Launched on 22 May 1944 and commissioned on 2 June, USS Mantaikau was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the US Navy during the Second World War. Operating as a training carrier for eight months, she qualified 1,332 aviators. Matanikau also operated as a transport, taking aircraft, supplies and personnel throughout the Pacific.
Post war, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating servicemen to the USA. Decommissioned on 11 October 1946, she was placed in Pacific Reserve Fleet and scrapped in 1960.
Matanikau (CVE-101), shown during launching, Monday, 22 May 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101) underway shortly after her commissioning, July 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101), docked, taken on 13 July 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101), pilot house boat approaches, taken on 13 July 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101), heading out to sea, taken on 13 July 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101), broadside view, taken on 13 July 1944USS Matanikau (CVE-101) wearing camouflage Measure 32, Design 16AUSS Matanikau (CVE-101)USS Matanikau (CVE-101) circa 1945An FM-2 Wildcat fighter preparing for launch aboard USS Matanikau (CVE-101) 27 July 1944An FM-2 Wildcat fighter preparing for launch aboard USS Matanikau (CVE-101) 27 July 1944FM-2 Wildcats flying in formation. Aircraft from USS Matanikau (CVE-101), circa 1944A TBM Avenger recovering aboard USS Matanikau (CVE-101), 16 October 1944TBM Avenger taxis to the catapult of USS Matanikau (CVE-101) during training exercises off San Diego October 1944–July 1945A U.S. Navy blimp looms in the background as a cameraman films from the deck of the carrier USS Matanikau (CVE-101)USS Matanikau (CVE-101), with K-blimp coming in to be secured, 14 October 1944Crewmembers of USS Matanikau (CVE-101) use an implement to sink tar into grooves in the flight deck, 11 August 1944
