The USS Card (CVE-11) was launched as AVG 11 on February 21, 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation under a Maritime Commission contract. She was was reclassified as ACV-11 on August 20, 1942 and commissioned on November 8, 1942 with Captain J.B. Sykes in command.
Card’s first operational sortie in late May 1943 was an aircraft ferrying trip from New York to Casablanca in French Morocco. Card then made the return voyage to Norfolk arriving on June 5, 1943. Ten days later she was reclassified as Escort Carrier Card (CVE-11). She became one of the first of fourteen US CVEs around which US anti-submarine hunter killer groups would be centered. During her participation in the Battle of the Atlantic, Card and her escorts sank 11 German U-boats.
After the war, she was reclassified as a helicopter escort carrier CVHE-11, 12 June 1955; a utility carrier CVU-11, 1 July 1958; and an aviation transport AKV-40, 7 May 1959.
In 1964, while operating as an aircraft ferry, Card was sunk with explosives planted by two Viet Cong commandos in the Harbor of Saigon, South Vietnam. She was refloated 17 days later and returned to service after extensive repairs.
Card was placed in reserve, on 10 March 1970, was sold for scrapping on 14 May 1971.
USS Card ACV-11 newly completed off Norfolk Navy Yard on 26 March 1943USS Card ACV-11 Off Norfolk Navy Yard on March 26, 1943, still not complete after her November 8, 1942 commissioningUSS Card ACV-11 in Hampton Roads March 1943USS Card ACV-11 underway in February 1943USS Card CVE-11 15 June 1943, with seven TBF-1 Avenger and six F4F-4 Wildcat of Squadron VC-1USS Card CVE-11 with a Grumman F6F Hellcat that came in too low. 1943USS Card CVE-11 underway circa 1943USS Card CVE-11 1944USS Card CVE-11The Island of USS Card CVE-11
Post World War Two
USS Card fitted with longer hangarUSNS Card T-AKV 40 as she looked while serving in VietnamUSNS Card T-AKV 40 underway in 1966Cargo ship and aircraft ferry USNS Card T-AKV 40 underway at sea with seventeen cocooned USAF Convair F-102A Delta Dagger fightersThe refit USNS Card in February 1965. She is seen loading cargo into her enlarged cargo elevator.USNS Card T-AKV 40 in Saigon, 1968USNS Card T-AKV 40 in a Vietnamese port, in the 1960sUSNS Card T-AKV 40 in Saigon on 2 May 1964, after she was attacked by Viet Cong commandosWater pouring over the side as 6-inch submersible pumps discharge from USNS Card T-AKV 40 in SaigonUSNS Card T-AKV 40USNS Card T-AKV 40 near Gibraltar in 1966, seen from the ST London Valour.
Aircraft Operations
Grumman TBF Avenger
USS Card CVE-11 15 June 1943, with seven TBF-1 Avenger and six F4F-4 Wildcat of Squadron VC-1Grumman TBF of VC-1 landing on USS Card CVE-11 in 1943Grumman TBF-1 of VC-1 landing on USS Card ACV-11 in 1942Grumman TBF-1 landing accident on USS Card ACV-11 1942Grumman TBF-1 landing accident on USS Card ACV-11 1942Grumman TBF-1 landing accident on USS Card ACV-11 1942Grumman TBF-1 landing accident on USS Card ACV-11 1942Grumman TBF-1 after landing accident on USS Card ACV-11 1942
