CVE-86 was named Sitkoh Bay for an inlet on the southeast tip of Chichagof Island, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska (NS0308612). Sitkoh is a Tinglit Indian name published by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS) in the 1883 American Coast Pilot (p. 166).

(Map courtesy of Google Maps.)

Date and place unknown.

Date and place unknown.

Lucky Lady (PT-146) alongside USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86) trading rides for food.

From the collection of LT(JG) Bill Skade.

Lucky Lady (PT-146) departs from USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86).

From the collection of LT(JG) Bill Skade.

Pearl Harbor, 1945.

Pearl Harbor, 1945. TBMs on deck.

"On July 29, 1950, the Tacoma Naval Station was the scene of the recommissioning of the escort carrier U.S.S. Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86), twenty days after the orders came through to 'take her out of mothballs'. Captain H.B. Butterfield, representing the Commander Pacific Reserve Fleet, read the directive placing the ship in commission. Captain C.W. Lord accepted command of the ship from Captain Butterfield. The Sitkoh Bay, named for a small bay in southeastern Alaska, was originally commissioned in Astoria, Oregon, on March 28, 1944. The escort carrier participated in many engagements during World War II, including Palau, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Japan. The Sitkoh Bay transported a total of 2032 aircraft, 10,716 passengers and traveled 182,618 miles before being decommissioned at the end of the war."

Photo and text courtesy of the Tacoma Public Library.

USNS Sitkoh Bay (T-CVE 86) underway with an assortment of aircraft destined for Korea: TBM Avengers, SNB, R4D Skytrain (aka Skytrooper, Dakota and "Gooney Bird"), JD (the US Navy target-tug version of the USAAF's A-26C Invader) and F4U Corsairs (USN photo.)

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, photo # 1996.488.034.015. Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection.

Sitkoh Bay ferrying aircraft, possibly at about the same time as the photo above.

USNS Sitkoh Bay (T-CVE 86) with a deck load of U.S. Air Force Republic F-84E Thunderjet fighters en route to Japan during the Korean war, August 1951. The aircraft were from the 12th Fighter-Escort Wing, its aircraft going to Korea, whereas the personnel was deployed to Europe.

Photo from Strategic Air Command, by Lindsay T. Peacock.

Korean War. Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (HMR) 161 "Grayhawks" on USNS Sitkoh Bay (T-CVE 86). Shown: Sikorsky HRS-1 helicopter, BuNo 127799, modex HR-13, lands on flight deck. Photograph received 23 September 1951. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-433431.

"In December 1953 I was one of approximately 250 USAF personnel being transported to Japan. We were all on board the USS Sitkoh Bay, landing at Yokosuka Navy Base, Japan."

"The church service pic [NS0308606f] reminded me of an incident that sticks in my mind. The elevator was down to the hangar deck and many troops were sitting there watching a movie. I was further toward the bow (not on elevator) when a large wave came crashing over—and into the open elevator. Lots of laughs, but was not so funny to guys that got soaked! They closed the elevator right after that."

"Also, they did some target practice on way over. Put out a target of barrels with a flag and then circled around somewhere (distance not known) and fired the 5" gun [NS0308606d] a few times. I (and probably none of the other AF troops) had never been around such a thing. Wow! What a noise! Can't even imagine what a 16"er must sound like. They then continued the circle and picked up what was left of the 'target'."

(NS0308606b, NS0308606c)  Cocooned F-86D's on flight deck.

(NS0308606e, NS0308606i, NS0308606j)  Pat enjoying the ride on the flight deck.

Black and white photos were taken while in San Francisco and the early part of the voyage. Color slides were taken later.

"Welcome Aboard: Storekeeper Third Class Harold Helwig explains the significance of his service ribbons as he plays host to Orlando Montoya, one of fifteen youngsters from the California School for the Blind who were recent guests onboard the Military Sea Transportation Service Carrier USNS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86). This was the second time that these youngsters were guests of MSTS." Photographed at Alameda, California, 16 February 1954.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 330-PS-6527 (USN 709110).

"Chaplain Robert Vite acts as host for John Kavanaugh, one of the fifteen youngsters from the California School for the Blind who were recent guests onboard the Military Sea Transportation Service Carrier USNS Sitkoh Bay. This was the second time that these youngsters were guests of MSTS." Photographed at Alameda, California, 16 February 1954.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 330-PS-6527 (USN 709111).

"Connie Coursey of the California School for the Blind examines the neckerchief of Storekeeper Second Class Hugh D. Riggs, during her visit to the Military Sea Transportation Service carrier USNS Sitkoh Bay. She was one of fifteen youngsters from the California School for the Blind who were recent guests of MSTS." Photographed at Alameda, California, 16 February 1954.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 330-PS-6527 (USN 709112).

Ex-USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86), with ex-USS Sicily (CVE-118) moored across the pier, at the Hunters Point (San Francisco Group) Inactive Ship Facility in the mid-1950s. Special attention was paid to the wooden decks of the carriers, and they were periodically sprayed with preservatives. Still, the ravages of weather took their toll. In the foreground are the cruisers ex-USS Vincennes (CL-64) and ex-USS Amsterdam (CL-101). Note the metal "igloos" fitted over the ships' light AA mounts.