View source for USS Sangamon (CVE-26)

{{short description|Oiler of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Sangamon}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Uss sangamon CVE-26.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Sangamon''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=''Esso Trenton''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship owner=[[Standard Oil Company]]
|Ship operator=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]], [[Kearny, New Jersey]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship laid down=13 March 1939
|Ship launched=4 November 1939
|Ship sponsor=Mrs. Clara Esselborn
|Ship homeport=
|Ship fate=Purchased by the US Navy
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=U.S. Navy 
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1945}}
|Ship name=USS ''Sangamon''
|Ship namesake=[[Sangamon River]] in Illinois
|Ship acquired=22 October 1940
|Ship commissioned=23 October 1940, as (AO-28) fleet oiler
|Ship decommissioned=25 February 1942
|Ship reclassified=AVG-26, 14 February 1942
|Ship refit=Converted to [[escort carrier]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship recommissioned=25 August 1942
|Ship decommissioned=24 October 1945
|Ship reclassified=*ACV-26, 20 August 1942
*CVE-26, 15 July 1943
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=1 November 1945
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto= 
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honors=
|Ship fate=Sold, 11 February 1948, Scrapped in Osaka, Japan, August 1960
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=as escort carrier
|Ship class={{sclass|Sangamon|escort carrier}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|11400|LT|t|0|lk=on}} standard, {{convert|24275|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full
|Ship length={{convert|553|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|114|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship draft={{convert|32|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} 
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[steam turbine]]s
*2 × shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|18|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=830 officers and men
|Ship sensors=SG [[Radar]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Shipborn Search Sets|work=Department of the Navy|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/radar-1.htm|access-date=10 April 2010}}</ref>
|Ship armament=*2 × [[5"/51 caliber gun|127 mm/51 cal guns]] (2×1)
*8 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]] (4×2)
*12 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm anti-aircraft cannons]] (12×1)
|Ship aircraft=25
|Ship aircraft facilities=2 × elevators
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label= 
|partof=
|codes=
|commanders=
|operations=[[World War II]]
|victories=
|awards=8 [[Service star|battle star]]s. Her three air groups were each awarded the [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]]
}}
|}

'''USS ''Sangamon'' (CVE-26)''' was a US Navy [[escort carrier]] of World War II.

Originally '''''Esso Trenton''''', a [[T3 tanker]] [[Oiler (ship)|oiler]], built by the [[Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company]], it was operated by [[Standard Oil]] of New Jersey on runs from gulf coast ports to the east coast. After entering service in the early part of the war in the Navy as a tanker, ''Sangamon'' was converted into an aircraft carrier.

After conversion ''Sangamon'' was at the [[Operation Torch|Allied invasion of French North Africa]] in 1943 before moving to the [[Pacific War|war in the Pacific]]. Post war it was sold into civilian ownership and scrapped in 1960.

== Service history ==
''Esso Trenton'' was  acquired by the [[United States Navy]] on 22 October 1940. Renamed '''''Sangamon''''' and designated a fleet oiler, one of 12 {{sclass|Cimarron|oiler|0||1939}} oilers, she was commissioned on 23 October 1940.

After service off the west coast and in Hawaiian waters, ''Sangamon'' shifted to the [[United States Fleet Forces Command|Atlantic Fleet]] in the spring of 1941, and through the [[Neutrality Patrol]] period, carried fuel from the gulf coast oil ports to bases on the east coast, in Canada, and in [[Iceland]]. On 7 December 1941, when the U.S. entered [[World War II]], she was at [[Naval Station Argentia]], [[Dominion of Newfoundland|Newfoundland]], offloading her liquid cargo. Within the week, she started south again to renew her schedule on a tighter time frame.

[[File:USS Hambleton (DD-455) and USS Sangamon (ACV-26) 1942.jpg|thumb|left|''Sangamon'' and {{USS|Hambleton|DD-455|6}} in the Atlantic, 1942.]]

In early 1942, she was designated for conversion to an auxiliary aircraft carrier. On 11 February, she arrived in [[Hampton Roads]]. Three days later, she was reclassified '''AVG-26'''; and on 25 February, she was decommissioned and conversion was begun at the [[Norfolk Navy Yard]].

