# List of escort carriers of the United States Navy

The United States Navy had a sizable fleet of escort aircraft carriers during World War II and the early Cold War era that followed.

## Historical overview

Prior to the creation of the escort carrier hull classification symbol (CVE) on 15 July 1943, these ships were designated as Auxiliary aircraft escort vessels (AVG) until 20 August 1942 and then Auxiliary aircraft carriers (ACV).
These ships were both quicker and cheaper to build than larger fleet carriers and were built in great numbers to serve as a stop-gap measure when fleet carriers were too few. However, they were usually too slow to keep up with naval task forces and would typically be assigned to amphibious operations, often seen in the Pacific War's island hopping campaign, or to convoy protection in the war in the Atlantic.
To that end, many of these ships were transferred to the Royal Navy as part of the US-UK lend-lease program. Note that many of the lower-numbered carriers were transferred to the Royal Navy, where they received new names but retained their original BAVG hull symbols. The new names are mentioned in each article individually. While some of these ships were kept for a time in reserve after the war, none survive today, as they have all since been sunk or retired and scrapped. The following are the classes and stand-alone ships of the US Navy's escort carriers:
| Name | Hull number | Class | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Notes |
| Long Island | CVE-1 | Long Island | 7 July 1939 | 11 January 1940 | 2 June 1941 | Built as Mormacmail (I) |
| Unnamed | BAVG-1 | Avenger | 7 June 1939 | 14 December 1939 | 17 November 1941 | Built as Mormacland Became HMS Archer (D78) |
| Unnamed | BAVG-2 | Avenger | 28 November 1939 | 27 November 1940 | 2 March 1942 | Built as Rio Hudson Became HMS Avenger (D14) Sunk by U-155, 15 November 1942 |
| Unnamed | BAVG-3 | Avenger | 28 December 1939 | 18 December 1940 | 6 May 1942 | Built as Rio Parana Became HMS Biter (D97) |
| Unnamed | BAVG-4 | Charger | 19 January 1940 | 1 March 1941 | 2 October 1941 | Built as Rio de la Plata Became HMS Charger (D27) Returned to USN, 4 October 1941 Redesignated USS Charger (CVE-30), 20 August 1942 |
| Unnamed | BAVG-5 | Avenger | 14 March 1940 | 12 April 1941 | 2 July 1942 | Built as Rio de Janeiro Became HMS Dasher (D37) Sunk by aviation fuel explosion, 27 March 1943 |
| Unnamed | BAVG-6 | Attacker | 3 November 1941 | 7 March 1942 | 31 January 1943 | Built as Mormacmail (II) Became HMS Tracker (D24) |
| Altamaha | CVE-6 | Attacker | 15 April 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 31 October 1942 | Built as Mormacmail (III) Became HMS Battler (D18) |
| Barnes | CVE-7 | Attacker | 17 April 1941 | 27 September 1941 | 30 September 1942 | Built as Steel Artisan Became HMS Attacker (D02) |
| Block Island | CVE-8 | Attacker | 15 May 1941 | 22 May 1942 | 9 January 1943 | Built as Mormacpenn Became HMS Hunter (D80) |
| Bogue | CVE-9 | Bogue | 1 October 1941 | 15 January 1942 | 26 September 1942 | Built as Steel Advocate |
| Breton | CVE-10 | Attacker | 28 June 1941 | 15 February 1943 | 9 April 1943 | Built as Mormacgulf Became HMS Chaser (D32) |
