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The Reunion Group would like to thank the family of our Chaplain, Fr. Kelly, for the donation of his memoirs which included many of the following photos. |
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Circa early 1943, with a single 5"/38 gun at the stern; this was soon replaced by a quadruple 40-mm gun mount. |
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USS Independence (CV-22) photographed soon after completion, circa early 1943, while she still carried a 5"/38 gun at the bow. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 88416). |
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USS Independence (CV-22) hauling in her anchor, while off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, on 13 July 1943. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives (photo # 19-N-48269). |
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USS Independence (CVL-22) in San
Francisco Bay, California, on 15 July 1943, the day her hull number was
changed from CV-22 to CVL-22. She has nine SBD scout bombers parked
amidships and aft, and nine TBM torpedo planes parked amidships and
forward. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the
National Archives (photo # 80-G-74433). Photo Courtesy of Scott Dyben. |
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Burial at sea, Battle of Tarawa, Nov. 22,
1943.Twelve sailors were killed and five missing in action as result of
torpedo Nov. 20, 1943. Photo Courtesy of Al Hiegel. |
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One of many violent rolls during typhoon in the
Pacific, Oct 4, 1944."The ship went through at least 6 heavy weather
episodes including the worst of all on 17/18 Dec. 1944, when a bomb
magazine broke loose and all its bombs nearly destroyed us." (Don
Labudde)."I was in charge of the bomb magazine at the time. Those bombs
would just tumble end over end. I would jump up, grab an I beam overhead,
lift my legs, and let the bombs roll by. When it stopped on one side
momentarily, I would tie one or two down. Then I would grab hold the I
beam again and hang up there like a monkey until the bombs rolled to the
other bulkhead and I could secure a couple more. I could hear the speakers
telling the crew to make ready to abandon ship. So I was down there doing
my job and thinking to myself, if this thing blows up, I'm going to die
anyway so it don't make any difference where I am." (Herman Backlund).
Photo Courtesy of Al Hiegel. |
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A fire aft, soon after the "Able Day" atomic bomb
air burst test at Bikini on 1 July 1946. The bomb had exploded off the
ship's port quarter, causing massive blast damage in that area, and
progressively less further forward. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-627502). |
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View of the ship's port quarter, showing severe
blast damage caused by the "Able Day" atomic bomb air burst at Bikini on 1
July 1946. Photographed at Bikini anchorage on 23 July 1946. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-627471). |
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January, 1951 Sinking after being used as a target. Photo Courtesy of Scott Dyben. |
