CVE-112 was initillay named Frosty Bay for an estuary at the north end of Seward Passage, south of Bradfield Canal, Alexander Archipelago, Alaska (NS0311222).

Renamed Siboney, 26 April 1944, after a town near Santiago, Cuba, where United States troops landed during the Spanish-American War (1898) (NS0311222a).

Ships that had previously borne the name:

1. A transport.

(Maps NS0311222 and NS0311222a courtesy of Google Maps. Illustration NS0311222b, "Landing Horses from Transport Boats off Siboney, June 21, 1898," from Hero Tales of the American Soldier and Sailor as Told by the Heroes Themselves and their Comrades: The Unwritten History of American Chivalry (1899), by James W. Buel.

The sunken Japanese training vessel (former cruiser) Iwate off Kure, Japan, in October 1945. She was sunk by US air attacks on 24 July 1945. This photo was taken by a plane from USS Siboney (CVE-112).

Official US Navy photo, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-351365.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) at anchor, date and location unknown.

Undated image of the escort carrier USS Siboney (CVE-112) tied up pierside. U.S. Navy photo.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) underway, date and location unknown.

San Diego Air & Space Museum photo, catalog # SHIPS01574.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) underway, date (late 1940s?) and location unknown. Note flight deck markings for blimp operations.

Air Officer, Commanding Officer, Executive Officer. Exact date and location unknown (the year was 1949).

This Avenger (probably assigned to Composite Squadron 31 (VC-31)) missed the arresting wire on April 19, 1949. It ended up crashing into the island. The pilot survived, but a photographer, who was filming the landing, was killed; it was believed at the time that he was hit by the prop.

Mario Canevaro was a signal man assigned to the blinker light which was just below the escape hatch where the photographer lost his life.

Five more photos, as above.

Milton W. Irwin explains: "I served aboard the USS Siboney in 1948 and 1949. I have many pictures including the crash of the TBM in 1949 where my photographer friend was killed. I was nozzleman on fire and rescue on the flight deck at the time of the crash and took a few pictures after the crash."

One more photo, as above.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) underway in the North Atlantic Ocean off Atlantic City, New Jersey, 25 September 1949.

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection.

An LSO waves to incoming plane on the USS Siboney (CVE-112) flight deck, 25 September 1949.

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection.

Crew and guests stand on the flight deck of USS Siboney (CVE-112) for safety prayer during reactivation ceremonies, 22 November 1950. The Philadelphia Naval Station is seen in the background.

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) at anchor off Toulon, France, 26 October 1951. There are TBM Avengers of VS-32 "Norsemen" (tail code "SR") and F4U Corsairs of a VC-4 "Nightcappers" Det. ("NA") parked aft of the island, and a single HO3S helicopter forward.

Photo by Marius Bar, Toulon, France.

A series of eight photos taken during a Navy/Marine Corps exercise to develop the assault helicopter concept (1951–52), involving USS Siboney (CVE-112) and Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) 1.

Courtesy of LIFE magazine.

Two Piasecki HRP-2 (BuNo 111831 and 111832; only five HRP-2's were built) and three HRP-1 Rescuers, HMX-1, on the flight deck of USS Siboney (CVE-112). Destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) is steaming alongside Siboney.

Piasecki HRP-2's and HRP-1's Rescuers, HMX-1 squadron, on the flight deck of USS Siboney (CVE-112). Note destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) astern of Siboney and a blimp in flight in the background.

A Piasecki HRP-1 takes off from USS Siboney (CVE-112), while two HRP-2's await their turn on the flight deck. Destroyer USS O'Hare (DD-889) is steaming astern of Siboney.

Marines board their HRP-1 and -2 helicopters, from squadron HMX-1, on the flight deck of USS Siboney (CVE-112).

USMC helicopters from HMX-1 squadron in flight over USS Siboney (CVE-112).

Briefing in the hangar deck of USS Siboney (CVE-112).

Helicopters fly over USS Siboney (CVE-112). (This photo is dated April 1951.)

Sikorsky HRS-1/2 troop-carrying helicopters of Marine Helicopter Transport Squadrons (HMR) -261 and -262 aboard the escort carrier USS Siboney (CVE-112). USN photo (1952?).

A U.S. Navy Grumman AF-2S Guardian of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 31 "Topcats" is prepared for launch aboard the escort carrier USS Siboney (CVE-112), in 1953. VS-31 was assigned to Siboney for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea from 16 September to 1 December 1953.

USS Siboney (CVE-112), Mediterranean Cruise 1953 (16 September–1 December).

LCDR Ralph J. Adams was a pilot attached to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 1 "Seahorses" aboard Siboney.

The January 1954 issue of Saga: True Adventures for Men magazine featured "The Widow-Makers," an article about USS Siboney (CVE-112) and her squadron of AF-2 Guardians.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) in UK waters, circa 1956. On the flight deck are S2F-1 Trackers from VS-22 "Checkmates" and VS-30 "Sea Tigers." Photo Wright & Logan, Southsea, England.

From Jane's Fighting Ships, 1956–57 edition.

Thanks to Bob Kowalski, who was a pilot with VS-30 for that cruise and identified the Trackers. Bob adds: "We also had 2 AD-3Q and 2 AD-4Q [Skyraiders] with us. I seem to remember them as being from VC-4 ([tail code] 'NA') and their role was as target tows, obviously for the other ships in our Task Group."

U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky HRS helicopters from Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (HMR) 262 "Flying Tigers" take off from USS Siboney (CVE-112), circa 1956.

The escort carrier took part in the following amphibious exercises in 1955–1956:

• LANTPHIBEX at Onslow Beach, North Carolina (USA), 1–8 November 1955
• LANTTRAEX 1-56 at Vieques, Puerto Rico, 28–29 February 1956
• LANTTRAEX 2-56 at Vieques, Puerto Rico, 1–12 March 1956
• MEDLANDEX 2-56 at Dikili, Turkey, 11–14 June 1956

U.S. Navy photo from the Siboney 1955–1956 Cruise Book.

U.S. Navy Sikorsky HO4S helicopters from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 "Tridents" take off from the escort carrier USS Siboney (CVE-112), in early 1956.

U.S. Navy photo from the Siboney 1955–1956 Cruise Book.

Undated picture of the escort carrier USS Siboney (CVE-112) underway, location unknown. Note aircraft and crewmen on her flight deck. Photo U.S. Navy official.

From Jane's Fighting Ships 1961–62 edition.

USS Siboney (CVE-112) operating U.S. Marine Corps HRS helicopters during the mid-1950s. The original photograph was received in May 1956.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command (#NH 106717-KN).

"[M]y father[, Earl O. Daugherty,] standing on a torpedo bomber. He went out to the war on the Siboney and was between the west coast and Hawaii when the war ended. He later went on to Japan/South Pacific on the Siboney and came back to the US on another light carrier. At the time the photo was taken he was at Brown Field with his air group waiting for the brand new Siboney to finish working up. He was a mechanic with the air group but his primary job on the ship was running the rear elevator."

Crew of USS Siboney (CVE-112), 21 October 1949. CAPT Herbert L. Hoerner, USN, Comdg. CDR Charles B. Lanman, USN, Exec Off.

Electrical Div Warrant Officer, Gmeiner.

This photo may have been taken in October–December 1949, during a large Exercise in the North Atlantic-Arctic circle. The man in the front row, center, with the other man sitting on his left knee, appears to be Becky's uncle, Jesse Thomas Smith.

If you can identify any of the men in this photo, or when/where it was taken, please let us know.