From the data sent by CHARLES A THOMPSON (519-1988) we read of the loss of the aircraft carrier USS LISCOMBE BAY on 24 November, 1943. LISCOMBE BAY was built over 1942/1943 and was a CASABLANCA CLASS escort carrier, which were built in great numbers all through World War II.

Displacement (standard) 6,730 tons
Displacement (full load) 10,200 tons
Dimensions (length) 152 meters
Dimensions (beam) 19.8 meters
Dimensions (draft) 6.1 meters
Dimensions (flight deck length) 140 meters
Power (twin-shaft steam-reciprocating engines) 11,200hp
Speed 18 knots
Aircraft 20
Armor none
Armament 2 127mm guns in dual-purpose mounts
Armament 16 40mm guns
Armament 24 20mm automatic guns
Crew 800 men

Damage to the Ship and After Effects

The aircraft carrier was part of a formation which had completed a mission against the Gilbert Islands. On the morning of 24 November 1943, a torpedo launched by a Japanese submarine.

(HARRY'S NOTE - it was I-175 under Kplt Sunao Tabata that sank LISCOMBE BAY. This was the only ship sunk by Tabata during the War).

The torpedo struck the carrier amidships portside between the machinery spaces and a powerful explosion rocked the carrier, which quickly caught fire and settled rapidly by the stern, and sank in only 20 minutes.

Eyewitnesses stated that a few seconds after the explosion of the torpedo, there was a second explosion which was obviously internal, and that aircraft and much equipment was blown overboard, some to a height of more than 150 feet. The ship caught fire amidships and soon she began to list to port. About 30 meters of the stern section of the flight deck blew into the air, and the starboard side settled into the water for a considerable distance. Explosions continued through the carrier throughout the entire time she was sinking, which were probably bombs and torpedoes in stowage.

In all, 712 men were lost including 54 officers. Only about 10 men were saved. The ship was enveloped in fire so quickly that no kind of damage-control or firefighting measures were taken or even considered. Most of the men saved were badly burned and wounded.

CONCLUSIONS

Escort carrier LISCOMBE BAY suffered severe damage to the hull from the explosion of one torpedo in her midsection and from the explosion of ship ammunition; she sank in only 20 minutes and most of the crew were lost.