Marcus Island file photo [1571]

Marcus Island

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassCasablanca-class Escort Carrier
Hull NumberCVE-77
BuilderKaiser Vancouver Shipyard
Laid Down15 Sep 1943
Launched16 Dec 1943
Commissioned26 Jan 1944
Displacement7,800 tons standard
Length512 feet
Beam65 feet
Draft22 feet
MachineryTwo 5-cyl reciprocating Skinner Unaflow engines, four 285psi boilers, 2 shafts
Power Output9,000 shaft horsepower
Speed19 knots
Range10,240nm at 15 knots
Crew916
Armament1x127mm 38cal dual purpose guns, 8x2x40mm Bofors guns, 20x20mm Oerlikon cannon
Aircraft28

Contributor:

ww2dbaseOriginally laid down as Kanalku Bay but renamed several months later, USS Marcus Bay was commissioned into service in Jan 1944 with Captain Charles Greber in command. After shakedown and training cruises along the west coast of the United States, she ferried aircraft to the South Pacific in mid-1944 before embarking on US Navy Composite Squadron 21 (VC-21) for combat duty in Jul 1944. As flagship Rear Admiral W. D. Sample's flagship for Carrier Division 27, she participated in the pre-invasion strikes on Peleliu and Angaur in the Palau Islands as well as covering the invasion force from the air when the landings began on 15 Sep. In the following month, she participated in actions supporting the Leyte, Philippine Islands invasion, during which she participated in the Battle off Samar and damaged Japanese heavy cruiser Chikuma and claimed the downing of five Japanese aircraft. On the next day, 26 Oct 1944, her aircraft shared the credit for the sinkings of Kinu and Uranami in the Visayan Sea. Later in the year and into early 1945, she would support the US invasion of Mindoro and Luzon of the Philippine Islands. She was relieved of her duty as Rear Admiral W. D. Sample's flagship while at Ulithi, Caroline Islands on 6 Feb 1945, and then was then made the flagship of Rear Admiral Felix Stump's Carrier Division 24 two days later. With squadron VC-87 and later squadron VCO-1 aboard, USS Marcus Island operated in the Ryukyu Islands from late Mar through late Apr 1945 in support of the invasion of Okinawa, Japan, flying 1,085 sorties during that period, claiming 11 Japanese aircraft shot down in combat and 13 on the ground. Her final missions in the Pacific War saw her returning to the role of logistics, ferrying aircraft and men across the Pacific Ocean. After the war, she made several additional journeys across the Pacific to bring American service members back to the US as a part of Operation Magic Carpet. She remained in Boston, Massachusetts, United States for the most part of 1946 before being decommissioned in Dec 1946. In 1960, Marcus Island was sold for scrapping.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Feb 2013

Escort Carrier Marcus Island (CVE-77) Interactive Map

Photographs

USS Marcus Island underway, 1944-45USS Marcus Island at Espiritu Santo, 15 Jun 1944; note Camouflage Measure 32 Design 15AMarcus Island underway, 1944-45

