captain Irving Wiltsie (Captain of Liscome Bay), Rear Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix (Admiral of Carrier Division 24) and Doris Miller (First African-American to receive the Navy Cross).