During the spring and summer, the need for auxiliary carriers, later called escort carriers, increased. Work on ''Sangamon'', three other ''Cimarron''-class oilers, and 20 C-3 merchant hulls was continued and sped up. In August, ''Sangamon'' – the first of her class of [[escort carrier]]s – was ready. Her conversion had added a [[flight deck]] {{convert|502|ft|m|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|81|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide, elevators, a [[hangar|hangar deck]], an [[aircraft catapult]], sonar gear, aircraft ordnance magazines, workshops, and stowage space for aviation spares. Her accommodations had been enlarged to house her increased complement and embarked aviation personnel, and her armament had been changed to two [[5"/51 caliber gun]]s, eight [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm guns]], and twelve [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm cannons]] to increase her [[anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] defense. On 20 August, she was redesignated '''ACV-26'''; and five days later, she was recommissioned.

''Sangamon'' and her three sister T3 conversions were considered very successful escort-carrier designs, larger and more stable than the smaller C3-derived {{sclass|Bogue|escort carrier|4}}; additionally, they retained substantial oil bunkerage, useful in refueling destroyers in company. The late-war purpose-built {{sclass|Commencement Bay|escort carrier|0}} escort carriers were derived from the ''Sangamon''s.

=== Operation Torch ===
[[File:SBDs on Sangamon class Nov 1942.jpg|thumb|Composite Squadron 26 (VC-26) aircraft on ''Sangamon'' in November 1942.]]
Shakedown in [[Chesapeake Bay]] and off [[Bermuda]] followed a return to the yard for repair and improvements to her ventilation system, and on 25 October she sailed east with [[Task Force 34]] (TF 34) to provide air cover for [[Operation Torch]], the invasion of North Africa. Assigned to the [[Northern Support Force]], she arrived off [[Kenitra|Port Lyautey]] on 8 November. Prior to and during the landings, and subsequent action, her air group, Composite Squadron 26 (VC-26) flew combat air patrol (CAP), [[Anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine]] patrol (ASP), and ground support missions. At mid-month, she got underway to return to [[Norfolk, Virginia]], whence, after repairs, she sailed for [[Panama]] and the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]].

===1943===
By mid-January 1943, ''Sangamon'' had arrived at [[Éfaté]], [[New Hebrides]].  As a unit of [[Carrier Division 22]] (CarDiv 22), she operated in the [[New Caledonia]]—New Hebrides—[[Solomon Islands]] area for the next eight months. With {{USS|Suwannee|CVE-27|2}} and {{USS|Chenango|CVE-28|2}}, she provided protection for resupply convoys ''en route'' to [[Guadalcanal]] and for the assault forces moving on the [[Russell Islands]].

Captain E. P. Moore took over as captain on 5 April 1943. Redesignated '''CVE-26''' on 15 July 1943, ''Sangamon'' shifted her base of operations from Efate to [[Espiritu Santo]] in August, and, in September, she returned to the United States for an overhaul at [[Mare Island]]. There she received more modern equipment for her flight deck and a [[combat information center]].

On 19 October, she departed San Diego with VC-37 embarked and sailed for Espiritu Santo. She got underway from the latter on 13 November, rendezvoused with [[Task Force 53]] the next day, and on 20 October arrived in the Gilberts to support the assault on [[Tarawa Atoll]]. During the first two days of this operation, her planes struck enemy positions on the island. Then, through 6 December, they were sent out on CAP and ASP missions to protect the escort carrier group and the target area.

===1944===
The escort carrier then set course to return to San Diego. In early January 1944, she trained off [[southern California]], and on 13 January sailed west. Steaming via [[Pearl Harbor]], she pushed on toward her next amphibious operation, the assault on [[Kwajalein]] in the [[Marshall Islands]].

At 16:51 on 25 January, during routine flight operations, an F6F-3 (Bureau number 40845) from VF-37 piloted by Lt. R.A. Mayo failed to hook a wire on landing, broke through the barriers, and crashed into parked planes on the forward flight deck. Its belly tank, torn loose, skidded forward, spewing flaming fuel. Fire soon spread among the planes. It raged along the flight deck and flames beat up over the bridge, making ship control extremely difficult. The former oiler was turned out of the wind, so that the fire could be fought. By 16:59, it was under control. Seven of the crew died in those eight minutes. Seven others were seriously injured, and of the 15 who jumped over the side to escape the flames, 13 were picked up, two were missing.

