Service History
After shakedown on the west coast and two voyages to Pearl Harbor and one to Australia carrying replacement aircraft, Midway, with Composite Squadron 65 (VC-65) embarked, joined Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan's Carrier Support Group 1 in June for the conquest of the Mariana Islands. She furnished air coverage for transports and participated in strikes on Saipan on 15 June 1944. She fought off several air attacks but suffered no damage during her support of the Saipan campaign. VC-65′s FM-2 Wildcats shot down four and damaged one other Japanese plane during combat air patrol operations there.
On 13 July, she sailed for Eniwetok for replenishment before joining the attack on Tinian on 23 July. Furnishing air support for ground forces on the island and maintaining an anti-submarine patrol, Midway operated off Tinian until she again headed out for supplies on 28 July.
Midway remained at anchor in Eniwetok Atoll until she got under way on 9 August for Seeadler Harbor at Manus, Admiralty Islands, arriving on 13 August.
On 10 September, she sortied with Task Force 77 (TF 77) for the invasion of Morotai. Catapulting her first plane to support the landings on 15 September, she continued to assist American troops ashore and to provide cover for the transports through the 22nd.
After stopping for fuel and ammunition at Mios Woendi, Midway resumed air operations off Morotai. On 3 October, RO-41 launched two torpedoes at Midway. Capt. McKenna eluded them, but one struck the stern of Shelton. Shelton was later taken under tow but foundered. Midway returned to Seeadler Harbor on 7 October. There, word arrived that the escort carrier had been renamed St. Lo on 10 October to free the name Midway for a new fleet carrier and to commemorate an important victory of American troops in France who had captured the strongly defended town of Saint-Lô on 18 July 1944.
Read more about this topic: USS St. Lo (CVE-63)
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