USS Sitkoh Bay ( CVE - 86 ) USS " Sitkoh Bay " ( CVE - 86 ) , an escort aircraft carrier , was converted from a Maritime Commission hull ( MC hull 1123 ) by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company of Vancouver , Washington . Her keel was laid down on 23 November 1943 , and she was launched on 19 February 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Kathryn Mullinnix ; and commissioned at Astoria , Oregon , on 28 March 1944 , Captain Robert G . Lockhart in command . Service history . " Sitkoh Bay " spent the month after commissioning completing her fitting out and making short shakedown and trial cruises along the northwestern coast of the United States . On 28 April , the escort carrier entered port at Alameda , California , loaded cargo and embarked passengers . She stood out of Alameda on 30 April , bound for Pearl Harbor , and began the first of many routine voyages shuttling planes , pilots , and air crewmen back and forth between the front line and rear areas . The majority of her missions carried her from Pearl Harbor , or via Pearl Harbor from the California coast , to various islands in the southern or central Pacific which served as staging areas for the war being waged farther north or west . In the latter part of 1944 , her ports of call were Majuro in the Marshall Islands , and Manus in the Admiralty Islands . From these two points , planes were staged on to the 3rd and 7th Fleet s , respectively . In January 1945 , the South Pacific was dropped from " Sitkoh Bay " s itinerary , and she concentrated on replenishing the 3rd Fleet in the Central Pacific . Her ports of call included Apra Harbor , Guam , in the Marianas ; Roi Harbor , Roi Island , and Eniwetok in the Marshalls ; and Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines . Her missions in early 1945 were in support of the campaigns in the Philippines , the assault on Iwo Jima , and the preparations for the invasion of Okinawa . " Sitkoh Bay " s only action came on 7 April 1945 while she was delivering Marine Air Group 31 to Okinawa . At 1528 , a Yokosuka P1Y " Frances " dove at the carrier . " Sitkoh Bay " s anti - aircraft gunners combined with an F4U Corsair on combat air patrol from to splash the interloper about 100 yards off " Sitkoh Bay " s port beam . The next day , she cleared the area for Guam en route to Pearl Harbor and a return to her replenishment routine . After the cessation of hostilities with Japan on 15 August , " Sitkoh Bay " joined Task Group 30 . 8 ( TG 30 . 8 ) , the replenishment group for the 3rd Fleet , and cruised with it off the southeastern coast of Honshū from 25 August - 5 September . On 10 September , she entered Eniwetok and departed the next day for Guam . For the next month , she made voyages between Guam , Samar Island in the Philippines , and Okinawa , returning to Pearl Harbor on 18 October and San Diego on the 26th for an availability period . After further voyages to the Central Pacific , " Sitkoh Bay " returned to the United States and was placed out of commission , in reserve , on 30 November 1946 at Bremerton , Wash . On 29 July 1950 , " Sitkoh Bay " recommissioned , Captain C . W . Lord in command . She was assigned to the Military Sealift Service , and for the next four years , she sailed between the west coast and Japan , supporting U . N . forces in Korea . Her major ports of call were San Francisco , San Diego , and Pearl Harbor and Yokohama and Yokosuka in Japan . " Sitkoh Bay " departed from this west coast - to - Japan routine three times over those four years . In March 1951 , she delivered a load of F8F Bearcat s to the French forces at Saigon in French Indochina and then visited Manila , P . I . , before returning to California - to - Japan runs . In September , she visited Pusan , Korea . " Sitkoh Bay " ventured from her normal sea - lanes again in May 1952 , when she sailed back to San Francisco from Yokosuka . The escort carrier ceased operations again in 1954 and was placed out of commission , in reserve , on 27 July . She joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet and was berthed at San Francisco . On 12 June 1955 , the mothballed escort carrier was redesignated a utility aircraft carrier , CVU - 86 . In mid - March 1958 , she changed berthing areas , moving from San Francisco to San Diego . On 1 April 1960 , " Sitkoh Bay " , by then reclassified as a cargo ship and aircraft ferry , AKV - 86 , was struck from the Naval Vessel Register . Her hulk was sold on 30 August 1960 to Eisenberg & Co . of New York City for scrapping . Awards . " Sitkoh Bay " was awarded three battle star s for her World War II service , and one for the Korean War .