Copahee

A sound of the South Carolina coast.

(AVG-12: dp. 7,800; 1. 495'8"; b. 69'6"; ew. 111'6", dr.
26'; s. 17 k.; cpl. 890; a. 2 6"; cl. Bogue`e)

Copahee was originally classified AVG-] 2, was changed to ACV-12, 20 August 1942; CVE-12 16 July 1943; and CVHE-12, 12 June 1955. She was launched 21 October 1941 by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Wash., under a Maritime Commission contract sponsored by Mrs. W. M. Wells; acquired by the Navy 8 February 1942; and commissioned 15 June 1942, Commander J. G. Farrell in command.

Sailing from Alameda 5 September 1942, Copahee arrived at Noumea 28 September with her cargo of planes, stores and passengers. From 7 to 11 October she cruised toward Guadalcanal to launch 20 marine fighter planes for Henderson Field, then returned to San Diego 29 October for overhaul.

After training at Pearl Harbor Copahee sailed from San Diego 26 February to begin transport duty carrying aircraft, aviation stores and personnel to the forward bases in the New Hebrides, Fijis, and New Caledonia as well as islands in the Hawaiian chain until 7 June 1943.

Between 2 September 1943 and 19 January 1944 she made two voyages to deliver aircraft at Townsville and Brisbane, Australia, and one to Pearl Harbor. She sailed from San Diego 10 April to ferry aircraft from Pearl Harbor to Majuro until 3 June when she began supporting the Marianas operation by supplying replacement pilots and aircraft to carriers of the 5th Fleet. She returned to San Diego 28 July with captured Japanese planes and equipment to be used for intelligence and training purposes.

After overhaul, Copahee returned to transport duty. Until the end of the war she made six voyages from Alameda, carrying her vital cargo to Manus, Majuro, Guam, Saipan, and Pearl Harbor. From 6 September to 21 December she operated in "Magic Carpet" duty, returning homeward-bound servicemen from Saipan, Guam, Eniwetok, and the Philippines to the west coast. She returned to Alameda 21 December 1945, and was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Tacoma, Wash., 5 July 1946.

Copahee received one battle star for World War II service.