In the US Navy, AVG-14 was named Croatan, for a sound of the North Carolina coast.

Transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease, 27 February 1943, she served as HMS Fencer. (The name Croatan was subsequently assigned to AVG-25.)

(Map courtesy of Google Maps.)

"NAVAL AUXILIARY LAUNCHED—The naval auxiliary, U.S.S. Croatan, hits the water as the craft was launched April 4 at the Western Pipe & Steel Company in San Francisco. The Croatan, named after Croatan Sound on the North Carolina coastline, will go into service with the fleet." Associated Press Photo, 1942.

HMS Fencer (D64), ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14), date and location unknown.

Undated photo of three Fairey Swordfish Mk IIs of No. 842 Squadron on the flight-deck of the escort carrier HMS Fencer, well chocked and with their vitals covered against the Atlantic weather. 842 Squadron, was one of the hard-worked composite units engaged principally on convoy escort work, spending virtually all of its time afloat embarked in Fencer. Photo Courtesy Bill Penlington/Bruce Vibert.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

Another undated view from the flight deck of the escort carrier HMS Fencer with 842's Swordfish Mk IIs in the background. Photo Courtesy Bill Penlington/Bruce Vibert.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

HMS Fencer (D64), ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14), crash on deck. Date and location unknown.

"The pilot of a Grumman Wildcat, at readiness in HMS Fencer, makes himself comfortable in the cockpit with a book and a sunshade during a recent hot spell."

Photo by unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Part of Admiralty Official Collection. This photograph A 25067 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums. This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence.

HMS Fencer (D64) at anchor, circa 1943–1946. Photo taken by an unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo id: FL 13104 from the photographic collections of the Imperial War Museum.

Stern view of HMS Fencer, ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14), in San Francisco Bay on 26 March 1943. US Navy photo #2051-43.

Broadside view of HMS Fencer, ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14), in San Francisco Bay on 26 March 1943. US Navy photo #2052-43.

HMS Fencer (D64), ex-USS Croatan (CVE-14), as seen from a sister ship, plows through rough seas during Arctic convoy operations. Photo Crown copyright.

Undated wartime photo of the escort carrier HMS Fencer's flight deck being cleared of snow and ice in order to permit flying, while escorting an Arctic convoy to Russia. Note the two Wildcats with wings folded, and the two Sworfdish Mk II TSRs (Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance) aircraft parked aft, ready for the next sortie. Photo taken by an unknown Royal Navy/Official photographer. Photo No. A. 23575 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums.

An errant deck landing involving a Swordfish of No. 842 Squadron, rather too far starboard and clipping Fencer's island. The aircraft slewed before coming to a halt and, happily, the crew were unhurt. Despite the camera-shake in pic 1—for which the photographer can be entirely forgiven considering the circumstances—the censor has assidiously erased the still hush-hush strutted mounted ASV array. Photo courtesy Bill Penlington/Bruce Vibert.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

An 842 Squadron Swordfish Mk II making, at first glance, a clean landing on board HMS Fencer. Not so: the main wheels have displaced one of the arrester wires, which has thus been missed by the hook. The result is shown in pic [NS0301416a]. Photo courtesy Bill Penlington/Bruce Vibert.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

The same 842 Squadron Swordfish Mk II after crash-landing on board HMS Fencer in December 1943 [(see NS0301416)]. The pilot, sub-Lieutenant Bruce Vibert, and his observer, seen here about to disembark, were unhurt. Photo courtesy Bill Penlington/Bruce Vibert.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

HMS Fencer at sea, in 1944.

HMS Fencer (D64), ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14), seen from the flight deck of HMS Striker (D12) during operations in the Atlantic, February 1944. A Sea Hurricane of 824 Squadron is parked on the aft end of Striker's flight deck. Photo: Richard Webb.

HMS Fencer (D64) moored at Greenock, Scotland, 6 March 1944, with Swordfish torpedo-bombers on deck.

Imperial War Museums Admiralty Official Collection, by Beadell, S.J. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (# A 22177).

Shown here is the Type VIIC boat U-674 as seen on 2 May 1944 from a Swordfish aircraft of No.842 Squadron operating from the escort carrier HMS Fencer. U-674 left Narvik on 17 April 1944 on its third war cruise, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Harald Muhs. The operation took place about 360 miles west of the Lofoten Islands. U-674 was attacked in the early morning with rocket projectiles. All forty-nine crew members were lost. Ref: ADM 199/206.

Photo and text from Ultra Versus U-boats, by Roy Conyers Nesbit (Pen & Sword Books Ltd., 2008).

Shown here is the Type VIIC boat U-959 under attack in the early afternoon by a Swordfish aircraft of No. 842 Squadron operating from the escort carrier HMS Fencer. U-959 left Narvik on 22 April 1944, on its second war cruise commanded by Oberleutnant zur See [Friedrich Weitz]. The operation took place about 360 miles west of the Lofoten Islands. The photo shows U-959 being attacked with a stick of three depth charges. All fifty-three crew members were lost. Ref: ADM 199/206

Photo and text from Ultra Versus U-boats, by Roy Conyers Nesbit (Pen & Sword Books Ltd., 2008).

Russian Admiral A. Levchenko and his son aboard the escort carrier HMS Fencer en route to join HMS Royal Sovereign at Rosyth, Scotland prior to her loan to the Soviet Navy in 1944. Photo Imperial War Museum, London.

Photo and text from Battleships at War: HMS Royal Sovereign and her Sister Ships, by Peter C. Smith.

A Grumman Avenger of 852 Squadron Fleet Air Arm, landing on HMS Fencer (D64) (September–October 1944?).

Source: Imperial War Museums Admiralty Official Collection by Mason, H.A. (Lt), Photo No.© IWM(A 26133).

HMS Fencer (ex-USS Croatan), left, is painted "as delivered," but HMS Striker (ex-Prince William) has the "false hull" scheme already applied. Both ships have arrived in Australia direct from the U.K. to join the British Pacific Fleet (BPF), early 1945.

Picture taken Dec. 20, 1945 in Grand Harbour, Malta, when she was trooping. I was aboard her as a passenger.

© Robert M. Morgan

Ship's crest.

Ex-USS Croatan, ex-HMS Fencer, as the Italian Sydney. Date and location unknown.

Sydney, ex-HMS Fencer (D64), ex-USS Croatan (ACV-14). Australia, circa late 1960s.

Ex-USS Croatan, ex-HMS Fencer, as the Italian Caribia 2. Genoa, Italy, April 1973.

The vessel was bought by Italian steamship owner Achille Lauro, converted into a passenger ship, renamed Sydney and used in the Europe-Australia route. After her sister Roma—ex-HMS Atheling (D51), formerly USS Glacier (CVE-33)—was scrapped in 1967, Sydney was renamed Roma, which is often a source of confusion because, moreover, both ships were almost identical (just a few portholes on the sides differed). Later, she was renamed Caribia 2 and as such was scrapped in Italy, starting in September 1975.