View source for USS Leyte (CV-32)

{{short description|Essex-class aircraft carrier of the US Navy}}
{{Other ships|USS Leyte}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Leyte (CV-32) with F9Fs.jpg
|Ship caption=USS ''Leyte'' between 1950 and 1952
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1958}}
|Ship name= ''Leyte''
|Ship namesake= [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]]
|Ship builder=[[Newport News Shipbuilding]]
|Ship laid down=21 February 1944
|Ship launched=23 August 1945
|Ship commissioned=11 April 1946
|Ship decommissioned=15 May 1959
|Ship renamed=from ''Crown Point'', 8 May 1945
|Ship reclassified=*CVA-32, 1 October 1952
*CVS-32, 8 August 1953
*AVT-10, 15 May 1959
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=[[Ship breaking|Scrapped]], September 1970
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier}}
|Ship displacement={{cvt|27,100|LT|lk=on}} standard
|Ship length={{convert|888|ft|m}} overall
|Ship beam={{convert|93|ft|m}} 
|Ship draft={{convert|28|ft|7|in|m}} 
|Ship power=
*8 × boilers
*{{convert|150000|shp|MW|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
*4 × geared [[steam turbine]]s
*4 × shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=3448 officers and enlisted
|Ship armament=
*12 × [[5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber gun]]s
*32 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40 mm gun]]s
*46 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
|Ship armor=
*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{cvt|4|in|0}}
*Hangar deck: {{cvt|2.5|in|0}}
*Deck: {{cvt|1.5|in|0}}
*[[Conning tower]]: 1.5 inch
|Ship aircraft=90–100 aircraft
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes= 
}}
|}

'''USS ''Leyte'' (CV/CVA/CVS-32, AVT-10)''' was one of 24 {{Sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier}}s built during and shortly after [[World War II]] for the [[United States Navy]]. The ship was the third US Navy ship to bear the name. ''Leyte'' was commissioned in April 1946, too late to serve in World War II. She spent most of her career in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], [[Caribbean]], and [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], but also saw service in the [[Korean War]], in which she earned two [[Service star|battle star]]s. She was reclassified in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA), then as an [[Anti-submarine warfare carrier|Antisubmarine Aircraft Carrier]] (CVS), and finally (after inactivation) as an aircraft transport (AVT).

Unlike most of her [[sister ship]]s, ''Leyte'' received no major modernizations, and thus throughout her career retained the classic appearance of a World War II ''Essex''-class ship. She was decommissioned in 1959 and sold for scrap in 1970.

==Construction and commissioning==
''Leyte'' was one of the [[Essex-class aircraft carrier#Essex "long-hull" (Ticonderoga subclass)|"long-hull"]] {{Sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier|0}} ships. She was laid down as ''Crown Point'' on 21 February 1944 at the [[Northrop Grumman Newport News|Newport News Shipbuilding]] & Dry Dock Co., [[Newport News, Virginia]], and renamed ''Leyte'' on 8 May 1945 to commemorate the recent [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]]. She was launched on 23 August, sponsored by Alice Dillon Mead, wife of U.S. Senator [[James M. Mead]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press-dedicated-symbol-of-mutual-u/157586026/ |title=Dedicated Symbol Of Mutual Understanding, USS Leyte Launched At Shipyard Here |newspaper=[[The Newport Daily News]] |location=[[Newport News, Virginia]] |page=2 |date=August 24, 1945 |accessdate=October 21, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and commissioned on 11 April 1946, with [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] Henry F. MacComsey in command.

==Service history==
[[File:USS Leyte (CV-32) in 1946.jpeg|left|thumb|''Leyte'' in 1946]]
''Leyte'' joined [[battleship]] {{USS|Wisconsin|BB-64|2}} on a [[good will cruise]] along the western seaboard of [[South America]] in the fall of 1946 before returning to the [[Caribbean]] on 18 November to resume shakedown operations. In 1948, the carrier was equipped with its first helicopter detachment of [[Sikorsky H-5|HO3S-1]] utility helicopters, and participated in a fleet exercise, ''Operation Frigid'', in the North Atlantic.