| Card | CVE-11 | Bogue | 27 October 1941 | 27 February 1942 | 8 November 1942 | |
| Copahee | CVE-12 | Bogue | 18 June 1941 | 21 October 1941 | 15 June 1942 | |
| Core | CVE-13 | Bogue | 2 January 1942 | 15 May 1942 | 10 December 1942 | |
| Croatan | CVE-14 | Attacker | 5 September 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 20 February 1943 | Became HMS Fencer (D64) |
| Hamlin | CVE-15 | Attacker | 6 October 1941 | 5 March 1942 | 21 December 1942 | Became HMS Stalker (D91) |
| Nassau | CVE-16 | Bogue | 27 November 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 20 August 1942 | |
| St. George | CVE-17 | Attacker | 31 July 1941 | 18 July 1942 | 14 June 1943 | Became HMS Pursuer (D73) |
| Altamaha | CVE-18 | Bogue | 19 December 1941 | 22 May 1942 | 15 September 1942 | |
| Prince William | CVE-19 | Attacker | 15 December 1941 | 7 May 1942 | 28 April 1943 | Became HMS Striker (D12) |
| Barnes | CVE-20 | Bogue | 19 January 1942 | 2 May 1942 | 20 February 1943 | |
| Block Island | CVE-21 | Bogue | 19 January 1942 | 1 May 1942 | 8 March 1943 | |
| Unnamed | CVE-22 | Attacker | 20 February 1942 | 20 June 1942 | 7 April 1943 | Became HMS Searcher (D40) |
| Breton | CVE-23 | Bogue | 25 February 1942 | 27 June 1942 | 12 April 1943 | |
| Unnamed | CVE-24 | Attacker | 11 April 1942 | 16 July 1942 | 25 April 1943 | Became HMS Ravager (D70) |
| Croatan | CVE-25 | Bogue | 15 April 1942 | 1 August 1942 | 28 April 1943 | |
| Sangamon | CVE-26 | Sangamon | 13 March 1939 | 4 November 1939 | 25 August 1942 | Lead ship of her class (converted from Cimarron-class oiler) |
| Suwannee | CVE-27 | Sangamon | 3 June 1938 | 4 March 1939 | 24 September 1942 | |
| Chenango | CVE-28 | Sangamon | 10 July 1938 | 1 April 1939 | 19 September 1942 | |
| Santee | CVE-29 | Sangamon | 31 May 1938 | 4 March 1939 | 24 August 1942 | |
| Charger | CVE-30 | Charger | 19 January 1940 | 1 March 1941 | 3 March 1942 | Same ship as "BAVG-4" and HMS Charger (D27) |
| Prince William | CVE-31 | Bogue | 18 May 1942 | 23 August 1942 | 9 April 1943 | Last ship, first group of Bogue-class, sometimes referred to as Prince William-class |
| Chatham | CVE-32 | Ruler | 25 May 1942 | 19 September 1942 | 11 August 1943 | Became HMS Slinger (D26) First ship, second group of Bogue-class |
| Glacier | CVE-33 | Ruler | 9 June 1942 | 7 September 1942 | 28 October 1943 | Became HMS Atheling (D51) |
| Pybus | CVE-34 | Ruler | 23 June 1942 | 7 October 1942 | 6 August 1943 | Became HMS Emperor (D98) |
| Baffins | CVE-35 | Ruler | 18 July 1942 | 18 October 1942 | 20 July 1943 | Became HMS Ameer (D01) |
| Bolinas | CVE-36 | Ruler | 3 August 1942 | 11 November 1942 | 2 August 1943 | Became HMS Begum (D38) |
| Bastian | CVE-37 | Ruler | 25 August 1942 | 15 December 1942 | 4 August 1943 | Became HMS Trumpeter (D09) |
| Carnegie | CVE-38 | Ruler | 9 September 1942 | 30 December 1942 | 12 August 1943 | Became HMS Empress (D42) |
| Cordova | CVE-39 | Ruler | 22 September 1942 | 30 January 1943 | 25 August 1943 | Became HMS Khedive (D62) |
| Delgada | CVE-40 | Ruler | 9 October 1942 | 20 February 1943 | 20 November 1943 | Became HMS Speaker (D90) |
| Edisto | CVE-41 | Ruler | 20 October 1942 | 22 March 1943 | 7 September 1943 | Became HMS Nabob (D77) |
