CVE-107 was initially named St. Andrews Bay, for a bay on the gulf coast of Florida and a sound on the southern coast of Georgia. (Earlier gazetteers listed both bodies of water as "St. Andrew's," but modern sources give "St. Andrew."). (NS0310719.)

Renamed Gilbert Islands, 26 April 1944, to commemorate an amphibious assault on Makin and Tarawa Islands, in the Gilberts—an island group containing 16 atolls in the western Pacific Ocean on the equator, southeast of the Marshalls and northeast of the Solomons (NS0310719a.) On 20 November 1943 Marines made an amphibious assault, seizing Makin Island without difficulty, but winning Tarawa only after a 100-hour battle in which over 3,500 Americans were killed or wounded.

NS0310719b: "Marines storm Tarawa. Gilbert Islands," photo by WO Obie Newcomb, Jr., November 1943. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 127-N-63458. 1st LT Alexander Bonnyman, Jr., USMCR, is the 4th man on the right at the top of the bunker (denoted with a faint arrow)—he was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor.

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

Gilbert Islands LoG Items, Commissioning Issue, Vol. 1, No. 1, 5 February 1945.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) underway in 1945. She wears Camouflage Measure 21.

U.S. Navy photo.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) underway, date and location unknown.

A U.S. Marine Corps Vought F4U-1D Corsair of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 512 is positioned on a catapult ready to launch from the escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) during the ship's shakedown cruise, on 6 March 1945.

National Naval Aviation Museum photo, # 1996.253.7161.010.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) in rough seas, sometime in 1945. TBM-3 Avengers with Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron (VMTB) 143 and FG-1D Corsairs of Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 512 are spotted on her deck. (See Adam Lewis's Plane Fun for more information.)

US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, photo # 1996.488.253.1578.

Catapult launch of a VMF-512 Corsair.

See Adam Lewis's Plane Fun for more information.

A crashed United States Marine Corps F4U-1D Corsair aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 512 being loaded on the flight deck of USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) at NAS San Diego, California, 11 March 1945. Official photo.

Some crew members sitting on the flight deck in front of a Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, during World War II. Aircraft Mechanic Robert L. Bede is in the photo front row, third from the right; he was on the commissioning crew.

"Congratulations Lt. Hay for making the 1000th landing on the USS Gilbert Islands," 3 June 1945. 1st Lt. William ("Billy") Hay, Marine Torpedo Bomber Squadron (VMTB) 143.

See Adam Lewis's Plane Fun for more information.

As built, transporting aircraft, 18 July 1945.

USS Lee Fox (APD-45) after colliding with USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), 25 July 1945.

Gilbert Islands's War Diary reads:

On 25 July at 0559, Captain Thomas Liggett, USMC, piloting F4U Bureau No. 87794, crashed into the sea about 1500 yards from this ship, and was picked up at 0630 by U.S.S. Lee Fox and reported to have the following injuries: dislocation of right shoulder and lacerated and bruised contusion of scalp. The airplane was not recovered. At 0729, when coming alongside to transfer Captain Liggett, U.S.S. Lee Fox surged into the starboard quarter of this vessel and dragged aft until her bow hung up under the starboard 5"/38 gun sponson, and became free at 0733, having caused the following damage to this ship: starboard boat boom carried away, holes in sponson, and other superficial damage, all well above the waterline. (A diver inspected the starboard screw later and reported no damage).

The smaller ship in this photo is often incorrectly identified as USS Andres (DE-45). Such a confusion is hard to explain, as Andres was fitted with two single 3"/50 guns in open mounts forward, and the ship in this photo has an enclosed 5"/38 gun mount.

US Navy photo, now in the collections of the US National Archives and Records Administration.

Carrier Division 27 successfully weathering China Sea Typhoon. Photographed from USS Salerno Bay (CVE-110) in October 1945. Ships shown are: USS Block Island (CVE-106), USS Siboney (CVE-112) and USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107).

U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-354605.

