WWII Photo USS Cowpens CVL-25 US Navy Task Force 58 World War Two WW2 B&W / 7107

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WWII Photo USS Cowpens CVL-25 US Navy Task Force 58 World War Two WW2 B&W / 7107:
$5.99

USS Cowpens CVL-25

\"The Mighty Moo\"

This is a nice reproduction of an original World War Two photograph showingthe US Navy light aircraft carrier USS Cowpens, nicknamed the \"Mighty Moo\".Size is about 4\" x 6\".

Service history (from Wikipedia)World War II1943

Departing Philadelphia, on 29 August 1943, Cowpens arrived at PearlHarbor on 19 September to begin the active and distinguished war career whichwas to earn her a Navy Unit Commendation. She sailed with Task Force 14 for thestrike on Wake Island on 5–6 October, then returned to Pearl Harbor to preparefor strikes on the Marshall Islands preliminary to invasion. She sortied fromPearl Harbor 10 November to launch air strikes on Mille and Makin atolls from19 to 24 November, and Kwajalein and Wotje on 4 December, returning to her baseon 9 December.

1944

Joining Task Force 58, Cowpens sailed from Pearl Harbor on 16 January1944 for the invasion of the Marshalls. Her planes pounded Kwajalein and Eniwetokthe last 3 days of the month to prepare for the assault landing on 31 January.Using Majuro as a base, the force struck at Truk on 16–17 February and the MarianaIslands on 21–22 February before putting in to Pearl Harbor on 4 March.Returning to Majuro, Task Force 58 based here for attacks on the western Carolines;Cowpens supplied air and antisubmarine patrols during the raids on Palau,Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai from 30 March to 1 April. After operating off NewGuinea during the invasion of Hollandia from 21 to 28 April, Cowpenstook part in the strikes on Truk, Satawan and Ponape from 29 April to 1 May,returning to Majuro on 14 May for training.

From 6 June to 10 July 1944, Cowpens operated in the Marianasoperation. Her planes struck the island of Saipan to aid the assault troops,and made supporting raids on Iwo Jima, Pagan Island, Rota, and Guam. They alsotook part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June, accounting for anumber of the huge tally of enemy planes downed. After a brief overhaul atPearl Harbor, Cowpens rejoined the fast carrier task force at Eniwetokon 17 August. Then, on 29 August, she sailed for the pre-invasion strikes onthe Palaus, whose assault was an essential preliminary for the return to the Philippines.From 13 to 17 September, she was detached from the force to cover the landingson Morotai, then rejoined it for sweep, patrol, and attack missions against Luzonfrom 21 to 24 September. Cowpens, with her task group, sent air strikesto neutralize Japanese bases on Okinawa and Formosa from 10 to 14 October, andwhen Canberra and Houston were hit by torpedoes, Cowpensprovided air cover for their safe withdrawal, rejoining her task group on 20October. En route to Ulithi, she was recalled when the Japanese Fleetthreatened the Leyte invasion, and during the Battle of Surigao Strait phase ofthe decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf on 25–26 October, provided combat air patrolfor the ships pursuing the fleeing remnant of the Japanese fleet. Continuingher support of the Philippines advance, Cowpens\' planes struck Luzonrepeatedly during December. During the disastrous Typhoon Cobra on 18 December,Cowpens lost a man: ship\'s air officer Lieutenant Commander RobertPrice, several planes, and some equipment, but skillful work by her crewprevented major damage, and she reached Ulithi safely on 21 December to repairher storm damage.

1945

From 30 December 1944 to 26 January 1945, Cowpens wasat sea for the Lingayen Gulf landings. Her planes struck targets on Formosa,Luzon, the Indochinese coast and the Hong Kong-Canton area and Okinawa duringJanuary. On 10 February, Cowpens sortied from Ulithi for the Iwo Jimaoperation, striking the Tokyo area, supporting the initial landings from 19 to22 February, and hitting Okinawa on 1 March.

On 13 June, following an overhaul at San Francisco and training at PearlHarbor, Cowpens sailed on for San Pedro Bay, Leyte. Along the way shestruck Wake Island on 20 June. Rejoining Task Force 58, Cowpens sailedfrom San Pedro Bay on 1 July to join in the final raids on the Japanesemainland. Her planes pounded Tokyo, Kure, and other cities of Hokkaidō and Honshūuntil 15 August. Cowpens was the first American carrier to enter TokyoHarbor. Remaining off Tokyo Bay until the occupation landings began on 30August, Cowpens launched photographic reconnaissance missions to patrolairfields and shipping movements, and to locate and supply prisoner-of-warcamps. Men from Cowpens were the first Americans to set foot on theJapanese mainland, and were largely responsible for the emergency activation ofYokosuka airfield for Allied use and the liberation of a POW camp near Niigata.From 8 November 1945 to 28 January 1946 Cowpens made two voyages toPearl Harbor, Guam, and Okinawa to return veterans on \"Magic Carpet\"runs.

Post-War

On 3 December 1946, Cowpens was placed in commission reserve at MareIsland. On 15 May 1959, she was reclassified as an aircraft transport, with anew hull number, AVT-1. Then, on 1 November, she was stricken from the NavalVessel Register and sold for scrap.

Awards

In addition to her Navy Unit Commendation, Cowpensreceived 12 battle stars for World War II service.

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