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USS ''St. Lo'' (CVE–63) was a of the United States Navy during World War II. On 25 October 1944, ''St. Lo'' became the first major warship to sink as the result of a ''kamikaze'' attack. The attack occurred during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. ''St. Lo'' was laid down as ''Chapin Bay'' on 23 January 1943; renamed ''Midway'' on 3 April 1943; launched on 17 August 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Howard Nixon Coulter; and commissioned on 23 October 1943, Captain Francis J. McKenna in command. She was renamed ''St. Lo'' on 10 October 1944 after the town of Saint-Lô in Normandy, France, which was the location of fierce fighting during the allied Normandy landings. ==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, launched two torpedoes at ''Midway''. Capt. McKenna eluded them, but one struck the stern of destroyer escort . ''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. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS St. Lo (CVE-63)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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