USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) - World War II

World War II

After a brief shakedown cruise, Belleau Wood reported to the Pacific Fleet, arriving at Pearl Harbor 26 July 1943. After supporting the occupation of Baker Island (1 September) and taking part in the Tarawa (18 September) and Wake Island (5 – 6 October) raids, she joined TF 50 for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands (19 November – 4 December 1943).

Belleau Wood operated with TF 58 during the seizure of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, Marshall Islands (29 January – 3 February 1944), Truk raid (16 – 17 February); Saipan-Tinian-Rota-Guam raids (21 – 22 February); Palau-Yap-Ulithi-Woleai raid (30 March – 1 April); Sawar and Wakde Island raids in support of the landings at Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), New Guinea (22 – 24 April); Truk-Satawan-Ponape raid (29 April – 1 May); occupation of Saipan (11 – 24 June), 1st Bonins raid (15 – 16 June), Battle of the Philippine Sea (19 – 20 June); and 2nd Bonins raid (24 June). During the Battle Of the Philippine Sea, Belleau Wood's planes sank the Japanese carrier Hiyō.

After an overhaul at Pearl Harbor (29 June – 31 July 1944) Belleau Wood rejoined TF 58 for the last stages of the occupation of Guam (2 – 10 August). She joined TF 38 and took part in the strikes in support of the occupation of the southern Palaus (6 September – 14 October); Philippine Islands raids (9 – 24 September); Morotai landings (15 September); Okinawa raid (10 October); northern Luzon and Formosa raids (11 – 14 October); Luzon strikes (15 and 17 October – 19 October), and the Battle of Cape Engaño (24 – 26 October). On 30 October, while Belleau Wood was patrolling with her task group east of Leyte, she shot down a Japanese suicide plane which fell on her flight deck aft, causing fires which set off ammunition. Before the fire could be brought under control, 92 men had either died or gone missing.

After temporary repairs at Ulithi (2 – 11 November), Belleau Wood steamed to Hunters Point, California, for permanent repairs and an overhaul, arriving 29 November. She departed San Francisco Bay 20 January 1945 and joined TF 58 at Ulithi on 7 February. During 15 February – 4 March she took part in the raids on Honshū Island, Japan, and the Nansei Shoto, as well as supporting the landings on Iwo Jima. She also took part in the 5th Fleet strikes against Japan (17 March – 26 May) and the 3rd Fleet strikes (27 May – 11 June). After embarking Air Group 31 at Leyte (13 June – 1 July), she rejoined the 3rd Fleet for the final strikes against the Japanese home islands (10 July – 15 August). The last Japanese aircraft shot down in the war was a "Judy" dive bomber which was shot down by Clarence "Bill" A. Moore, an F6F pilot of "The Flying Meat-Axe" VF-31 from USS Belleau Wood.

Belleau Wood launched her planes 2 September for the mass flight over Tokyo, Japan, during the surrender ceremonies. She remained in Japanese waters until 13 October. Arriving at Pearl Harbor 28 October, she departed three days later with 1248 servicemen for San Diego. She remained on "Magic Carpet" duty, returning servicemen from Guam and Saipan to San Diego, until 31 January 1946. During the next year Belleau Wood was moored at various docks in the San Francisco area, undergoing inactivation. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Alameda Naval Air Station 13 January 1947.

Belleau Wood received the Presidential Unit Citation and twelve battle stars during World War II.