USS Steamer Bay ( CVE - 87 ) USS " Steamer Bay " ( CVE - 87 ) was a " Casablanca " class escort carrier of the United States Navy . She was laid down on 4 December 1943 at Vancouver , Washington , by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company ; launched on 26 February 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Henry S . Kendall ; and commissioned on 4 April 1944 , Captain Steadman Teller in command . " Steamer Bay " held sea trials in Puget Sound and sailed for San Diego on 2 May . On the 14th , she headed for the New Hebrides , carrying the men and aircraft of Marine Air Group ( MAG ) 61 . She arrived at Espiritu Santo on the 30th , unloaded , and began her return voyage to San Diego on 2 June . The carrier was on the west coast from 20 June to 19 July when she again steamed west , with 298 marines and 72 aircraft , bound for the Marshall Islands . " Steamer Bay " arrived at Majuro on 1 August to discharge her cargo and passengers . She was routed back to Pearl Harbor and attached to the 3d Fleet as a carrier of replacement aircraft . Seventy - two planes were loaded on board ; and the ship steamed for Seeadler Harbor , Manus Island , on 21 August . During the next two and one - half months , the carrier supplied replacement aircraft and pilots to Task Force ( TF ) 38 which was supporting the operations in the Palau and Philippine Islands . She spent the period from 15 November to 5 December at Pearl Harbor undergoing repairs and training . The ship returned to Seeadler Harbor on 17 December 1944 and was assigned to Task Group ( TG ) 77 . 4 , the San Fabian Carrier Group , which sortied on 1 January 1945 . The group ( Taffy 2 ) , consisting of six escort carriers under the command of Rear Admiral Felix Stump , supported the Lingayen landings . While steaming through the Sulu and South China seas toward the Lingayen beaches , during the first week of January 1945 , the group was the target of numerous enemy air attacks . Of the six carriers , was sunk on 4 January by a kamikaze plane ; and and were damaged the next day . During the landings , the CVE ' s launched over 1 , 400 aircraft sorties in support of ground forces . " Steamer Bay " remained in the Philippine Islands with the 7th Fleet until she got underway on 31 January for Ulithi . " Steamer Bay " anchored there from 5 February to 10 February , when she departed with units of the 5th Fleet for the invasion of Iwo Jima . She was with four other escort carriers which arrived at their assigned area of operations , 50 miles west of Iwo Jima , on 16 February . Their mission was to neutralize Japanese bases in the Nanpō Islands until 19 February ( D - Day ) and then provide air cover and direct support for the marines during the landings and the struggle for the strategic island . " Steamer Bay " was relieved on 7 March and arrived at San Pedro Bay , Leyte , on the 12th . She sailed for the Ryukyus on 27 March and arrived in the operating area south of Okinawa on the morning of 1 April . She remained off Okinawa until 26 May when she sailed to Apra Harbor , Guam , for repairs . On 10 June , the carrier was ordered to join the 3d Fleet east of Miyako Jima and assist in neutralizing Japanese airfields in Sakishima Gunto . She conducted air strikes against the fields from 14 June to 22 June , when she sailed for Ulithi . " Steamer Bay " stood out of Ulithi , on 3 July , with the Logistics Support Group resupplying the fast carrier forces during operations against the Japanese mainland . On the 20th , she was detached and sailed , via Guam and Pearl Harbor , for the west coast , arriving at San Diego on 10 August . " Steamer Bay " was in drydock when hostilities with Japan ended , and she was given additional bunks to accommodate veterans returning from overseas . She sailed for Pearl Harbor , on 28 September , on her first “ Magic Carpet ” assignment . " Steamer Bay " was assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet on 4 February 1946 and berthed at Tacoma , Washington . In January 1947 , she was placed in reserve , out of commission . Her designation was changed from CVE - 87 to CVHE - 87 on 12 June 1955 . The carrier was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959 and sold to Hyman - Michaels Co . , Chicago , Illinois , on 29 August 1959 for scrap . " Steamer Bay " received six battle star s for World War II service .