USS White Plains (CVE-66)
Biography
The USS White Plains (CVE-66) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. Initially named the USS Elbour Bay (ACV-66) when it was laid down on February 11, 1943, it was later renamed the USS White Plains (ACV-66) on April 3, 1943. The ship was redesignated as an escort carrier (CVE) on July 15, 1943. The ship was launched on September 27, 1943, and commissioned on November 15, 1943, under the command of Captain Oscar A. Weller. During World War II, the vessel provided aircraft logistics support during the Marshall Islands operation and participated in the Battle off Samar, where it earned a Presidential Unit Citation and five battle stars.
After its decommissioning on July 10, 1946, the USS White Plains was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in Boston. It remained there for twelve years before being redesignated as a utility aircraft carrier (CVU-66) on June 12, 1955. The ship's name was officially removed from the Navy list on July 1, 1958, and it was sold for scrapping later that month.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
James W. Cockrell Collection
The James W. Cockrell Collection, 1940 – 1957, consists of black-and-white photographs, a journal, an oversized map, United States Navy documents, newsletters, a certificate, and correspondence. This collection contains materials related to James W. Cockrell’s military service onboard the USS White Plains (CVE-66).