| Estero | CVE-42 | Ruler | 31 October 1942 | 22 March 1943 | 3 November 1943 | Became HMS Premier (D23) |
| Jamaica | CVE-43 | Ruler | 13 November 1942 | 21 April 1943 | 27 September 1943 | Became HMS Shah (D21) |
| Keweenaw | CVE-44 | Ruler | 27 November 1942 | 6 May 1943 | 25 October 1943 | Became HMS Patroller (D07) |
| Prince | CVE-45 | Ruler | 17 December 1942 | 18 May 1943 | 17 January 1944 | Became HMS Rajah (D10) |
| Niantic | CVE-46 | Ruler | 5 January 1943 | 2 June 1943 | 8 November 1943 | Became HMS Ranee (D03) |
| Perdido | CVE-47 | Ruler | 1 February 1943 | 16 June 1943 | 31 January 1944 | Became HMS Trouncer (D85) |
| Sunset | CVE-48 | Ruler | 23 February 1943 | 15 July 1943 | 19 November 1943 | Became HMS Thane (D48) |
| St. Andrews | CVE-49 | Ruler | 12 March 1943 | 2 August 1943 | 7 December 1943 | Became HMS Queen (D19) |
| St. Joseph | CVE-50 | Ruler | 25 March 1943 | 21 August 1943 | 22 December 1943 | Became HMS Ruler (D72) |
| St. Simon | CVE-51 | Ruler | 26 April 1943 | 9 September 1943 | 31 December 1943 | Became HMS Arbiter (D31) |
| Vermillion | CVE-52 | Ruler | 10 May 1943 | 27 September 1943 | 20 January 1944 | Became HMS Smiter (D55) |
| Willapa | CVE-53 | Ruler | 21 May 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 5 February 1944 | Became HMS Puncher (D79) |
| Winjah | CVE-54 | Ruler | 5 June 1943 | 22 November 1943 | 18 February 1944 | Became HMS Reaper (D82), last ship of Bogue-class |
| Casablanca | CVE-55 | Casablanca | 3 November 1942 | 5 April 1943 | 8 July 1943 | Lead ship of her class |
| Liscome Bay | CVE-56 | Casablanca | 9 December 1942 | 19 April 1943 | 7 August 1943 | |
| Anzio | CVE-57 | Casablanca | 1 May 1943 | 27 August 1943 | 5 August 1946 | Originally named Alikula Bay, commissioned as Coral Sea (1943-1944), renamed Anzio (1944-1959) |
| Corregidor | CVE-58 | Casablanca | 17 December 1942 | 12 May 1943 | 31 August 1943 | |
| Mission Bay | CVE-59 | Casablanca | 28 December 1942 | 26 May 1943 | 13 September 1943 | |
| Guadalcanal | CVE-60 | Casablanca | 5 January 1943 | 5 June 1943 | 25 September 1943 | |
| Manila Bay | CVE-61 | Casablanca | 15 January 1943 | 10 July 1943 | 5 October 1943 | |
| Natoma Bay | CVE-62 | Casablanca | 17 January 1943 | 20 July 1943 | 14 October 1943 | |
| Midway | CVE-63 | Casablanca | 23 January 1943 | 17 August 1943 | 23 October 1943 | Originally named Chapin Bay, commissioned as Midway (1943-1944), renamed St. Lo (1944) |
| Tripoli | CVE-64 | Casablanca | 1 February 1943 | 13 July 1943 | 31 October 1943 | |
| Wake Island | CVE-65 | Casablanca | 6 February 1943 | 15 September 1943 | 7 November 1943 | |
| White Plains | CVE-66 | Casablanca | 11 February 1943 | 27 September 1943 | 15 November 1943 | |
| Solomons | CVE-67 | Casablanca | 19 March 1943 | 6 October 1943 | 21 November 1943 | |
| Kalinin Bay | CVE-68 | Casablanca | 26 April 1943 | 15 October 1943 | 27 November 1943 | |
| Kasaan Bay | CVE-69 | Casablanca | May 1943 | 24 October 1943 | 4 December 1943 | Laid down as Type S4-S2-BB3 oiler, completed as CVE-69 |
| Fanshaw Bay | CVE-70 | Casablanca | 18 May 1943 | 1 November 1943 | 9 December 1943 | |
