USN
Casablamca
Escort Carrier

Built
December 9, 1942
Kaiser Shipbuilding Vancouver, Wash

Dimensions
512’3" | 65’ | 108’1”

Tons
7,800

Crew
860
KIA including:
Admiral Mullinix
Captain Wiltsie
53 other officers
591 enlisted

Armament
1 x 5”; 16 x 40mm
28 aircraft

History
Departed San Diego 21 October 1943 and arrived Pearl Harbor, 1 week later. Part of CarDiv 24, Liscome Bay departed Pearl Harbor 10 November attached to TF 52, Northern Attack Force, under Rear Adm. Richard K. Turner, bound for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. Aircraft from Liscome Bay participated in the operations to liberate both Tarawa and Makin Islands.

Torpedoed off Makin
On 23 November, the Japanese submarine I-175 arrived off Makin Island. The temporary task group built around Rear Adm. H. M. Mullinnix's three escorts carriers were steaming 20 miles southwest of Butaritari Island at 15 knots.

Sinking of Liscome Bay
At 0430, November 24, 1943, the ship went to routine general quarters at 0505 as flight crews prepared their planes for dawn launchings. There was no warning, Japanese Submarine I-175 was shadowing the carrier, and fired a torpedo at the carrier. At about 0510 when a lookout shouted: "... here comes a torpedo!" It struck abaft the after engineroom an instant later with a shattering roar. A second major detonation closely followed the first, the entire interior burst into flames. At 0533, Liscome Bay listed to starboard and sank, 272 of her crew were rescued.

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