>From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

(1970) Vol. 5, pp.83-84.





NIANTIC



CVE-46

Displacement:  7,800 t.

Length:  495’8”

Beam:  69’6”

Extreme Width:  111’6”

Draft:  26’

Speed:  18 k.

Complement:  890

Armament:  2 5”; 20 40mm

Aircraft:  24

Class:  PRINCE WILLIAM



	NIANTIC, originally designated AVG-46, was redesignated 

ACV-46, 20 August 1942; laid down by the Seattle-Tacoma 

Shipbuilding Co., Tacoma, Wash., 5 January 1943; launched 2 

June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ray V. Blanco; redesignated 

CVE-46, 15 July 1943; transferred to the United Kingdom 8 

November 1943; and commissioned in the Royal Navy as RANEE.



	As one of the 38 converted C3 escort carriers 

transferred to the United Kingdom, RANEE joined the merchant 

aircraft carriers guarding the Atlantic convoy routes.  

Assigned to the Western Approaches, her aircraft helped to 

turn the tables on foraging U-boats in the North Atlantic 

and also assisted in operations to close their northern 

transit into the Atlantic and track them down in the Bay of 

Biscay.  Serving with Training Squadron, Western Approaches, 

at the end of 1945, she was returned to U.S. custody at 

Norfolk, Va., 21 November 1946.  Declared not essential to 

the defense of the U.S., she was struck from the Navy List, 

22 January 1947 and sold 9 June 1947 to the Waterman 

Steamship Corp., Mobile, Ala.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com