USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)
History of the USS Belleau Wood Aircraft Carrier
The USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) was originally planned to be the USS New Haven (CL-76). She was ordered for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her keel was laid down at New York Shipbuilding Corporation in New Jersey on August 11, 1941. She was launched on December 6, 1942 and commissioned on March 31, 1943 under the command of Captain A.M. Pride.
USS Belleau Wood joined the Navy’s Pacific Fleet after shakedown. Her first duty in the South Pacific was supporting the occupation of Baker Island on September 1, 1943. From there, she participated in operations against Tarawa and Wake Island.
As part of Task Force 50, the USS Belleau Wood supported the invasion of the Gilbert Islands from November 19 to December 4, 1943. She then joined Task Force 58 for the assaults on Kwajalein, Majuro, Truk, Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam, Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai, Sawar, Wakde, Hollandia and Ponape. In June 1944, the aircraft carrier supported the occupation of Saipan and two raids on the Bonin Islands.
The USS Belleau Wood took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Her aircraft were responsible for sinking the Japanese carrier Hiyo. The battle was a decisive American victory. From there, she headed to Pearl Harbor for an overhaul before rejoining TF 58 to support the occupation of Guam.
USS Belleau Wood then joined Task Force 38 in the air strikes and occupation of the southern Palaus, including the Philippines, Morotai, Okinawa, Luzon and Formosa. She took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf at the end of October 1944.
As the USS Belleau Wood patrolled the waters on October 30, she shot down a kamikaze. The plane fell on her flight deck aft. The resulting fires set off the ship’s ammunition. The incident resulted in 92 men dead or missing. She headed to Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in California for repairs and overhaul in November 1944.
When USS Belleau Wood returned, she joined TF 58 for the assaults on Honshu and Nansei Shoto. She supported the troop landings at Iwo Jima before joining the 5th Fleet and 3rd Fleet attacks on the Japanese home islands. One of her pilots shot down the last Japanese aircraft of the war.
Aircraft from the USS Belleau Wood flew over Tokyo for the surrender ceremony. The carrier stayed in Japanese waters until October 13, 1945. She took part in Operation Magic Carpet, bringing American troops home from Guam and Saipan until January 1946.
The USS Belleau Wood was decommissioned on January 13, 1947. She earned 12 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation for her service in World War II. She was transferred to France on September 5, 1953 under the Mutual Defense Act.
USS Belleau Wood served with the French Navy under the name Bois Belleau until 1960. The ship was sent to French Indochina. Although she’d missed the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, her fighters and bombers were put to good use until the Geneva Conference. She returned to France before joining the Algerian War.
When the USS Belleau Wood returned to the United States, she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on October 1, 1960. She was then sold for scrap.
The use of asbestos was common in shipbuilding components for much of the 20th Century because of its resistance to heat, fire, water and corrosion. Because of their asbestos exposure onboard ship and in the shipyards, seaman, shipyard workers and longshoreman are at risk for developing asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma .
Sources include:
John Hedley-Whyte and Debra R Milamed, "Asbestos and Ship-Building: Fatal Consequences," Ulster Med. J. 77(3):191-200 (Sep 2008) Naval Historical Center, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships—USS Belleau Wood I Naval Historical Center, Library of Images—USS Belleau Wood