| Kitkun Bay | CVE-71 | Casablanca | 3 May 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 15 December 1943 | |
| Tulagi | CVE-72 | Casablanca | 7 June 1943 | 15 November 1943 | 21 December 1943 | |
| Gambier Bay | CVE-73 | Casablanca | 10 July 1943 | 22 November 1943 | 28 December 1943 | Only American aircraft carrier sunk by enemy surface gunfire during World War II at the Battle off Samar. |
| Nehenta Bay | CVE-74 | Casablanca | 20 July 1943 | 28 November 1943 | 3 January 1944 | |
| Hoggatt Bay | CVE-75 | Casablanca | 17 August 1943 | 4 December 1943 | 11 January 1944 | |
| Kadashan Bay | CVE-76 | Casablanca | 2 September 1943 | 11 December 1943 | 18 January 1944 | |
| Marcus Island | CVE-77 | Casablanca | 15 September 1943 | 16 December 1943 | 26 January 1944 | |
| Savo Island | CVE-78 | Casablanca | 27 September 1943 | 22 December 1943 | 3 February 1944 | |
| Ommaney Bay | CVE-79 | Casablanca | 6 October 1943 | 29 December 1943 | 11 February 1944 | |
| Petrof Bay | CVE-80 | Casablanca | 15 October 1943 | 5 January 1944 | 18 February 1944 | |
| Rudyerd Bay | CVE-81 | Casablanca | 24 October 1943 | 12 January 1944 | 25 February 1944 | |
| Saginaw Bay | CVE-82 | Casablanca | 1 November 1943 | 19 January 1944 | 2 March 1944 | |
| Sargent Bay | CVE-83 | Casablanca | 8 November 1943 | 31 January 1944 | 9 March 1944 | |
| Shamrock Bay | CVE-84 | Casablanca | 15 March 1943 | 4 February 1944 | 15 March 1944 | |
| Shipley Bay | CVE-85 | Casablanca | 22 November 1943 | 12 February 1944 | 21 March 1944 | |
| Sitkoh Bay | CVE-86 | Casablanca | 23 November 1943 | 19 February 1944 | 28 March 1944 | |
| Steamer Bay | CVE-87 | Casablanca | 4 December 1943 | 26 February 1944 | 4 April 1944 | |
| Cape Esperance | CVE-88 | Casablanca | 11 December 1943 | 3 March 1944 | 9 April 1944 | Name changed from Tananek Bay 6 November 1943 |
| Takanis Bay | CVE-89 | Casablanca | 16 December 1943 | 10 March 1944 | 15 April 1944 | |
| Thetis Bay | CVE-90 | Casablanca | 22 December 1943 | 16 March 1944 | 12 April 1944 | |
| Makassar Strait | CVE-91 | Casablanca | 29 December 1943 | 22 March 1944 | 27 April 1944 | |
| Windham Bay | CVE-92 | Casablanca | 5 January 1944 | 29 March 1944 | 3 May 1944 | |
| Makin Island | CVE-93 | Casablanca | 12 January 1944 | 5 April 1944 | 9 May 1944 | |
| Lunga Point | CVE-94 | Casablanca | 19 January 1944 | 11 April 1944 | 14 May 1944 | |
| Bismarck Sea | CVE-95 | Casablanca | 31 January 1944 | 17 April 1944 | 20 May 1944 | |
| Salamaua | CVE-96 | Casablanca | 4 February 1944 | 22 April 1944 | 26 May 1944 | Originally named Anguilla Bay |
| Hollandia | CVE-97 | Casablanca | 12 February 1944 | 28 April 1944 | 1 June 1944 | |
| Kwajalein | CVE-98 | Casablanca | 19 February 1944 | 4 May 1944 | 7 June 1944 | |
| Admiralty Islands | CVE-99 | Casablanca | 26 February 1944 | 10 May 1944 | 13 June 1944 | |
| Bougainville | CVE-100 | Casablanca | 3 March 1944 | 16 May 1944 | 18 June 1944 | |
| Matanikau | CVE-101 | Casablanca | 10 March 1944 | 22 May 1944 | 24 June 1944 | |
| Attu | CVE-102 | Casablanca | 16 March 1944 | 27 May 1944 | 30 June 1944 | |
| Roi | CVE-103 | Casablanca | 22 March 1944 | 2 June 1944 | 6 July 1944 | |
