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| White Plains (CVE-66) | |
|---|---|
| Ship name | USS White Plains (CVE-66) |
| Ship class | Casablanca-class escort carrier |
| Ship displacement | 10,900 tons (full load) |
| Ship length | 512 ft |
| Ship beam | 65 ft |
| Ship propulsion | Steam turbines, 9,000 shp |
| Ship speed | 19 kn |
| Ship armament | 2 × 5 in/38 cal, 16 × 40 mm, 12 × 20 mm (varied) |
| Ship aircraft | 28–30 aircraft |
| Ship built | Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, Vancouver, Washington |
| Ship commissioned | 15 March 1944 |
| Ship decommissioned | 27 May 1946 |
| Ship stricken | 12 June 1958 |
| Ship fate | Sold for scrap, 1960 |
White Plains (CVE-66) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy commissioned in March 1944. Built by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company at Vancouver, Washington, she served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II including at the Battle off Samar phase of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The ship earned one battle star (United States) and is noted for close-range action against Imperial Japanese Navy surface forces and for supporting Carrier Air Group operations in late 1944–1945.
White Plains was part of the mass-produced Casablanca-class escort carrier program initiated under the Maritime Commission contract to expand United States Atlantic Fleet and United States Pacific Fleet escort and convoy capabilities. Keel laid by Kaiser Shipyards at Vancouver, Washington, she followed the standardized hull and outfitting of sister ships such as Gambier Bay (CVE-73), Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70), and Princeton (CVE-37). Her compact flush-deck design, hangar deck, and compact island mirrored carriers like Liscome Bay (CVE-56) and Kalinin Bay (CVE-68). Designed for a crew complement similar to USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73), the vessel incorporated wartime innovations first trialed on earlier Bogue-class escort carriers and followed Admiral Ernest J. King-era production priorities. Armament comprised dual-purpose 5"/38 caliber gun mounts, quadruple Bofors 40 mm batteries, and single Oerlikon 20 mm cannons for anti-aircraft defense.
Launched to replace carrier losses sustained at Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal campaigns, she was fitted out with aviation facilities to operate Grumman F4F Wildcat, Grumman F6F Hellcat, and Grumman TBF Avenger types. Assigned a Naval Air Transport Service-style complement, White Plains underwent shakedown and carrier qualifications at San Diego Naval Base and integration trials influenced by procedures from Carrier Division 26 and Commander, Escort Carrier Group doctrine. Commissioned 15 March 1944 under Commander officers drawn from Naval Academy graduates and veterans of the Pacific War, her air group received training influenced by Commander Thomas S. Briggs-era tactics and carrier flight deck handling developed after operations at Pearl Harbor and Truk Atoll.
After commissioning, White Plains participated in convoy escort duties across the Central Pacific and later in direct combat support during the Philippine Campaign (1944–45). In October 1944 she joined Task Unit 77.4.1 ("Taffy 1") as part of the larger Task Force 77 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Aircraft from White Plains flew anti-ship and anti-air missions against elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy including the Center Force under Admiral Takeo Kurita. During the Battle off Samar, her aviators struck at Japanese battleships and heavy cruisers, contributing to the defense of Leyte Gulf escort carriers alongside escorts like USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), USS Hoel (DD-533), and USS Johnston (DD-557). Post-Leyte operations included air support for Mindoro and Lingayen Gulf landings and subsequent strikes supporting Okinawa and operations off Formosa and the South China Sea.
White Plains embarked composite squadrons flying Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo bombers and Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers depending on mission requirements. Notable carriers in her air group included VC-65 and detachments from VF-65 operating F6F Hellcat fighters and F4U Corsair detachments on occasion. Squadrons assigned to White Plains participated in strike packages coordinated with Task Force 38 and Task Group 77.4 aviation operations. Night and anti-shipping missions employed ordnance and tactics refined from lessons of Solomon Islands and Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaigns, integrating radar guidance equipment similar to gear used on USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Lexington (CV-2).
During the Battle off Samar and concurrent operations, White Plains sustained damage from Japanese air attack and near-miss shellfire, requiring emergency repairs alongside escorts like USS Heermann (DD-532). Temporary deck repairs and hull patching were conducted at forward bases such as Manila Bay and major repair facilities at Ulithi Atoll and later at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Modifications included augmented Bofors 40 mm and Oerlikon 20 mm anti-aircraft batteries, updated radar suites comparable to SG radar and SK radar installations, and improved firefighting and damage-control fittings influenced by analysis after losses like USS Princeton (CVL-23) and USS Franklin (CV-13). Aviation handling changes involved reinforced arresting gear and catwalk extensions modeled on retrofits performed on sister ships such as Bougainville-class conversions and lessons from Operation Hailstone.
Following the surrender of Japan in August 1945, White Plains participated in Operation Magic Carpet troop repatriation runs before returning to the United States East Coast for inactivation procedures. Decommissioned on 27 May 1946 and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, she was reclassified and later struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 June 1958. Sold for scrap in 1960, her hull was broken up, concluding a service life tied to key engagements of the Pacific Theater and to escort carrier evolution between 1943 and 1946.
Category:Casablanca-class escort carriers Category:World War II escort carriers of the United States Category:Ships built in Vancouver, Washington Category:1944 ships