CVE-115 was initially named Portage Bay, for a bay in Alaska. (There are several features on the Alaskan coast known as Portage Bay. In 1944 it probably alluded to the bay on the north coast of Kupreanof Island, Alexander Archipelago, also known as Perenosnaia Bay, Perenosnaya Bukhta, Perenosnaya Creek and Portage Harbor. NS0311519.)

Renamed Bairoko, 5 June 1944, after a small harbor on the north coast of New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. In 1942 and 1943, the Japanese used this harbor as the port of supply for Munda airfield, itself important for the battles in and around Guadalcanal. American forces attacked on 20 July 1943, but the Japanese did not abandon Bairoko until 25 August. Its seizure marked an important milestone in the southwestern Pacific counter-offensive (NS0311519a).

NS0311519b: A Marine Raiders 60mm mortar crew goes into action on New Georgia. Because the Raiders had no heavier weapons, their initial efforts at Bairoko were mostly unsuccessful.

(Maps NS0311519 and NS0311519a courtesy of Google Maps. Photo NS0311519b Department of Defense Photo (USMC) 54650.)

USS Bairoko underway.

US Navy photo of USS Bairoko (CVE-115) underway, date and location unknown.

USS Bairoko (CVE-115). Date and location unknown.

USS Bairoko (CVE-115). Date and location unknown.

Photos from the collection of Frank J. White, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), 1944–1945.

F4U Corsairs on deck.

SB2C Helldivers on deck.

View of the island.

Frank J. White.

Gunnery drill aboard USS Bairoko (CVE-115), circa 1945.

Aerials of USS Bairoko (CVE-115), shown off Vashon Island, Washington, at an altitude of 400 feet and a speed of 20 knots. Photographed by aircraft from Naval Air Station, Seattle, Washington, 26 July 1945.

NS0311509a: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-346690.

NS0311509b: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-346692.

The escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115) underway, apparently at the same time as the photos above. She is fitted with SK-2 air-search radar. Note the rounded stern, carrying two quad 40mm sponsons; visible forward of the port side sponson is the muzzle of one of the pair of 5"/38's. USN photo.

Starboard quarter view of USS Bairoko (CVE-115), steaming off San Pedro, California, 10 October 1945. BuAer photo (# SP10461).

USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Pearl Harbor, November 1945.

NS0311524: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-351482.

NS0311524a: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-351483.

A Ryan FR-1 Fireball of Fighter Squadron (VF) 41 "Firebirds" launching from the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115) during testing and evaluation of the composite piston-and-jet-engine aircraft, 3 March–26 April 1946. Note the "G-symbol" identifying Bairoko's planes, a white tail with two yellow vertical stripes in front. As these geometries were hard to remember and describe, they were replaced by letters on 7 November 1946. Photo by Lawrence B. Massey, SM2C, USN.

A Ryan FR-1 Fireball from Fighting Squadron (VF) 41 "Firebirds" recovering aboard the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115), just before the nose gear collapsed, 13 March 1946.

National Museum of Naval Aviation photo, # 1996.253.7133.006.

A Ryan FR-1 Fireball of Fighter Squadron (VF) 41 "Firebirds" recovering aboard the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115) during operations in the Pacific in 1946. Photo courtesy Lawrence B. Massey, SM2C, USN.

Three Ryan FR-1 Fireballs of Fighting Squadron (VF) 41 "Firebirds" on the bow of the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115) during a deployment to the Western Pacific in 1946. Note the "G-symbol" identifying Bairoko's planes, a white tail with two yellow vertical stripes in front. As these geometrics were hard to remember and describe they were replaced by letters. On 7 November 1946, Aviation Circular Letter (ACL) 156-46 assigned "BA" as Bairoko's tail code. Lawrence B. Massey, SM2C, USN.

"WASHINGTON: It was reported here 5/25[, 1948,] that the U.S. aircraft carrier Bairoko was exposed to radioactive dust from the recent Pacific H-bomb tests but none of the 1,500-man crew was seriously injured. The Navy and the AEC refused to comment on the report. Above the 13,000-ton baby flattop is shown at anchor. UNITED PRESS TELEPHOTO FROM FILES."

USS Bairoko (CVE-115), location and date unknown (possibly circa 1949).

"Escort Carrier, the USS Bairoko, (CVE-115), part of the Air Support Group under the command of Rear Admiral M.R. Greer, USN, steams past snow covered mountains of Kodiak while recovering Marine support aircraft during 'Operation MICOWEX'".

Quoted from the original picture caption. This view was taken by a USS Boxer (CV-21) photographer on 10 February 1949. A U.S. Marine Corps F4U aircraft is flying over the carrier and other F4Us are parked on her flight deck, forward. Kodiak Island is in the background.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (NH&HC), photo # NH 97321.

