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
Preserving Port Macquarie’s maritime history, the Mid-North Coast Maritime Museum occupies two old Pilot Cottages dating from the 1890s. Originally used to house the pilot and the boatmen who assisted him but now repurposed into a museum.
Getting There
Located in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast at 6 William Street, it has beautiful views over the surrounding coast. This would have been vital to the pilot, so that he could see ships arriving before guiding them into the harbour. Parking is available on-street and is free.
The Museum
Spread across the two cottages are nine themed rooms, along with an outdoor display and an additional room with a shell display.
The first exhibits you see are an anchor collection a sea mine and two of the Hello Koala sculptures. Appropriately one of the koalas is decorated as Lachlan Macquarie, for whom the town is named.
The interior exhibits follow the history of Port Macquarie from the arrival of the first colonial settlers and convicts 1821 through to The Second World War.
One room details the loss of the Wollongbar to a Japanese submarine off Port Macquarie and the efforts of local fishermen to save the crew. Thirty-two crew members died, however 6 were saved.
Voyages along the eastern Australian coast proved dangerous with many ships wrecked. Using photos and wall displays all known losses are listed along with some artifacts.
An interesting museum to visit and it’s great to see this sort of history preserved where it provides a link to the past.
Lachlan MacquarieKoala NoirSea MineAnchor displayEarly Settlement RoomModel ship displayPennants from Royal Australian Navy shipsLighthouse lens from Tacking Point LighthouseDiving Helmet
Although now retired from from its confrontations with Japanese whaling fleets, the MV Steve Irwin still looks impressive with its camouflage and skull painted deck house. Docked at Thales Marine in Newcastle, New South Wales, the ship is now owned by the non-profit organisation Ship4Good. Tours are a great way to learn about the fight to save the whales while contributing to the preservation of the ship.
We met our tour guide at the Thales Security Gate, where we were issued hi-visibility jackets for the walk to the ship. The jackets were necessary because the Thales dock is a working area.
Ship’s History
After a safety briefing our tour started with a talk on the ship’s history. Originally serving 28 years as the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, FPV Westra, Sea Shepherd purchased her in 2006. Although originally named the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter, co-founder of Greenpeace it was renamed the MV Steve Irwin following his death. Steve had been considering joining the vessel the following year before his death.
Over the next 12 years, the ship undertook 17 voyages ranging from anti-whaling and illegal fishing. These occurred in areas as diverse as the Antarctic and Mediterranean. However, she is most famous for confronting the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. These clashes occurred as close range, with activists throwing stink bombs onto Japanese ships and attempting to entangles their propellors. On several occasions, ships rammed each other, a very dangerous action because of the freezing Antarctic waters.
Tour of the Ship
Over the next hour we toured the ship from the bridge to engine room. On the bridge we were able to see where the ship and its operations were directed, with the large windows providing an excellent view of the surrounding area.
In the engine room, the two British Polar 12-cylinder 2,100 bhp Engines with their turbo chargers showed why Sea Shepherd bought this ship. The engines and the ship’s design gave it a speed able to match and overake the Japanese whaling fleet, while being relatively stable in rough seas. Along with the embarked helicopter this enabled them to find and harass the whalers.
Getting Around the Ship
Anyone intending on touring the ship should be aware of several restrictions. Several of the rooms and corridors are small and narrow. So if you are claustrophobic, this may be a problem. Moving from one deck to another is via steep stairways. If you are mobility impaired or have small children this may make getting around difficult. Remember to wear sensible enclosed shoes, because of the stairs and outside surfaces.
We had a great time here learning about the Steve Irwin’s history and seeing the inner workings of the ship.
Sea Shepherd’s MV Steve Irwin in Newcastle HarbourGangway onto MV Steve IrwinCovered walkway around the shipSome of the cruises the ship participated inSome of the cruises the ship participated inThrowing stink bombs at the Japanese whaling shipsDramatic painting of the ship at seaThe two 12-cylinder 1,600 kW enginesThe Steve Irwin’s propellor shaftThe BridgeThe Bridge
