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History of USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60)

USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier commissioned by the United States Navy in September 1943. She played a vital role in anti-submarine warfare during World War II, operating primarily in the Atlantic. On June 4, 1944, her task group achieved the notable capture of the German submarine U-505—the first enemy warship seized at sea by the U.S. Navy since the War of 1812. After the war, USS Guadalcanal was decommissioned in 1946 and eventually sold for scrap in 1959.

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ABOUT USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60)

  • Namesake: USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) was named after the Battle of Guadalcanal, a pivotal Allied victory in the Pacific during World War II.
  • Class: She was a Casablanca-class escort carrier, one of the most numerous classes of aircraft carriers ever built, designed for rapid construction.
  • Commissioning: USS Guadalcanal was commissioned on September 25, 1943, with Captain Daniel V. Gallery in command.
  • Hunter-Killer Group: The ship was the flagship of Task Group 22.3, a "hunter-killer" anti-submarine group in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Capture of U-505: On June 4, 1944, planes and escorts from USS Guadalcanal captured the German submarine U-505 off the coast of West Africa—the first time a U.S. Navy vessel captured an enemy ship at sea since the 19th century.
  • Intelligence Bonanza: The capture of U-505 yielded valuable codebooks, an Enigma machine, and other intelligence crucial to breaking German naval codes.
  • Secrecy: The capture of U-505 was kept secret from the public and even many in the Navy to prevent the Germans from realizing their codes had been compromised.
  • Aircraft Complement: USS Guadalcanal typically carried around 28 aircraft, including Grumman FM-2 Wildcats (fighters) and TBM Avengers (torpedo bombers).
  • Decorations: The ship and her crew received the Presidential Unit Citation for their actions in anti-submarine warfare, particularly regarding the U-505 operation.
  • Postwar Fate: After the war, she was decommissioned in July 1946 and eventually scrapped in 1959. The U-505 submarine is now preserved and displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, thanks to efforts led by Captain Gallery.

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