Marcus Island Operational Timeline

15 Sep 1943 The keel of Kanalku Bay was laid down by Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver, Washington, United States.
6 Nov 1943 Escort carrier Kanalku Bay, still under construction at Vancouver, Washington, United States, was renamed Marcus Island.
16 Dec 1943 Marcus Island was launched at Vancouver, Washington, United States, sponsored by Mrs. S. L. La Hache.
26 Jan 1944 USS Marcus Island was commissioned into service at Astoria, Oregon, United States with Captain Charles F. Greber in command.
19 May 1944 USS Marcus Island embarked aircraft on the west coast of the United States for ferrying to the South Pacific.
20 Jul 1944 USS Marcus Island embarked US Navy squadron VC-21 at San Diego, California, United States.
24 Aug 1944 USS Marcus Island arrived at Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
12 Sep 1944 USS Marcus Island launched aircraft against Japanese positions on Peleliu and Angaur in the Palau Islands.
15 Sep 1944 USS Marcus Island launched aircraft to provide cover for the Peleliu, Palau Islands invasion.
2 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island departed Palau Islands.
4 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands.
12 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island departed Manus, Admiralty Islands with Task Group 77.4.
18 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island launched aircarft against Japanese positions in the Philippine Islands.
26 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island launched 12 aircraft to attack and shared the credit for the sinkings of Kinu and Uranami in the Vasayan Sea in the Philippine Islands.
30 Oct 1944 USS Marcus Island departed the Philippine Islands.
10 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island departed Kossol Roads, Palau Islands.
13 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island transited Surigao Strait in the Philippine Islands.
14 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island's air group shot down one Japanese aircraft.
15 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island's air group shot down three Japanese aircraft off Mindoro, Philippine Islands; two aircraft crashed in the water near her and caused minor damage and some casualties.
16 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island departed Mindoro, Philippine Islands.
23 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island arrived at the Admiralty Islands.
29 Dec 1944 USS Marcus Island departed the Admiralty Islands.
5 Jan 1945 Aircraft from USS Marcus Island damaged a Japanese midget submarine in the Mindanao Sea in the Philippine Islands.
8 Jan 1945 USS Marcus Island's air group shot down four Japanese aircraft.
29 Jan 1945 USS Marcus Island provided air support during the unopposed US landing at Zambales Province on the island of Luzon in the Philippine Islands.
5 Feb 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands.
6 Feb 1945 USS Marcus Island was relieved as Rear Admiral W. D. Sample's flagship while at Ulithi, Caroline Islands.
8 Feb 1945 USS Marcus Island was made the flagship of Rear Admiral Felix Stump's Carrier Division 24 whiel at Ulithi, Caroline Islands.
14 Feb 1945 USS Marcus Island disembarked US Navy squadron VC-21 and embarked squadron VC-87.
4 Mar 1945 USS Marcus Island began a 4-day period of training in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands.
7 Mar 1945 USS Marcus Island completed a 4-day period of training in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands.
26 Mar 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived in the Kerama Islands southwest of Okinawa, Japan and would remain in the Okinawa area for the next month in support of the invasion.
5 Apr 1945 USS Marcus Island disembarked US Navy squadron VC-87 and embarked squadron VCO-1 while operating off Okinawa, Japan.
29 Apr 1945 USS Marcus Island departed Okinawa, Japan.
5 May 1945 USS Marcus Island departed Guam, Mariana Islands with damaged aircraft on board.
22 May 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived at San Diego, California, United States.
10 Jul 1945 USS Marcus Island departed the west coast of the United States for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii with troops and aircraft on board.
2 Sep 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived at Alameda, California, United States.
28 Sep 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived at Okinawa, Japan.
24 Oct 1945 USS Marcus Island arrived at San Francisco, California, United States.
12 Jan 1946 USS Marcus Island departed San Diego, California, United States for the Panama Canal Zone.
2 Feb 1946 USS Marcus Island arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
12 Dec 1946 USS Marcus Island was decommissioned from service at Boston, Massachusetts, United States and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
12 Jun 1955 Marcus Island's designated changed from CVE-77 to CVHE-77 while in reserve at Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
7 May 1959 Marcus Island's designated changed from CVHE-77 to AKV-27 while in reserve at Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
29 Feb 1960 Marcus Island was sold to the firm Comarket, Inc. for scrapping.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Gilbert F. Dicob. Retired CMSGT USAF says:
4 Jan 2017 05:29:17 AM

My brother Robert dicob served aboard her during WWll.

I thank him for his service. God bless him and the USA.
2. James stanley says:
7 Feb 2017 11:53:54 PM

My grandfather, Victor (Bobby) Harrison served on this ship.
3. Jordan esch says:
2 Mar 2017 12:14:04 PM

My grandfather James Esch flew a tbd off of this ship and recieved a silver star.
4. Jerry McCall says:
18 May 2018 12:38:02 PM

My Father Jack McCall served on this ship
5. Anonymous says:
31 Aug 2018 02:11:57 PM

My Great Grandpa Scott Reed served on this Ship. Very proud to know that this ship and Legacy will live on in History
6. Lisa says:
18 Nov 2018 08:42:24 PM

My grandfather, Howard Evirs served on this ship.
7. David cooper says:
1 Mar 2019 09:15:23 PM

My uncle, Charles King, served on the Marcus Island.

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Search WW2DB
More on Marcus Island
Event(s) Participated:
» Palau Islands and Ulithi Islands Campaigns
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 2
» Okinawa Campaign

Document(s):
» US Aircraft Carrier Functions
» US Aircraft Carrier Operational Status By Month
» US Carrier Time Operational

Escort Carrier Marcus Island (CVE-77) Photo Gallery
USS Marcus Island underway, 1944-45
See all 3 photographs of Escort Carrier Marcus Island (CVE-77)


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