USS Wasp CV-18

USS Wasp (CV-18) was an Essex class aircraft carrier and the ninth United States Navy ship to carry the name. She was originally laid down as Oriskany at Quincy, Massachusetts in March of 1942 by the Bethlehem Steel Company. In honor of her predecessor CV-7, she was renamed Wasp in November. Sponsored by Miss Julia M. Walsh, sister of Senator David Walsh of Massachusetts, Wasp was launched on August 17, 1943. She was commissioned on November 24, 1943, Captain Clifton A. F. Sprague in command.

In January of 1944 following her shakedown cruise, Wasp made calls at Hampton Roads, Virginia and Trinidad before returning to Boston in February. Prepared for service in the Pacific, Wasp steamed for Hawaii via the Panama Canal and San Diego, arriving at Pearl Harbor on April 4, 1944. Wasp conducted training operations in the Hawaiian Islands and then steamed to the Marshall Islands. Joining the Fast Carrier Task Force TF 58 on May 14, Wasp and her air group made her first combat strikes on Marcus and Wake Islands from May 19 to May 24. Returning to Majuro to prepare for the Mariana campaign, Wasp sortied on June 6 for the invasion of Saipan. Striking Japanese air bases on Saipan and Tinian starting on June 11 and then provided close air support for the Marines on Saipan through June 17, 1944. On June 21, Wasp along with Bunker Hill (CV-17) was dispatched to locate and destroy the retreating Japanese fleet. Unsuccessful in locating any enemy ships, Wasp retired to Eniwetok for replenishment.

Wasp departed Eniwetok to strike both Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima on July 3 and 4. She then returned to the Marianas for attacks on Guam and Rota and remained to provide close air support for the troops landing on Guam on July 21, 1944. Wasp departed the next day for the Western Carolines for raids against the Palaus on July 25, returning to Eniwetok once again for replenishment, arriving on August 2. Departing Eniwetok August 28, Wasp next struck Palaus for three days beginning September 6. On September 9 and 10, her aircraft met little resistance as they struck Mindanao airfields and were equally successful with their raids on the Visayan Islands on September 12 and 13. Wasp launched air strikes from 50 miles off Morotai on September 15, then revisited Mindanao and the Visayas before steaming to Manus for replenishment on September 29.

Underway again on October 4, Wasp with her task force steamed toward the Ryukyus. On October 10, she launched her aircraft to strike Okinawa, Amami and Miyaki. On October 12, she started three days of strikes against Formosa. From there Wasp sent her planes to raid Luzon on October 18, Manila the next day and on October 20 provided air support for the landing on Leyte. Wasp set course for Ulithi on October 22 to rearm and provision. Wasp turned about on the 25th to participate in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Steaming towards Samar, she launched her aircraft against the Japanese Center Force. Wasp departed for Ulithi on October 28. Wasp participated on raids against air bases in Luzon on November 5 and 6 and then steamed for Guam. Returning to strike targets in the Philippines and particularly on Luzon, Wasp steamed to Ulithi on November 26. Following training with her new air group, Wasp sortied from Ulithi on December 10 to once again strike Luzon on November 14 through November 16. The task force was then battered by a destructive typhoon and set course for Ulithi for repairs, arriving Christmas Eve.

Back in action before the end of the year, Wasp launched her aircraft against airfields on Sakishima Gunto and Okinawa. After rehearsals at Tinian for the capture of Iwo Jima, Wasp launched her aircraft on February 16 against the Japanese planes then provided air support for the landing on Iwo Jima on the 19th. Departing for Japan on February 25, raids on Tokyo were called off due to cloud cover and the task force turned towards Okinawa. After striking the islands of the Ryukyu group, the task force returned to Ulithi, arriving March 4, 1945.

Returning to strike against Japan, Wasp was struck by a bomb that pierced her flight and hangar deck. Despite the damage and loss of men, Wasp managed to launch her air group and continue the strikes during the busy week of March 17 to March 23.Wasp put in to the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washington on April 13, 1945 for repairs. Returning to the western Pacific on July 12, 1945, Wasp would strike at Wake Island and then Yokosuka Naval Base near Tokyo. Her last combat action would on August 15, when her pilots shot down two enemy aircraft attacking the task force. After participating in missions of mercy, and in Operation Magic Carpet, USS Wasp was placed out of commission in reserve, attached to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Wasp earned eight battle stars for service in World War II.

After conversion at the New York Naval Shipyard, Wasp was re-commissioned on September 10, 1951 and would serve with both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. First re-designated CVA-18 in 1952 and again re-designated as an anti-submarine warfare aircraft carrier CVS-18 in November of 1956, Wasp would remain operational and visit ports encompassing the globe until 1972. Wasp was decommissioned July 1, 1972, sold to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation May 21, 1973 and subsequently scrapped.

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