====Palaus====
Temporary repairs were made at sea, and from 31 January to mid-February, ''Sangamon'' supported the assault and occupation of Kwajalein. She then moved on to [[Enewetak]], where her planes covered the landing forces from 17 to 24 February. On the latter date, she departed the Marshalls and headed back to Pearl Harbor to complete repairs. Captain M. E. Browder flew aboard on 1 March to relieve Captain Moore and assume command.

On 15 March, the CVE got underway again. Departing Hawaii, she rendezvoused with Task Group 50.15 (TG 50.15) – the fast carrier force support group – on 26 March. For the remainder of the month and into April she escorted that group as it operated north of the [[Admiralty Islands]] to refuel and resupply the fast carrier force after it had conducted strikes on the [[Palau]]s. In early April, ''Sangamon'' retired to Espiritu Santo and at mid-month, sailed for [[New Guinea]]. Briefly attached to the [[United States Seventh Fleet|7th Fleet]], she covered the landing at [[Aitape]] from 22 to 24 April; retired to [[Manus Island]] for two days, then returned to the Aitape area where she conducted patrols until 5 May.

''Sangamon'' then returned to Espiritu Santo, whence she departed on 19 May. Rehearsals for the Marianas campaign followed, and on 2 June, she sailed for the Marshalls. Rendezvousing with TF 53 ''en route'', she covered that force to Kwajalein, then to the [[Mariana Islands]]. From 17 to 20 June, she guarded the force as it steamed to the east of Saipan as a backup force for TF 52, which was then engaged in the assault on, and the occupation of, the island.

After the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], ''Sangamon'' was detached from TF 53. On 21 June, she joined TF 52, and into July conducted operations in support of the occupation of Saipan. On 4 July, she steamed for Eniwetok; arrived on 7 July; and sortied again on 10 July. From 13 July – 1 August, she covered the bombardment groups engaged in the capture of [[Guam]]. On 4 August, she returned to Eniwetok, where on 9 August she proceeded to Manus where she was anchored for almost a month.

On 9 September, ''Sangamon'' departed [[Seeadler Harbor]] and steamed for [[Morotai]]. There, from 15 to 27 September, she again covered Allied assault forces. After the initial waves had landed, her planes shifted from combat support to bombing and strafing missions to destroy Japanese airfields on nearby [[Halmahera]].

====Philippines====
''Sangamon'' again anchored in Seeadler Harbor on 1 October. Twelve days later, she sortied with TG 77.4, the escort carrier group of the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf|Leyte]] invasion force. That group, composed of 18 escort carriers, was broken down into Task Units 77.4.1, 77.4.2, and 77.4.3 (TU 77.4.1, 77.4.2, and 77.4.3), and referred to as "Taffy 1, 2, and 3", respectively. During the operation, they would steam to the east of [[Leyte Gulf]]: Taffy 1, including ''Sangamon'', was off northern [[Mindanao]], Taffy 2 off the entrance to Leyte Gulf; and Taffy 3 off Samar.

Prior to the 20 October landings on Leyte, ''Sangamon'' launched regular flights in support of the advance units of the invasion force and sent strikes against Leyte and Visayan airfields. On the 20th, her planes covered the landing forces and the ships in the transport areas. That day, she also came under enemy air attack and took a hit at the main deck level. The bomb, dropped by an [[A6M Zero|A6M5 Zero]], tore a {{convert|2|x|6|ft|m|abbr=on}} section of plating loose, then fell into the sea and exploded some {{convert|300|yd|m|abbr=on}} away from the "jeep" carrier.

Enemy airfields again became ''Sangamon''{{'}}s primary targets in the days immediately following the landings. On 24 October, however, her planes fought off waves of Japanese aircraft over the landing area. Early on 25 October, two flights took off: one toward the [[Bohol Sea|Mindanao Sea]] to locate and finish off Japanese survivors of the [[Battle of Surigao Strait]], the other toward Leyte for CAP missions. About an hour later, ''Sangamon'' received word that Taffy 3, {{convert|120|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the north, had been attacked by the [[Leyte Gulf order of battle#Japanese Forces 2|Japanese Center Force]] which had transited [[San Bernardino Strait]] during the night.

