CVE-108 was initially named Vermillion Bay, for a bay (frequently spelled Vermilion, with only one "L") located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, southeast of Vermilion Parish and southwest of Iberia Parish (NS0310821).

Renamed Kula Gulf, 6 November 1943, after the night naval battle of 6 July 1943 between an American cruiser-destroyer task group under Rear Admiral Walden L. "Pug" Ainsworth and a powerful Japanese destroyer force in a 5-mile-wide gulf between Kolombangara and New Georgia, Solomon Islands (NS0310821a). (At the time, Kula Gulf was believed to be an American victory, as the Japanese had been unable to land their reinforcements. After the war, however, it became clear that the Japanese had landed 1,600 soldiers at Vila and, even though they lost two destroyers, they managed to sink a light cruiser—the battle could then be seen as a Japanese victory.)

US forces: light cruisers USS Honolulu (CL-48), USS St. Louis (CL-49), and USS Helena (CL-50, sunk); destroyers USS Radford (DD-446), USS Jenkins (DD‑447), USS Nicholas (DD-449), and USS O'Bannon (DD-450).

Japanese forces: destroyers Niizuki (sunk), Suzukaze, Tanikaze, Amagiri, Hatsuyuki, Nagatsuki (ran aground; was bombed later the same day and blew up), Satsuki, and Mochizuki.

NS0405009: Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 July 1943. Helena, in the center, firing during the battle, just before she was torpedoed and sunk. The next ship astern is Saint Louis. Photographed from Honolulu. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives, # 80-G-54553.

(Maps courtesy of Google Maps Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History, by Norman Friedman..)

The USS Kula Gulf at sea during a typhoon.

National Archives photo (#80-G-265624).

Bow on-bottom painted (in drydock at Todd's Shipyard Harbor Island in Seattle, Washington).

National Archives photo (#80-G-334013).

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), date and location unknown.

Kula Gulf (CVE-108), stern view, 10 May 1945 (two days before commissioning). Willamette Iron & Steel Corp. photo (# CVE 108-019).

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) underway in Puget Sound, Washington, 24 May 1945. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 22.

U.S. Navy photo from the Kula Gulf 1945–1946 cruise book.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) launches a Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat. This was the first catapult launch of the newly commissioned carrier, 16 June 1945.

U.S. Navy photo from the Kula Gulf 1945–1946 cruise book.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) underway on 5 September 1945.

National Archives photo (#80-G-265619).

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), circa 1945-46.

Collage (probably 1951).

S-3 Division, 12 October 1951.

Sailor in the 3rd row from front to back, 10th from left, is Gerald Weinmann (thanks to Earl Weinmann, his son).

Underway with F4U Corsairs on the after flight deck, location unknown. Circa 1951–1953.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (# NH 106716).

Annonated view of her mainmast, looking forward. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, July 1953 (# NY4-2759-7-53, 1 of 5). Bureau of Ships photo # BS143712.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-007_pr from Record Group 19.

Annonated view of her mainmast, looking forward. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, July 1953 (# NY4-2759-7-53, 2 of 5). Bureau of Ships photo # BS143713.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-008_pr from Record Group 19.

Annonated view of her mainmast and upper island, looking to starboard. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, July 1953 (# NY4-2759-7-53, 3 of 5). Bureau of Ships photo # BS143714.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-009_pr from Record Group 19.

Annonated view of her mainmast and upper island, looking aft. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, July 1953 (# NY4-2759-7-53, 4 of 5). Bureau of Ships photo # BS143715.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-010_pr from Record Group 19.

Annonated view of her mainmast and upper island, looking to starboard. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, July 1953 (# NY4-2759-7-53, 5 of 5). Bureau of Ships photo # BS143716.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-011_pr from Record Group 19.

"ATLANTIC FLEET-(FHTNC)—An airship on maneuvers at sea is held to the deck of the escort carrier USS Kula Gulf for refueling and exchange of crews. Escort carriers often act as advance mobile bases for the airships to increase the effective search range. (Official U.S. Navy Photograph—(819027)"

Arizona Sun, Friday, 16 October 1953.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking aft. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12298-8-55, 1 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153204.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-012_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking starboard & aft. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12295-8-55, 2 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153205.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-013_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking starboard. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12294-8-55, 3 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153206.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-014_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking forward & starboard. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12296-8-55, 4 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153207.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-015_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking forward. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12297-8-55, 5 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153208.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-016_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking starboard & aft. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12300-8-55, 6 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153209.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-017_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking aft & port. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12299-8-55, 7 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153210.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-018_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), looking port & forward. Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 August 1955 (# NY4-12301-8-55, 8 of 8). Bureau of Ships photo # BS153211.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-019_pr from Record Group 19.

USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) at anchor. Believed to be New York City, 1955.

October 1956 photo of decommissioned escort carriers moored at South Boston Navy Yard, as viewed from the Commonwealth Ice & Cold Storage building. The only carrier clearly identifiable here is ex-USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108). Former light cruiser ex-USS Dayton (CL-105) is moored on the other side of the closest vessel, which, thanks to other photos in the same series, can be identified as ex-USS Breton (CVHE-23).

Ex-USS Salerno Bay (CVE-110) can also be partially seen between Dayton and Kula Gulf.

Clockwise from upper left: Richard Varie; Richard Varie; Jack Barnett and Richard Varie; USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108). 1954.

Undated.

"An unusual feat is accomplished at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard when two carriers are placed in one dry-dock. Shown are the USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108) and the USS Monterey (CVL-26)." From a Philadelphia Naval Shipyard booklet, late 1950s.

"(PX-4)PHILADELPHIA, July 20[, 1965]—WORLD WAR II CARRIER REACTIVATED—The 15,000 ton escort carrier Kula Gulf, is being reactivated at Philadelphia Naval Base after ten years of inactivity as part of the mothball fleet. Food is loaded aboard the vessel by a crane as workmen aboard restore the ship for service as an aircraft ferry cargo ship in the Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service. The ship will be known as the U.S. Naval Ship Kula Gulf and will be operated by MSTS with an all-Civil service crew. A sea trial has been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. (AP WIREPHOTO)"

"Demothballed escort carrier Kula Gulf starts sea trials. Tugs pull the Kula Gulf out of Drydock 5 as she starts her sea trials. Navy Base (Philadelphia, Pa.) 26 July 1965. Photo by Wiedelman. Published by the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs."

"USNS Kula Gulf (AKV-8), 26 July 1965, preparing for sea trials after being reactivated at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The ship will be conducting sea trials off the North Carolina coast."

Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Collection.

"Workmen slipping the lines securing USNS Kula Gulf (AKV-8), 26 July 1965. The ship is preparing for sea trials off the North Carolina coast."

Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Collection.

"These pictures were taken in April of 1967 at Alameda. My helicopter company (188th AHC) was shipping out to Vietnam. We loaded two Assault Helicopter Companies and one Mohawk company plus supporting eqipment. The trip from Alameda to Nam was 15 days."

Liberty card, USS Kula Gulf (CVE-108), 1944–1945. Gerald A. La-Haise was an Aviation Machinist's Mate, 3rd Class (AMM/3c), who served aboard Kula Gulf in the Pacific until 1945.

One page of the muster roll of the ship's crew.