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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

"Magic Carpet" Press Release

UNITED STATES
PACIFIC FLEET and
PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS
(For Immediate Release to
Press and Radio, Sunday,
11 October 1945.)

Press Release No. 810

NAVY ADDS SIX ESSEX-CLASS CARRIERS TO "MAGIC CARPET"

Six of the Navy's large Essex-class aircraft carriers will be converted to troop transports and temporarily assigned to the "Magic Carpet" forces helping to "bring the boys home" from the Pacific.

The six ships, which will have a total passenger capacity in excess 24,000, are scheduled for assignment to the troop transport shuttle service during the first week of November after completion of their present assignments. It was emphasized that conversion of the vessels will be of a very temporary nature and limited type so that operational efficiency will not be impaired.

Three of the 27,000-ton vessels, the U.S.S. Bunker Hill, the U.S.S. Hornet and the U.S.S. Ticonderoga, which at present are operating from Pearl Harbor, will carry more than 3,600 Pacific veterans from Oahu to the West Coast when they leave for the mainland about October 17 for conversion to transport duty.

The other three ships, the U.S.S. Yorktown, the U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard and the U.S.S. Hancock, are at present en route from the forward areas to the West Coast with a capacity load of separatees.

After unloading the veterans at West Coast ports and participating briefly in Navy Day celebrations there, the Bon Homme Richard, the Hornet and the Ticonderoga will speed back to Pearl Harbor Navy Yard where it is estimated that bunks can be installed on their hangar decks within three days, and the ships will be made available for transport duty about November 6.

Meanwhile, the Yorktown will put in at the Hunter's Point Navy Yard, the Bunker Hill at Puget Sound Navy Yard, and the Hancock at the Terminal Island Navy Yard for a similar refit. It is expected that they will be ready to leave for Pacific staging centers to load high point men by Nov. 1.

All vessels will reduce wartime crews to an operational minimum and disembark air groups in order to provide additional space for returning veterans.

At the same time, after only 24 hours at Pearl Harbor, the veteran Saratoga left for the mainland shortly after noon Wednesday (10 Oct.) on her third trip to San Francisco with more than 3,500 separatees aboard.

All six of the carriers just assigned to the shuttle service are scheduled to arrive at West Coast ports about October 23. The Yorktown and the Bon Homme Richard will put in at San Francisco, the Ticonderoga at Tacoma, Washington, the Bunker Hill at Seattle, and the Hornet at Monterey, California and the Hancock at San Pedro.

Plans for refitting the six Vessels are being forwarded to the four Navy Yards which will do the job so that materials can be assembled as soon as possible, eliminating any delay in starting work when the ships arrive.


28 Nov 2006