USS Monterey ( CVL - 26 ) USS " Monterey " ( CVL - 26 ) was an " Independence " - class light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy , in service during World War II and used in training for several years thereafter . Originally laid down as light cruiser Dayton " ( CL - 78 ) on 29 December 1941 by New York Shipbuilding , Camden , New Jersey , the ship was reclassified CV - 26 on 27 March 1942 and renamed Monterey " four days later , launched on 28 February 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . P . N . L . Bellinger , and commissioned on 17 June 1943 , Captain Lestor T . Hundt in command . It was the third US Navy vessel to be named after The Battle of Monterey . Service history . World War II . " Monterey " was reclassified CVL - 26 on 15 July 1943 , shortly after commissioning , and after shakedown , departed Philadelphia for the western Pacific . She reached the Gilbert Islands on 19 November 1943 , in time to help secure Makin Island . She took part in strikes on Kavieng , New Ireland on 25 December , as part of Task Group 37 . 2 ( TG 37 . 2 ) , and supported the landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok until 8 February 1944 . The light carrier then operated with Task Force 58 ( TF 58 ) during raids in the Caroline Islands , Mariana Islands , northern New Guinea , and the Bonin Islands from February – July 1944 . During this time she was also involved in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 – 20 June . " Monterey " then sailed to Pearl Harbor for overhaul , departing once again on 29 August . She launched strikes against Wake Island on 3 September , then joined TF 38 and participated in strikes in the southern Philippines and the Ryukyus . October through December 1944 were spent in the Philippines , supporting first the Leyte , and then the Mindoro landings . Though enemy planes had been unable to damage " Monterey " , she did not complete her first full year of service unscathed . In December , she steamed into the path of howling Typhoon Cobra , with winds over 100 knots . At the height of the storm , which lasted 2 days , several planes tore loose from their cables , causing several fires on the hangar deck . During the storm future US President Gerald Ford , who served on board the ship , was almost swept overboard . Ford , serving as General Quarters Officer of the Deck , was ordered to go below to assess the raging fire . He did so safely , and reported his findings back to the ship ’ s commanding officer , Captain Stuart Ingersoll . The ship ’ s crew was able to contain the fire , and the ship got underway again . " Monterey " arrived Bremerton , Washington for overhaul in January 1945 . She rejoined TF 58 and supported Okinawa operations by launching strikes against Nansei Shoto and Kyūshū from 9 May to 1 June . She rejoined TF 38 for the final strike against Honshū and Hokkaidō from 1 July to 15 August . Post - War . " Monterey " departed Japanese waters on 7 September , having embarked troops at Tokyo , and steamed home , arriving in New York City on 17 October . " Monterey " left behind an impressive and enviable war record . Her planes sank five enemy warships , and damaged others . She was responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of Japanese shipping , hundreds of planes , and vital industrial complexes . She was assigned " Magic Carpet " duty , and made several voyages between Naples and Norfolk . She was decommissioned on 11 February 1947 , and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet , Philadelphia Group . Korea . With the outbreak of hostilities in the Korean War , " Monterey " recommissioned on 15 September 1950 . She departed Norfolk on 3 January 1951 , and proceeded to Pensacola , Florida , where she operated for the next 4 years under the Naval Training Command , training thousands of naval aviation cadets , student pilots , and helicopter trainees . From 1 to 11 October 1954 , she took part in a flood rescue mission in Honduras . She departed Pensacola on 9 June 1955 and steamed to rejoin the reserve fleet . She was decommissioned on 16 January 1956 . Reclassified AVT - 2 on 15 May 1959 , she remained berthed at Philadelphia until she was sold for scrapping in May 1971 . Awards . " Monterey " received 11 battle star s for World War II service .