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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 97317:  USS Sicily underway in April 1954

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Sicily (CVE-118, later AKV-18), 1946-1960

USS Sicily, a 10,900-ton Commencement Bay class escort aircraft carrier built at Tacoma, Washington, was commissioned in February 1946. After shaking down along the west coast, the new ship served with the Atlantic Fleet until April 1950, when she returned to the Pacific. On the outbreak of the Korean War in late June 1950, Sicily was quickly sent the the Western Pacific to provide anti-submarine air coverage, but soon embarked Marine Corps aircraft to support combat forces ashore. Over the next few months, her planes were active in the defense of the Pusan Perimeter and in the Inchon landings. In October and November, she reverted to the anti-submarine mission, but beginning in December again operated Marine planes to help counter the intense Chinese offensive that so changed the war in late 1950.

Sicily's first Korean tour ended early in 1951, but she made two more deployments to the combat zone, one in May-October 1951 and the second in May-December 1952. During the latter cruise, she temporarily operated Marine helicopters in early experiments with sea-based vertical envelopment techniques. In July 1953, as the war was nearing an end, Sicily returned to the Western Pacific, remaining there until February 1954. Decommissioned shortly after that deployment ended, she spent the rest of her days in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was reclassified as an aircraft transport, with the hull number AKV-18, in May 1959. Somewhat more than a year later, in November 1960, USS Sicily was sold for scrapping.

This page features all the views we have concerning USS Sicily.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 67896

USS Sicily (CVE-118)


Photographed while moored in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 6 June 1948.

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1969.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 50KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 97317

USS Sicily (CVE-118)


Underway with F4U aircraft parked aft, April 1954.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-477573

USS Sicily (CVE-118)
,

Launches U.S. Marine Corps HRS-1 helicopters during Operation "Marlex-5" off the west coast of Korea in the Inchon area. This was the first time that Marine Corps landing forces had moved from ship to shore by helicopter.
Photo is dated 1 September 1952.
Nearest HRS-1 is Bureau # 127798. It wears the markings of squadron HMR-161.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 97318

USS Sicily (CVE-118)


Photographed at the Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, circa February 1954, with USS Yorktown (CVA-10) at right and eleven LCM landing craft in the foreground. Grumman AF "Guardian" anti-submarine aircraft are parked on Sicily's flight deck. Douglas AD "Skyraider" attack planes are parked aft on Yorktown's flight deck.
The original caption, released by Commander Naval Forces Far East on 18 February 1954, reads: "Twins, Almost -- The Essex-class carrier USS Yorktown (CVA-10) and her smaller counterpart, the escort carrier USS Sicily (CVE-118), rest side by side during a recent in-port maintenance period at the Yokosuka, Japan, Naval Base".

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 610 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-420239

USS Sicily (CVE-118)


Launches a U.S. Marine Corps OY-2 "Sentinel" spotter plane during operations in the Yellow Sea, off the west coast of Korea, 22 September 1950.
Sicily was then supporting the campaign to recapture Seoul.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 615 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: 80-G-419929

U.S. Marine Corps F4U-4B "Corsair" fighter-bomber


Receives final checks to its armament of bombs and 5-inch rockets, just prior to being catapulted from USS Sicily (CVE-118) for a strike on enemy forces in Korea.
The original photograph is dated 16 November 1950, but was probably taken in August-October 1950.
Note battered paint on this aircraft.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 90KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 

The following photographs were taken by photographers assigned to USS Sicily:

  • Photo # 80-G-432955: USS Renshaw (DDE-499) operating in Korean waters, July 1951.
  • Photo # NH 99518: USS Perkins (DDR-877) operating off the coast of Korea, 26 August 1951.


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Sicily (CVE-118). The following list features some of these images:

    The images listed below are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".



  • Photo #: 80-G-429305
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) with a Navy blimp on her flight deck, aft, 1949.
    Starboard broadside aerial view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-477615
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) underway, en route to pick up a Marine Corps helicopter squadron to participate in Operation "MARLEX 5", a helicopter troop assault exercise on Chak Tak island, South Korea, 1 September 1952.
    Port bow aerial view.


  • Photo #: 80-G-478416
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) underway off San Diego, California, 12 February 1953.
    Bow-on aerial view, taken from about 100' altitude.

  • Photo #: 80-G-478417
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) underway off San Diego, California, 12 February 1953.
    Stern-on aerial view, taken from about 100' altitude.

  • Photo #: 80-G-478418
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) underway off San Diego, California, 12 February 1953.
    Starboard bow aerial view, taken from about masthead height.

  • Photo #: 80-G-478419
    USS Sicily (CVE-118) underway off San Diego, California, 12 February 1953.
    Port quarter aerial view, taken from about masthead height.


    Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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    Page made 5 September 2000
    New image added 18 September 2004