====Battle off Samar====
{{main|Battle off Samar}}

Within a half-hour, ''Sangamon''{{'}}s CAP flight had been diverted to Samar and she had launched another smaller group to further aid the attacked unit. Soon thereafter, however, at about 07:40, as Taffy 1 planes were being recovered, rearmed, and launched, the unit became the target of the first strike of the ''[[kamikaze]]''.

{{USS|Santee|CVE-29|2}} took the first hit, and as her flight and hangar decks blazed, ''Suwannee'' was attacked. Antiaircraft fire from that CVE scored on the planes, which then dived toward ''Sangamon''. A {{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} shell from ''Suwannee'' finished one plane only {{convert|50|yd|m|abbr=on}} from ''Sangamon''. By 07:55, {{Ship|Japanese submarine|I-56|2}} had joined the fight, and – as ''Santee''{{'}}s crew brought her fires under control – sent a torpedo into that luckless CVE. Minutes later, ''Suwannee'' was hit by a Zero forward of the after elevator.

During the intense fighting, several of ''Sangamon''{{'}}s crew were injured and one was killed by strafing fire. Later in the morning, as the attacks fell off, she sent medical personnel to assist casualties of the damaged ships, then began bringing them aboard for treatment. At mid-day, she suffered malfunctions in her [[steering gear]], [[electric generator]]s, and catapult, but repairs were completed in time for her to launch afternoon strikes as scheduled. Those flights gave chase to the retreating Japanese Center Force.

On 26 October, ''Sangamon'' recovered her scattered planes and again launched CAP flights. At 12:15, however, enemy planes were reported coming in from the north. Several broke through the air defenses, and ''Suwanee'' suffered another ''kamikaze'' hit. On 29 October, the escort carriers retired.

===1945===

====Ryukyus====
''Sangamon'' returned to the United States for an overhaul at [[Bremerton, Washington]] that took from 30 November 1944 – 24 January 1945. During the overhaul, additional rocket stowage racks, a second catapult, improved [[radar]] gear, new 40&nbsp;mm gun mounts, a bomb elevator, and additional fire-fighting equipment were installed. In mid-February Sangamon moved to Hawai to train a new squadron, VC-33, which included night fighters. On 16 March she arrived at [[Ulithi]] where she was temporarily detached from her division to join TU 52.1.1, one of the escort carrier groups assigned to the initial assault phase of [[Battle of Okinawa#Footnotes|Operation Iceberg]], the invasion of the [[Ryukyu Islands]].

On 21 March, ''Sangamon'' departed Ulithi with other ships assigned to the [[Kerama Islands|Kerama Retto]] assault force. Covering the force ''en route'', she operated to the south of [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] and launched planes for CAP and landing force support as Kerama Retto was secured. On 1 April, as the landings on the [[Hagushi]] beaches of Okinawa were taking place, she shifted to TU 52.1.3, thus rejoining CarDiv 22. Through 8 April, however, she continued to launch supporting strikes and patrol groups from an area some {{convert|50|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of Okinawa.

On 9 April, she moved with her unit into an area {{convert|70|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Sakishima Gunto]]. From there, her planes raided airfields on Miyako and Ishigaki. Detached on 12 April, she again provided air support for the forces fighting on Okinawa, then covered the occupation of [[Ie-shima]]. On 18 April, she returned to [[Sakishima Islands]]. Dawn and dusk strikes were launched daily, and heckler flights were sent over the fields at night. On 22 April, eight fighters and four bombers of a dusk strike caught 25–30 enemy planes warming up on Nobara Field, central [[Miyako, Iwate|Miyako]]. Seven [[Nakajima Ki-43]] "Oscars" attempted to intercept ''Sangamon''{{'}}s planes, but the attack was pressed home. After the bombers delivering their loads, the fighters engaged the "Oscars" and shot down five. Night fighters from ''Sangamon'' were diverted to the area and arrived as four more Oscars joined the fight; two of the four were shot down.

