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USS Block Island (CVE-21/AVG-21/ACV-21) was a Bogue-class escort carrier for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first of two escort carriers named after Block Island Sound off Rhode Island and was the only American carrier sunk in the Atlantic during the war.

USS Block Island underway with a deckload of aircraft, 15 October 1943.
History
United States
NameUSS Block Island
NamesakeBlock Island Sound
BuilderSeattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down19 January 1942
Launched1 May 1942
Sponsored byMrs. H. B. Hutchinson
Commissioned8 March 1943
Honors and
awards
2 Battle Stars
FateTorpedoed by U-549; scuttled by escort screen, 29 May 1944
General characteristics
Class and typeBogue-class escort carrier
Displacement16,620 long tons (16,890 t)
Length495.66 ft (151.08 m)
Beam111 ft 6 in (33.99 m)
Draft26 ft (7.9 m)
Installed power8,500 shp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion
  • 1 × Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbine
  • 1 × shaft
Speed18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Complement890 officers and men
Armament2 × 4"/50, 5"/38 or 5"/51/38 cal dual purpose guns
Aircraft carried24
Aviation facilities2 × elevators

Originally classified AVG-21, she became ACV-21 on 20 August 1942, and CVE-21 on 15 July 1943.[1] She was named after Block Island, an island in Rhode Island east of New York.[2]


Construction and commissioning


Block Island was launched on 6 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Tacoma, Washington, under a Maritime Commission contract; sponsored by Mrs H. B. Hutchinson, wife of Commander Hutchinson. She transferred to the United States Navy on 1 May 1942 and commissioned on 8 March 1943, with Captain Logan C Ramsey in command.


Aircraft carried


Block Island had capacity for up to 24 fighter and anti-submarine aircraft normally a mixture of Grumman; Wildcat and Avengers with composition dependent upon the mission. The squadron had the callsign VC-25 USN (Composite Squadron Twenty Five).[3]

When she was utilised in a ferry role, she could carry up to 90 aircraft depending on aircraft type.


Service history


Departing San Diego, California in May 1943, Block Island steamed to Norfolk, Virginia, to join the Atlantic Fleet. She then made two trips from New York City to Belfast, Ireland, carrying Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters.

USS Bogue (CVE-9) and USS Card (CVE-11) had pioneered new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) techniques in the Battle of the Atlantic, forming hunter-killer groups to destroy German submarines. Block Island formed another group with four veteran flush-deck destroyers, Paul Jones, Parrott, Barker, and Bulmer as Task Group (TG) 21.1. During her four anti-submarine cruises, Block Island's aircraft sank two submarines and shared another two with her escorts.

On 28 October 1943, her Avenger and Wildcat aircraft sank U-220 with depth charges at 48°53′N 33°30′W, fifty-six men were killed (all hands).

Survivors from U-66 aboard Block Island
Survivors from U-66 aboard Block Island

On 19 March 1944, her aircraft sank U-1059 in 13°10′N 33°44′W southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. U-1059 was transporting torpedoes to the Monsun Gruppe ("Monsoon Group"), a group of U-boats that operated in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Of U-1059’s crew, 47 were killed and 8 captured.[4]

On 17 March 1944, Block Island, destroyer Corry, and destroyer escort Bronstein sank U-801 at 16°42′N 30°20′W. Nine of the boat's crew were killed and 47 taken prisoner.

On 6 May 1944, Block Island and destroyer escort Buckley sank U-66 at 17°17′N 32°29′W.[1] The boat lost 24 killed and there were 36 survivors, later transferred to Block Island.


Sinking


Block Island was torpedoed off the Canary Islands at 20:13 on 29 May 1944 by U-549 who had slipped through her screen of escorts. U-549 fired three T-3 torpedoes, hitting her with two and severely damaging the ship which later sank.[5][6] Six crewmen were killed in the attack; the remaining 951 were picked up by the escorting destroyers.[1]

Eugene E. Elmore attacked and sank U-549 using her hedgehog spigot mortar system and depth charges in 31°13′N 23°03′W.[1]

When Block Island was torpedoed, six of her Wildcats were in the air and had no place to land. They headed for the Canary Islands but all had to ditch at night after running out of fuel and only two of the pilots were rescued.[7]


Reunions


Former crewmembers held several reunions, the final one in Fargo, North Dakota in 2019.[8]


Awards


Block Island received two battle stars for her service.


See also



References


This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.




На других языках


[de] USS Block Island (CVE-21)

Die USS Block Island war ein Geleitflugzeugträger der United States Navy und gehörte der Bogue-Klasse an. Das Schiff wurde auf der Werft der Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Seattle (US-Bundesstaat Washington) im Auftrag der United States Maritime Commission am 19. Januar 1942 auf Kiel gelegt. Benannt wurde der Träger nach der Insel Block Island im gleichnamigen Block Island Sund vor der Küste des US-Bundesstaates Rhode Island. Ursprünglich war es geplant gewesen, das Schiff nur als Hilfsflugzeugträger mit der Kennung ACV-21 in Dienst zu nehmen. Nach dem Stapellauf am 6. Juni 1942 wurde die Block Island am 8. März 1943 jedoch als vollwertiger Geleitflugzeugträger in Dienst gestellt und erhielt deswegen am 15. Juli 1943 die letztendlich gültige Kennung CVE-21.
- [en] USS Block Island (CVE-21)

[fr] USS Block Island (CVE-21)

L'USS Block Island (CVE-21/AVG-21/ACV-21) est un porte-avions d'escorte de classe Bogue construit pour la Marine américaine pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

[ru] USS Block Island (CVE-21)

USS Block Island (CVE-21) («Блок-Айленд») — авианосец ВМС США типа «Боуг». В строю с июня 1942 года, участвовал во Второй мировой войне. Во время боевых походов в северную и центральную Атлантику в 1943 — 1944 годах самостоятельно потопил две немецких подводных лодки (ПЛ). 29 мая 1944 года потоплен торпедами подводной лодки U-549.



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