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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

Contributed by Adam Lewis

USS GILBERT ISLANDS (CVE-107)
(later AKV-39; renamed Annapolis (AGMR-1))

Photo Collection of FT1 Mike Mitchell

via Adam Lewis

119Kb NS-03-cve107-m01 How the GI's island appeared in 1953.	118Kb NS-03-cve107-m02 A Corsair being brought up for launch on the forward elevator.	152Kb NS-03-cve107-m03 The plane guard HUP helicopter (Piasecki HUP-2 Retriever, BuNo 128494, modex UR45, HU-2 "Fleet Angels") taking off.	185Kb NS-03-cve107-m04 A Corsair (from a NAS New York Reserve Unit) starting its takeoff roll.
97Kb NS-03-cve107-m05 A (NAS New York Reserve Unit) Corsair taking off.	144Kb NS-03-cve107-m06 A Corsair making its landing approach.	144Kb NS-03-cve107-m07 A Corsair catching the arresting wire.	169Kb NS-03-cve107-m08 Corsairs (from a NAS New York Reserve Unit) being spotted on the forward flight deck.
242Kb NS-03-cve107-m09 AF-2S and -2W Guardians from VS-36 "Gray Wolves."	227Kb NS-03-cve107-m10 Fox Division shipmates on the flight deck during underway refueling. The rolled hats reflect the strong wind.	339Kb NS-03-cve107-m11 Rope Yard Sunday (day off from work) at sea.	250Kb NS-03-cve107-m12 Fox Division personnel sun bathing during Rope Yard Sunday.
"While on board USS *Gilbert Islands* (CVE-107) in 1954, a NAS Oceana-based squadron of Grumman F9F Cougar jets conducted a 'touch and go' exercise with the carrier. The ship was anchored in Chesapeake Bay at the time, with the screws turning only enough to keep the ship heading into the wind. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first and last time a hazardous jet aircraft 'touch and go' was attempted on a small CVE. The event is documented in the DANFS USS *Gilbert Islands* history. The event date was 9 June 1954. I always thought that the Cougar squadron was VF-61 the 'Jolly Rogers,' but I could never confirm it."	181Kb NS-03-cve107-m13 F9F Cougar "touching down" on the flight deck.	165Kb NS-03-cve107-m14 F9F Cougar "going" after touch down. Note the raised tail hook.

Photo Collection of LT Robert Graves

via his daughter, Marilynn Wright, and Adam Lewis

LT Robert G. Graves worked in the ship's Combat Information Center (CIC) as the Night Fighter Director during the last months of World War II. These are seldom seen CIC pictures.

118Kb NS-03-cve107-g83	142Kb NS-03-cve107-g85	162Kb NS-03-cve107-g87	165Kb NS-03-cve107-g88
140Kb NS-03-cve107-g89	150Kb NS-03-cve107-g90	177Kb NS-03-cve107-g91	156Kb NS-03-cve107-g93
148Kb NS-03-cve107-g98	173Kb NS-03-cve107-gaa	102Kb NS-03-cve107-gab ENS Graves	108Kb NS-03-cve107-gac ENS Graves
127Kb NS-03-cve107-gad	244Kb NS-03-cve107-gae	350Kb NS-03-cve107-gaf	299Kb NS-03-cve107-gag