USS Kitkun Bay ( CVE - 71 ) USS " Kitkun Bay " ( CVE - 71 ) was a US Navy Casablanca class escort carrier launched on 8 November 1943 . Originally designated as an AVG , was classified as ACV - 71 on 20 August 1942 and reclassified as CVE - 71 on 15 July 1943 . Laid down 3 May 1943 she was launched 8 November 1943 by Kaiser Company , Inc . , Vancouver , Washington , under a Maritime Commission contract ; sponsored by Mrs . Edward A . Cruise ; and commissioned 15 December 1943 , Captain J . P . Whitney in command . Commissioning and maiden voyage . After commissioning along the Pacific coast , " Kitkun Bay " departed San Diego 28 January 1944 on a replenishment voyage to the New Hebrides bases . After loading passengers , planes , and other cargo , she sailed for home 18 February via Pearl Harbor and arrived San Diego 6 March . Upon her return , the planes of VC - 5 were brought aboard for training and assignment . With Rear Admiral Harold B . Sallada , Commander , Carrier Division 26 embarked , she sailed 1 May for Pearl Harbor and the completion of her training exercises . Operational missions . On 31 May her task unit sortied forth to escort the bombardment and transports units of Task Group 52 . 17 to Saipan . On 13 June her planes shot down their first enemy aircraft and the next day " began the bombing and strafing of enemy positions in the Marianas . " Kitkun Bay ' s " planes alternated flying support missions for the Saipan landings and air cover for ships east of this island . Eight enemy planes were splashed in attacks on her formation on the 17th and her own guns downed three more the next day . Early July brought a brief respite at Eniwetok but 14 July she resumed support sorties at Saipan , Tinian , and from 2 to 4 August at Guam . Withdrawn , she steamed to Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides , for upkeep before sailing to the Solomons for additional practice in support of amphibious operations . Heading westward on 8 September her task unit escorted an assault force to Peleliu and Angaur Islands in the Palaus group and provided cover from the 15th to 21st . Withdrawn to Manus , Admiralty Islands , she made preparations for the invasion of Leyte , P . I . , and her finest hour . Departing 12 October she soon joined Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague ' s task unit " Taffy 3 " composed of six CVE ' s and their screen of escorts . On 20 October " Kitkun Bay " began launching strikes against Leyte . These operations conducted from a position east of Samar Island continued until early in the morning of the 25th when Japanese warships were sighted on the northwest horizon . Admiral Kurita ' s powerful Center Force had passed through the San Bernardino Strait unnoticed , hoping to destroy the supply ships off Leyte . Not designed to exchange gunfire with surface warships " Taffy 3 " launched what planes were ready and turned southward behind a smoke screen . In the ensuing 2½ - hour running battle , the courageous maneuvers and skillful action of its screen , the diverting attacks by its planes , the astute orders of its command officers averted annihilation . In the forefront of the circular formation " Kitkun Bay " escaped any direct hits as the shells splashed ever closer until 0925 when the enemy suddenly broke off the engagement and retired . The less fortunate and three escort ships went down fighting valiantly ; while suffering some gunfire damage , the Center Force lost three cruisers as a result of the attacks of the aircraft of " Taffies 2 and 3 . " The final phase of the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf was the retaliatory air strikes by both sides . Before the " Forenoon " watch had expired , " Kitkun Bay " had splashed a suicidal Mitsubishi G4M " Betty " but had also been crashed by an A6M Zero " Zeke " which struck the port catwalk killing one man and wounding 16 . The losses for the day also included two planes and their crews . The next day she sailed for Manus in the Admiralty Islands for replenishment and repairs . Arrived 1 November , she departed Manus the 7th for Pearl Harbor where VC - 5 was replaced by VC - 91 . Despite a submarine attack en route , " Kitkun Bay " returned safely to Manus 17 December . New Year ' s Day 1945 dawned with CVE - 71 steaming as part of Task Unit 77 . 4 . 3 ( Lingayen Transport Cover Group ) bound for the invasion of western Luzon . After passing through Surigao Straits , the convoy underwent a series of air attacks . Air cover destroyed seven enemy planes but at 1857 an Nakajima Ki - 43 " Oscar " got through and crashed " Kitkun Bay ' s " portside amidships at the waterline . Almost simultaneously a 5 inch shell struck her starboard side . The resultant fires and flooding were brought under control , but 16 were dead and 37 wounded . The following day with a list and only one engine operating she withdrew and proceeded by stages first to Leyte , Manus , Pearl Harbor and arrived San Pedro , California , 28 February . Two months later she sailed again for the Western Pacific . After a training period in the Hawaiian Islands , she departed 15 June for Ulithi and duty with the 3rd Fleet . On 3 July " Kitkun Bay " sortied forth with other escorts and ships of the " train " for support of the fast carriers operating off the coast of Japan . Mid - August she was reassigned to Task Force 44 gathering at Adak , Alaska , to escort Admiral F . J . Fletcher , COMNORPAC , who had been designated to receive the formal surrender of the Japanese in northern Honshū and Hokkaidō . Arrived off Honshū 7 September , she remained in the area until the 27th , seeing to the feeding and transportation of American prisoners of war . Detached to participate in Operation " Magic Carpet , " she first debarked 554 troops at San Francisco 19 October . Additional voyages to Pearl Harbor and Okinawa concluded 12 January 1946 at San Pedro , Calif . " Kitkun Bay " entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard , Bremerton , 18 February and decommissioned 19 April . Sold 18 November 1946 to Zidell Machinery & Supply of Portland , Oregon , she was scrapped early in 1947 . In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation Kitkun Bay earned six battle stars during World War II .