USS Palau (CVE 122)

- later AKV 22 -
- decommissioned -

USS PALAU was one of the COMMENCEMENT BAY - class escort carriers and the first ship in the Navy named after the island group in the Carolines some 850 miles east of Mindanao, Philippines. Decommissioned on June 15, 1954, the PALAU was later redesignated AKV 22 while laid up at Philadelphia, Penn. She was stricken from the Navy list on April 1, 1960, and subsequently sold for scrapping.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: 1944
	Keel laid: February 19, 1945
	Launched: August 6, 1945
	Commissioned: January 15, 1946
	Decommissioned: June 15, 1954
	Builder: Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Tacoma, Wash.
	Propulsion system: four boilers, geared turbines
	Propellers: two
	Length: 557 feet (170 meters)
	Flight Deck Width: 105.3 feet (32.1 meters)
	Beam: 75 feet (23 meters)
	Draft: 30.8 feet (9.35 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 24,250 tons full load
	Speed: 19 knots
	Catapults: two
	Aircraft: 34 planes
	Armament: two 5-inch L/38 gun, 36 40mm guns, 20 20mm guns
	Crew: 1066

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USS PALAU. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

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Click here to see which USS PALAU memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USS PALAU Cruise Books:

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History of USS PALAU:

PALAU was laid down by the Todd-Pacific Shipyards Inc., Tacoma, Wash., 19 February 1945; launched 6 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. J. P. Whitney; and commissioned 15 January 1946, Capt. W. E. Cleaves in command.

Commissioned as the Navy began its post-war demobilization, PALAU completed shakedown off California, transited the Panama Canal, underwent post shakedown availability at Boston, and on 11 May moved down the coast to Norfolk where she was immobilized until May 1947. On 22 May she steamed south to Cuba for refresher training, after which she headed north to Norfolk and New York, whence she steamed to Recife, thence to West Africa. She returned to the east coast 16 August and after another availability at Boston was again immobilized at Norfolk, December 1947-March 1948. During the spring of 1948 she conducted operations off the east coast and on 3 June departed for the Mediterranean to deliver planes, under the Turkish Aid Program, to representatives of that country at Yesilkoy. Returning to Norfolk 7 August, she remained in the western Atlantic, ranging from the Maritime Provinces to the West Indies, until April 1952. Then departing Norfolk she returned to the Mediterranean to operate with the 6th Fleet until late June, when she resumed duties with the 2nd Fleet on the east coast.

PALAU, designated for inactivation in early 1953, was retained in commission to perform one final ferry assignment, planes to Yokosuka (8 August-22 October). On her return she entered the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, decommissioning 15 June 1954. Berthed with the Philadelphia Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet, PALAU remained a unit of that fleet until struck from the Navy List 1 April 1960 and sold, 13 July 1960, to Jacques Pierot, Jr. and Sons, New York.

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USS PALAU Image Gallery:

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