USS Santee (CVE-29)
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USS Santee
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| History | |
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| Name: | SS Esso Seakay |
| Owner: | Standard Oil Company of New Jersey |
| Builder: | Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania |
| Laid down: | 31 May 1938 |
| Launched: | 4 March 1939 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. Charles Kurz |
| Fate: | Purchased by the US Navy |
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| Name: | USS Santee |
| Acquired: | 18 October 1940 |
| Commissioned: | 30 October 1940, as AO-29 |
| Decommissioned: | Early 1942 |
| Recommissioned: | 24 August 1942, as ACV-29 |
| Decommissioned: | 21 October 1946 |
| Reclassified: | CVHE-29, 12 June 1955 |
| Struck: | 1 March 1959 |
| Fate: |
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| General characteristics as escort carrier | |
| Class and type: | Sangamon-class escort carrier |
| Displacement: | 6,534 long tons (6,639 t) |
| Length: | 559 ft (170 m) |
| Beam: |
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| Draft: | 32 ft 4 in (9.86 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 860 officers and men |
| Armament: | 2 × 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns |
| Aircraft carried: | 31 |
| Aviation facilities: | 2 × elevators |
| Service record | |
| Commanders: | William Sample (1942–44) |
| Operations: | World War II |
| Awards: | 9 battle stars |
The second USS Santee (CVE-29) (originally launched as AO-29, following reclassification as an escort carrier, was originally ACV-29) was launched on 4 March 1939 as Esso Seakay under a Maritime Commission contract (MC hull 3) by the Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Mrs. Charles Kurz; acquired by the United States Navy on 18 October 1940; and commissioned on 30 October 1940 as AO-29, with Commander William G. B. Hatch in command.
Prior to her acquisition by the Navy, Esso Seakay had been operated by Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso) on the west coast. During her commercial service, she set several records for fast oil hauling. Its original model was a type T3-S2-A1 tanker.
After commissioning, Santee served in the Atlantic. When American neutrality ended on 7 December 1941, Santee was carrying oil for a secret airdrome at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. In the spring of 1942, Santee's conversion to an aircraft carrier was begun at the Norfolk Navy Yard.
On 24 August 1942, Santee was commissioned as an escort carrier with designation ACV-29, with Commander William Sample in command. The ACV was fitted with such haste that workmen from Norfolk were still on board during her shakedown training and her decks were piled high with stores. After conversion, nominally completed on 8 September, Santee reported to Task Force 22 (TF 22) and the first plane landed on her flight deck on 24 September.
After shakedown, Santee departed Bermuda on 25 October and headed for the coast of Africa. While the escort carrier was en route on 30 October, an SBD Dauntless being launched from a catapult dropped a 325 lb (147 kg) depth bomb onto the flight deck. It rolled off the deck and detonated close to the port bow shaking the entire ship, carrying away the rangefinder and a searchlight base, and damaging radar antennas.
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