Adam explains:

[This is] "a map of the 1945 cruise of the USS Gilbert Islands from a contemporary ESSO map. A few VMF-512 pilots kept these. Mine are from Harry Williams and Jack Moss, F4U-1D pilots in the squadron."

"The carrier entered the map from the right edge 'From Pearl Harbor,' and left the map 'To Pearl Harbor.' In between they travelled from Borneo to the South China Sea. They attacked Japanese forces on Okinawa, Sakishima Gunto and Balikpapan, Borneo. They crossed the equator."

"The original 1945 map [NS0310723] has a lot more lines on it. In the interest of clarity they were removed [NS0310723a]—only the latitude/longitude lines, not ship’s history lines."

US Navy and US Marine Corps personnel who served aboard USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107).

Remembering Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice. The Seven US Marines Who Didn't Come Home.

Photo and ID of the 20 plane captains for VMF-512. The squadron had 18 FG-1D and F4U-1D Corsairs and two F6F-5P Hellcats.

"17th Battalion, CO. 4473, U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge, MD., Oct. 25, 1944." Don Champion, who is somewhere in the photo, states that all of this class went on to be plankowners of the Gilbert Islands.

(Larger copy available on request.)

WW II Cooks. (John is at lower left.)

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), 19 January 1946, CAPT T.U. Sisson, commanding.

There are planes on deck, but no USMC personnel in the photo.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) being reactivated at the Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts. The escort carrier was recommissioned on 7 September 1951. In November, she was moved from Philadelphia to Boston for overhaul. Gilbert Islands finally rejoined the Atlantic Fleet on 1 August 1952.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) underway in the early 1950s, with AF Guardian aircraft from VS-24 squadron on deck.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. Bow view. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1229-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-001.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. 45° starboard. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1230-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-002.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. Broadside. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1231-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-003.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. 225° port. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1232-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-004.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. Stern view. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1233-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-005.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107). Radar antennae. 45° port. Boston Naval Shipyard photo (# NY2-1234-7-52), July 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # rg19nn-b1584-006-006.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) moored off New York City, 10 November 1953.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph (#NH 106714). Courtesy of the Mariners Museum, Ted Stone Collection.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) had a Hunter-Killer team, with Grumman AF Guardian planes, for anti-submarine (ASW) operations out of Quonset Point, R.I. (1953–54) until decommissioning.

Captain's gig. Date and location unknown.

View of the flight deck, circa 1953–1954.

HUP-2 Retriever, modex UR67, Helicopter Utility Squadron (HU) 2 "Fleet Angels," circa 1953–1954.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) training in the Caribbean Sea, circa 1953.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) and USS Hailey (DD-556) underway, circa 1954.

The personnel of the U.S. Navy Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 36 "Gray Wolves" with one of the squadron's Grumman AF-2W Guardians aboard the escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), 1954. VS-36 and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 "Tridents" were assigned to the Gilbert Islands for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, 5 January–11 March 1954.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

A Grumman AF-2S Guardian of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 36 "Gray Wolves" launched from the escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), 1954.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

Sikorsky HO4S from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 "Tridents" aboard the escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), 1954.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) underway, 1954.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) and destroyer USS Hailey (DD-556) underway, 1954.

U.S. Navy photo from the Gilbert Islands 1954 Cruise Book.

Crew of USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), circa 1954–55, CAPT Harry P. Badger, Commanding.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) was decommissioned on Saturday, 15 January 1955.

South Boston Naval Annex, circa 30 May 1958. Easily identifiable are Salerno Bay (CVE-110), Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), Marcus Island (CVHE-77), Manila Bay (CVU-61), Kasaan Bay (CVHE-69), and Sargent Bay (CVU-83); also in this line were Shipley Bay (CVHE-85), Natoma Bay (CVU-62), and Savo Island (CVHE-78), and maybe a tenth, unidentified former "bird farm."

The skyline is the Customs House Tower, which these days you can't find from the clutter of the new high rises.

USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107), US Navy collection set, Silver Creek Collectables.