USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73)

USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier built for the United States Navy during World War II. Commissioned in late 1943, the ship was named for Gambier Bay in Alaska and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. It is most famously remembered for its heroic and doomed role in the Battle off Samar, part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf, where it was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy surface gunfire in October 1944.

Construction and commissioning

The vessel was constructed under a Maritime Commission contract by the Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver, Washington, as part of a massive wartime production program. Laid down on 10 July 1943, the hull was rapidly completed and launched on 22 November 1943. Sponsored by Mrs. J. B. Dow, the escort carrier was commissioned into U.S. Pacific Fleet service on 28 December 1943 under the command of Captain Hugh H. Goodwin. Following its shakedown cruise and initial training off the coast of California, the ship was assigned to carrier transport duties before transitioning to a combat role.

Service history

After initial operations ferrying aircraft and personnel across the Pacific Ocean, Gambier Bay was assigned to provide direct air support for amphibious invasions. Its air group, Composite Squadron 10 (VC-10), flew a mix of Grumman FM-2 Wildcat fighters and General Motors TBM Avenger torpedo bombers. The carrier participated in operations supporting the Battle of Saipan and the Battle of Tinian in mid-1944, with its aircraft conducting ground attack and combat air patrol missions. In September, it provided crucial air cover for the landings during the Battle of Peleliu, striking targets on Angaur and Peleliu itself.

Battle off Samar and loss

On 25 October 1944, Gambier Bay was part of Task Unit 77.4.3 (callsign "Taffy 3"), under the command of Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, providing escort for the Leyte invasion fleet. The unit was surprised by the vastly superior Japanese Center Force, which included the powerful battleships ''Yamato'' and ''Nagato'' under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita. In what became the Battle off Samar, the outgunned American escort carriers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts mounted a desperate defense. Gambier Bay, making smoke and launching its remaining aircraft, was targeted by ''Chikuma'' and other cruisers. Struck repeatedly by 8-inch and 5-inch shells, the carrier lost power and began to list. It sank at approximately 0911 hours, becoming the only American aircraft carrier lost to surface gunfire in the war. Hundreds of survivors, including Captain Goodwin, were rescued after hours in the water, though many were lost.

Wreck discovery

The wreck of Gambier Bay remained lost for decades in the deep waters of the Philippine Sea. In 2019, a team from RV Petrel, a research vessel funded by the late Paul Allen, announced they had likely located the carrier's wreckage. The site, found off the coast of Samar at a depth exceeding 5,000 meters, showed a debris field consistent with a warship of its class. While not yet conclusively identified with the same certainty as other finds by the team, the discovery provided a poignant capstone to the vessel's history and honored the sacrifice of its crew.

Awards and legacy

For its service, Gambier Bay was awarded four battle stars for its participation in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign and the Philippines campaign (1944–1945). Its crew members were eligible for the Philippines Liberation Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. The ship's courageous last stand at Samar became a legendary example of American naval tenacity, immortalized in historical accounts like James D. Hornfischer's The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. The story of Gambier Bay and Taffy 3 is taught at the United States Naval Academy as a paramount lesson in tactical resourcefulness and unwavering defense against overwhelming odds. Category:Casablanca-class escort carriers Category:Ships sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Philippine Sea