USS St. Lo (CVE-63)
Biography
The USS St. Lo (CVE-63) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier that served in the United States Navy during World War II. Originally named the USS Chapin Bay when it was laid down on January 23, 1943, the ship was renamed the USS Midway (CVE-63), on April 3, 1943, and commissioned on October 23, 1943, under the command of Captain Francis J. McKenna.
The ship was renamed the USS St. Lo (CVE-63) on October 10, 1944 to free up the name Midway for a new large aircraft carrier (CVB) and to commemorate the American victory at Saint-Lô in France. It's worth noting that the ship served most of its active duty as the USS Midway. The name St. Lo was only used for the final 15 days of the ship's service before it was sunk during the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944. During the battle, the USS St. Lo was part of "Taffy 3," a task unit of escort carriers and destroyers. During the attack, the St. Lo became the first major warship to fall victim to a kamikaze attack. The ship earned a Presidential Unit Citation posthumously.
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).