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

(1969) Vol. 4, pp.163-164.





LUNGA POINT



CVE-94

Displacement:  7,800 t.

Length:  512’3”

Beam:  65’2”

Extreme Width:  108’1”

Draft:  22’6”

Speed:  19 k.

Complement:  860

Armament:  1 5”; 16 40mm

Aircraft:  27

Class:  CASABLANCA



	LUNGA POINT (CVE-94), originally ALAZON BAY, was laid 

down by Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Vancouver, Wash.; 19 

January 1944; launched 11 April 1944, sponsored by Mrs. Mary 

Elizabeth McKay, and commissioned 14 May 1944, Capt. G. A. 

T. Washburn in command.



	After brief training during the early summer of 1944, 

LUNGA POINT sailed for the Pacific to deliver Army bombers 

to New Guinea and bring war-worn P-47s back home.  Upon 

return she became a unit of CarDiv 29 and departed San Diego 

16 October 1944 to participate in the Leyte Gulf operations, 

touching Pearl Harbor, Eniwetok, and Kossol Roads en route.  

>From 13 to 22 November, she provided air cover for 

transports and surface units engaged in the campaign.  

Relieved the 23d, she sailed to Manus, Admiralty Islands, to 

prepare for the Luzon campaign.



	The escort carrier sailed 27 December from Manus to 

supply air support for 6th Army landing operations at 

Lingayen Gulf.  On 4 January 1945, she splashed one enemy 

aircraft and witnessed the sinking of OMMANEY BAY (CVE-79), 

which had been hit by Japanese plane.  Fighting her way 

through 14 enemy attacks, she arrived off Lingayen Gulf 6 

January and commenced 11 days of intensive air support, 

during which time her aircraft flew an average of 41 sorties 

a day.  On 17 January, the support carriers were withdrawn 

and returned to Ulithi.



	From 23 January to 10 February, LUNGA POINT prepared 

for the invasion of Iwo Jima, and stood off the beaches with 

the advanced amphibious forces, 16 February.  Enemy 

airstrikes developed in strength by 21 February when some 16 

planes attacked carriers in the vicinity.  SARATOGA (CV-3) 

was damaged and BISMARCK SEA (CVE-95) was sunk, but LUNGA 

POINT splashed three "Jills" while suffering only minor 

damage.  By 8 March, land-based planes were present in 

sufficient strength to allow the ship to return to Ulithi to 

get ready for the Okinawa campaign.



	The ship reprovisioned and on 21 March sortied from 

Ulithi with other advanced forces of Rear Adm. C. A. F. 

Sprague's Task Unit.  From 24 March to 27 June, LUNGA POINT 

remained in support of the operation providing air cover, 

pounding enemy ground targets in the Ryukyu Islands, and 

fighting off constant suicide attacks.  She completed this 

duty without mishap and returned to Leyte 27 June.



	This was followed by a minesweeping operation west of 

Okinawa in early July, and an antishipping sweep along the 

China coast from Shanghai northward in August.  This duty 

terminated the 7th, and she sailed to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, 

where she received news of the Japanese peace offerings.



	In late August the ship, attached to 5th Fleet, aided 

in evacuating Allied prisoners of war from the ports of 

Wakayama and Nagasaki; 19 September she transported 760 men 

of various nationalities to Okinawa.  She was ordered to 

Tokyo Harbor in early October and, en route took part in the 

unsuccessful search for Rear Adm. W. D. Sample, missing in a 

PBM on a patrol flight.  LUNGA POINT stood out of Tokyo Bay 

28 October and arrived Pearl Harbor 7 November.  She sailed 

to San Diego arriving 15 November, and made voyages to the 

Pacific before returning to the west coast early in 1946.



	She decommissioned 24 October 1946 and became part of 

the Tacoma Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet.  She was 

re-classified CVU-94 on 12 June 1955 and AKV-32 on 7 May 

1959.  She was struck from the Navy list 1 April 1960 and 

sold at San Diego to Hyman Michaels Co., 3 August i960.



	LUNGA POINT received five battle stars and a 

Presidential Unit Citation for World War II service.





Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com