USS Bairoko (CVE-115) at San Diego, April 1949.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-427622.

"The 10,900 ton escort aircraft carrier, USS Bairoko, is shown as she arrived at Pearl Harbor Thursday evening, July 28 (1949), from San Diego, Calif., with 30 officers and 150 enlisted personnel from Composite Squadron 25, which will receive six weeks' training with Fleet All Weather Training Unit at Barber's Point Naval Air Station, Oahu, T.H. The Bairoko is commanded by Captain S. Gazze, USN, of Coronado, California".

Quoted from the original picture caption, released by 14th Naval District Public Information Office on 29 July 1949.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97319).

"My father, John Owens, served aboard the Bairoko during Operation Miki in 1949 off the coast of Hawaii. During a landing approach, his Avenger [SK]415[, Composite Squadron (VC) 25,] was hit by a crosswind, swerved to port, clipping the right wing on the catwalk and plunged into the ocean. The pilot easily got out, but my dad who had climbed out of the turret realized that the crewman inside was trapped and couldn't open the hatch. He crawled over the fuselage and freed the crewman. Afterwards they drifted to the destroyer USS Brinkley Bass to be their guests until the operation was over. Luckily, the entire event was photographed."

"The Avenger now on display at the USS Midway museum has the exact markings of my dad's old plane in tribute to the plane and its crew."

USS Bairoko (CVE-115) photographed during the later 1940s or early 1950s, off San Diego, California. This photograph was received by the Naval Photographic Center in December 1959, many years after it was taken.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97320).

"Everybody turns to when it's reactivation time. Here storekeeper striker D.W. Shore ... and Glenn Hobbs ... remove a dehumidifier from the hangar deck of USS Bairoko prior to its actual reactivation by San Francisco Naval Shipyard employees."

"Navy men like Seaman Hobbs and Storekeeper Shore were given the task of helping in reassembling the ship that would be theirs when the ship departed from San Francisco."

Quoted caption was released with this photo circa August 1950. Bairoko recommissioned for Korean War service on 12 September 1950.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the All Hands collection at the Naval History & Heritage Command (NHHC), # NH 97004.

Aerial view of USS Bairoko (CVE-115) underway. Photo is dated 20 April 1950, but was probably taken during the second half of 1949, as Bairoko reported to the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for pre-inactivation maintenance on 15 December 1949, and was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 14 April 1950.

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.488.035.020. Robert L. Lawson Photograph Collection.

"Memories from Duty Aboard USS Bairoko (CVE-115)," sent by Robert (Bob) Martin, TE-2, The CVE Piper, Summer 2010, page 23.

A U.S. Navy Grumman AF-2W Guardian from Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 25 crashes off the escort carrier USS Bairoko (CVE-115), circa 1952. VS-25 was assigned to Bairoko for a deployment to the Western Pacific and Korea from 1 December 1951 to 26 May 1952.

U.S. Navy photo from the Bairoko 1951–1952 Cruise Book.

A barrier crash of a U.S. Marine Corps Vought F4U-4 Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 312 "Checkerboards" (pilot Captain Richard S. Togerson) aboard USS Bairoko (CVE-115) on 11 April 1952. The escort carrier deployed to Korea from 1 December 1951 to 9 June 1952.

U.S. Marine Corps photo 127-GR-73-A328142.

National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives Identifier (NAID) 74242816.

NY13-17750, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-039_pr, from Record Group 19.

NY13-17751, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-040_pr, from Record Group 19.

NY13-17752, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-041_pr, from Record Group 19.

NY13-17753, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-042_pr, from Record Group 19.

NY13-17754, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-043_pr, from Record Group 19.

NY13-17755, USS Bairoko (CVE-115), Antennas - 30 September 1952. Long Beach Naval Shipyard, Long Beach 2, California. Official Navy Photograph.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-044_pr, from Record Group 19.

US Marine Corps F4U-4 Corsairs from Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 312 "Checkerboards" operating aboard USS Bairoko (CVE-115), probably off Korea, 1952–1953.

"Best Wishes—Blue Angels, USS Bairoko CVE-115, 1986" "Blue Angels" 40th Anniversary.

Signed by: #1, CDR Gil Rud, Flight Leader, A-4F Skyhawk BuNo 155033; #2, Capt. Mark Bircher, USMC, Right Wing, BuNo 154172; #3, LCDR Donnie L. Cochran (first African-American "Blue Angel" pilot), Left Wing, 154983; #4, LT Pat Walsh, Slot Pilot, 154180; #5, LCDR Curt Watson, Lead Solo, 154211; #6, LT David Anderson, Opposing Solo, 154904; #7, LT Wayne Molnar, Narrator, 158722; #8, Maj. Bill Campbell, USMC, Event Coordinator, TA-4J BuNo 158722.