====Kamikaze====
[[File:USS SANGAMON CVE-26 Kamikaze May 4 1945.jpg|thumb|The internal explosions caused by the kamikaze attack of 4 May 1945 blew both aircraft elevators  out of place.]]

Through the end of the month, ''Sangamon'' continued to launch her planes to neutralize Japanese airfields. On 4 May, she put into Kerama Retto to rearm. Loading, frequently interrupted by the presence of [[Multiservice tactical brevity code#B|bogies]] in the area, was not completed until evening. At 18:30, the CVE got underway. Japanese attackers, however, were soon reported only some {{convert|29|mi|km|abbr=on}} off. Land-based fighters were vectored out to intercept the enemy planes and shot down nine. One got through and, at about 19:00, began circling toward a position on ''Sangamon''{{'}}s port quarter. The escort carrier went into a hard left turn to avoid the enemy and to maneuver into a position to launch her aircraft. She then opened fire and was joined by her escorts. The enemy crashed into the water some {{convert|25|ft|m|abbr=on}} off the starboard beam.

Other enemy aircraft followed the first. At 19:25, another broke through the interceptor screen, ran into clouds to avoid anti-aircraft fire, then came out and, with increased speed, headed for ''Sangamon''. At 19:33, the ''kamikaze'' dropped his bomb and crashed into the center of the flight deck.<ref name="Smith">{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Peter C|title=Kamikaze To Die for the Emperor|date=2014|publisher=Pen & Sword Books Ltd|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=9781781593134|pages=121}}</ref> The bomb and parts of the plane penetrated the deck and exploded below. Initial damage was extensive, fires broke out on the flight deck, the hangar deck, and in the fuel deck, communications from the bridge were lost within 15 minutes, and the ship was soon out of control.<ref name="Smith" />

The action of ''Sangamon'' swinging through the wind caused the flames and smoke to change direction, spreading the fires.<ref name="Smith" /> By 20:15, however, steering control had been established, and the ship was brought back to a course which helped the crew fight the many fires. But water pressure was low, as the firemain and risers had ruptured. [[Carbon dioxide]] bottles were brought into action. Nearby ships came alongside to assist. By 22:30, all fires were under control.<ref name="Smith" /> Communication with other units had been regained; at first through the radio of {{USS|Fullam|DD-474|2}}, then by using a [[VHF]] channel in the sole remaining aircraft aboard. At 23:20, ''Sangamon'' – with 11 dead, 25 missing, and 21 seriously wounded – got underway to return to Kerama Retto for temporary repairs.

From Kerama Retto, ''Sangamon'' proceeded  via Ulithi and Pearl Harbor to [[Norfolk, Virginia]], for repairs.<ref name="Smith" /> Work was suspended with the cessation of hostilities in mid-August. She was decommissioned on 24 October<ref name="Smith" /> and struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 1 November.

==Fate==
She was subsequently sold to [[Hillcone Steamship Company]], San Francisco, and was delivered to that company's representative at Norfolk on 11 February 1948. She passed through multiple owners through the 1950s, and ultimately was scrapped in [[Osaka]], Japan starting in August 1960.

==Awards==
''Sangamon'' earned eight [[service star|battle star]]s during [[World War II]]. Her three air groups were each awarded the [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]].

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=U.S. Aircraft Carriers|author=Friedman, Norman|publisher=Naval Institute Press| year=1983|isbn=0-87021-739-9}}
{{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/sangamon-ii.html}}

==External links==
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/03/026.htm navsource.org: USS ''Sangamon'']
* [http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/auxil/ao28.txt hazegray.org: USS ''Sangamon'']

{{Sangamon class escort carrier}}
{{Cimarron class oiler (1939)}}
{{Type T3-S2-A tankers}}
{{May 1945 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sangamon (CVE-26)}}
[[Category:Type T3-S2-A tankers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Kearny, New Jersey]]
[[Category:1939 ships]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Cimarron-class oilers (1939)]]
[[Category:World War II auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II tankers of the United States]]
[[Category:Sangamon-class escort carriers]]
[[Category:World War II escort aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1945]]