USN
Bogue Class Escort Carrier
Ship History
Originally classified AVG-12, was changed to ACV-12, August 20, 1942; CVE-12, July 15, 1943. Laid down on 18 June 1941, at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Tacoma, Washington. Launched October 21, 1941. Commissioned June 15, 1942, with commander J. G. Farrell. Copahee received one battle star for World War II service.
Wartime History
Sailing from Alameda 5 September 1942, Copahee arrived at Noumea 28 September with her cargo of planes, stores and passengers. From October 7 to 11 October, she cruised toward Guadalcanal to launch 20 marine fighter planes for Henderson Field, then returned to San Diego, California 29 October for overhaul.
After training at Pearl Harbor, Copahee sailed from San Diego 25 February 1943 to begin transport duty carrying aircraft, aviation stores and personnel to the forward bases in the New Hebrides, Fijis, and New Caledonia as well as islands in the Hawaiian chain until 7 June 1943.
Between 2 September 1943 and 19 January 1944, she made two voyages to deliver aircraft at Townsville and Brisbane, Australia, and one to Pearl Harbor. She sailed from San Diego 10 April to ferry aircraft from Pearl Harbor to Majuro until 3 June when she began supporting the Marianas operation by supplying replacement pilots and aircraft to carriers of the 5th Fleet.
Circa July 1944
Captured Japanese Aircraft
In July, Copahee loaded a deck cargo 13 A6M5 Zeros and 1 B5N Kate and equipment (spare parts and 37 engines) to be used for intelligence. Among the aircraft were: A6M5 4340, A6M5 5357, A6M5 5350, A6M5 1303, A6M5 Zero 5352, A6M5 5356. On July 28, 1944 she arrived at San Diego, California.
After overhaul, Copahee returned to transport duty. Until the end of the war she made six voyages from Alameda, carrying her vital cargo to Manus, Majuro, Guam, Saipan, and Pearl Harbor.
Postwar
From 6 September to 21 December 1945, she operated in "Magic Carpet" duty, returning homeward-bound servicemen from Saipan, Guam, Eniwetok, and the Philippines to the west coast. She returned to Alameda 21 December 1945, and was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Tacoma, Washington, 5 July 1946.
Copahee was redesignated as a helicopter escort carrier (CVHE-12) on 12 June 1955. Stricken for disposal on 1 March 1959, Copahee was sold for scrap in 1961.
