Makassar Strait
History After shakedown along the west coast, MAKASSAR
STRAIT departed San Diego 6 June and steamed to the Marshalls carrying
replacement aircraft and passengers; thence and later transported military
casualties to Pearl Harbor and the west coast where she arrived San Diego, 13
July. During much of the next 2 months she trained carrier pilots off southern
California. Between 25 September and 15 October she ferried 129 planes to Hawaii
and to Manus, Admiralties. After returning to Pear Harbor 26 October with 70
damaged Wildcats on board, she resumed pilot training operations out of Pearl
Harbor. With Composite Squadron 97 embarked, MAKASSAR STRAIT departed Pearl
Harbor 29 January 1945 and steamed for combat duty in the western Pacific.
Assigned to a support carrier group 8 April, MAKASSAR STRAIT began air
operations in the intense fighting on Okinawa. During the next 4 weeks, she
launched scores of sorties against targets in the Ryukus. Her planes provided
close air support for American ground troops and struck with effective and
devastating force against enemy gun emplacements, ground installations, and
airfields as determined Americans drove to capture Okinawa--the enemy's last
bastion of his crumbling empire. In addition, the escort carrier's planes
splashed four enemy aircraft. MAKASSAR STRAIT transferred her air squadron to
SHIPLEY BAY (CVE-85) at Kerama Retto 7 May and departed later that day for Guam
where she arrived the 11th. Arriving San Diego 21 August, MAKASSAR STRAIT had
steamed more than 91,000 miles in support of the Allied victory in the Pacific.
She continued to train carrier pilots during the next 2 months; by the end of
October the total number of landings on her flight deck since her commissioning
had surpassed 15,500. Departing San Diego 5 January, MAKASSAR STRAIT steamed via
San Francisco to Tacoma, Wash., where she arrived 12 January. Assigned to the
19th Fleet, she underwent deactivation and decommissioned 9 August 1946. She
entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Tacoma; and, while berthed there, was
reclassified CVU-91 on 12 June 1955. On 28 August 1958, the Secretary of the
Navy authorized her to be used as a target to destruction. Her name was struck
from the Navy list 1 September 1958. MAKASSAR STRAIT received two battle stars
for World War II service. Transcribed by Michael Hansen mhansen2@cox.net
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