| Munda | CVE-104 | Casablanca | 29 March 1944 | 27 May 1944 | 8 July 1944 | Last ship of Casablanca-class |
| Commencement Bay | CVE-105 | Commencement Bay | 23 September 1943 | 9 May 1944 | 27 November 1944 | Lead ship of her class |
| Block Island | CVE-106 | Commencement Bay | 25 October 1943 | 10 June 1944 | 30 December 1944 | |
| Gilbert Islands | CVE-107 | Commencement Bay | 29 November 1943 | 20 July 1944 | 5 February 1945 | |
| Kula Gulf | CVE-108 | Commencement Bay | 16 December 1943 | 15 August 1944 | 12 May 1945 | |
| Cape Gloucester | CVE-109 | Commencement Bay | 10 January 1944 | 12 September 1944 | 5 March 1945 | |
| Salerno Bay | CVE-110 | Commencement Bay | 7 February 1944 | 26 September 1944 | 19 May 1945 | |
| Vella Gulf | CVE-111 | Commencement Bay | 7 March 1944 | 19 October 1944 | 9 April 1945 | |
| Siboney | CVE-112 | Commencement Bay | 1 April 1944 | 9 November 1944 | 14 May 1945 | Laid down as Frosty Bay, renamed Siboney 26 April 1944 |
| Puget Sound | CVE-113 | Commencement Bay | 12 May 1944 | 20 September 1944 | 18 June 1945 | |
| Rendova | CVE-114 | Commencement Bay | 15 June 1944 | 29 December 1944 | 22 October 1945 | |
| Bairoko | CVE-115 | Commencement Bay | 25 July 1944 | 25 January 1945 | 16 July 1945 | |
| Badoeng Strait | CVE-116 | Commencement Bay | 18 August 1944 | 15 February 1945 | 14 November 1945 | |
| Saidor | CVE-117 | Commencement Bay | 29 September 1944 | 17 March 1945 | 4 September 1945 | |
| Sicily | CVE-118 | Commencement Bay | 23 October 1944 | 14 April 1945 | 27 February 1946 | |
| Point Cruz | CVE-119 | Commencement Bay | 4 December 1944 | 18 May 1945 | 16 October 1945 | |
| Mindoro | CVE-120 | Commencement Bay | 2 January 1945 | 27 June 1945 | 4 December 1945 | |
| Rabaul | CVE-121 | Commencement Bay | 29 January 1945 | 14 June 1945 | | Acquired by the Navy 30 August 1946, never commissioned. |
| Palau | CVE-122 | Commencement Bay | 19 February 1945 | 6 August 1945 | 15 January 1946 | |
| Tinian | CVE-123 | Commencement Bay | 20 March 1945 | 5 September 1945 | | Acquired by the Navy 30 July 1946, never commissioned. |
| Bastogne | CVE-124 | Commencement Bay | 2 April 1945 | | | Laid down, cancelled before launch |
| Eniwetok | CVE-125 | Commencement Bay | 20 April 1945 | | | Laid down, cancelled before launch |
| Lingayen | CVE-126 | Commencement Bay | 1 May 1945 | | | Laid down, cancelled before launch |
| Okinawa | CVE-127 | Commencement Bay | 22 May 1945 | | | Laid down, cancelled before launch |
| Unnamed | CVE-128 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-129 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-130 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-131 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-132 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-133 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-134 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-135 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-136 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-137 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-138 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled |
| Unnamed | CVE-139 | Commencement Bay | | | | Cancelled / Last ship of Commencement Bay-class |