In the years preceding the Korean War, the Leyte participated in numerous other fleet exercises in the Atlantic and Caribbean, trained naval reservists, and deployed four times to the [[Mediterranean]]: April–June 1947, July–November 1947, September 1949 – January 1950, and May–August 1950.

Beginning in September 1948, while in [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]], ''Leyte'' hosted a number of [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] pilots for a month, cross-training for carrier-based operations.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Beres |first=Tony |date= Spring 2022 |title= USAF Joins the Navy |url= https://store.tailhook.net/PDF/Sp22_Hook_4Web.pdf |journal= The Hook, Journal of Carrier Aviation |volume= 50 |issue= 1 |pages=33–35 |access-date= March 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSBgbojkC6sC&q=%22George+I.+Ruddell%22+USAF&pg=RA13-PA15|publisher=Naval Aviation News |date=February 1949 |accessdate=6 December 2020|title=Naval Aviation News}}</ref> Notable pilots participating in those exercises included [[Kenneth O. Chilstrom]] and [[George I. Ruddell]].

The deployment of ''Leyte'' to the Mediterranean in mid-1950 included a demonstration of airpower over [[Beirut]], [[Lebanon]], on 14 August, supporting the [[Middle East]] against [[Communist Bloc|communist]] pressure. ''Leyte'' returned to Norfolk on 24 August, and after two weeks of preparation, departed on 6 September to join Task Force 77 (TF 77) in the [[Far East]] to support [[United Nations]] Forces in [[Korea]].

''Leyte'' arrived at the [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo base for U.S. Fleet Activities]] in [[Sasebo, Nagasaki|Sasebo]], [[Japan]], on 8 October 1950 and made final preparations for combat operations. From 9 October – 19 January 1951, the ship and her aircraft spent 92 days at sea and flew 3,933 sorties against [[North Korea]]n forces. Her pilots accumulated 11,000 hours in the air while inflicting massive damage upon enemy positions, supplies, transportation, and communications. Among the squadrons based on ''Leyte'' were the [[VFA-32|VF-32 Swordsmen]], flying the [[F4U Corsair]].

''Leyte'' returned to Norfolk for overhaul on 25 February 1951. After fleet training exercises in the Caribbean terminated on 21 August, the carrier departed for her fifth tour of duty with the [[United States Sixth Fleet]] on 3 September. She returned to Norfolk on 21 December for operations out of [[Hampton Roads]], and again steamed for the Mediterranean on 29 August 1952. Reclassified CVA-32 on 1 October, she returned to [[Boston]] on 16 February 1953 for deactivation. On 8 August, however, she was ordered to be retained in the active fleet, and, redesignated CVS-32 on the same day, work was begun converting her to an [[ASW carrier]].

Conversion completed on 4 January 1954, ''Leyte'' departed Boston for [[Quonset Point]], [[Rhode Island]], as [[flagship]] of [[Carrier Division 18]] (CarDiv 18). She remained there for the next five years conducting ASW tactical operations along the eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean.

''Leyte'' departed [[Quonset Point Air National Guard Station|Quonset Point]] in January 1959 for the [[New York Navy Yard]] where she commenced preinactivation overhaul. She was redesignated AVT-10 and decommissioned both on 15 May 1959, and was assigned to the Philadelphia group of the [[Atlantic Reserve Fleet]], where she remained until sold for scrap in September 1970 and completed in [[Chesapeake, Virginia]].

===Incidents===
[[File:USN Ens Jesse L. Brown USS Leyte (CV-32).jpg|thumb|right|Brown in the [[ready room]] of ''Leyte'']]

On 4 December 1950, the first African-American to complete the Navy's basic flight training program, [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] [[Jesse L. Brown]], who was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32 (VF-32) aboard ''Leyte'', was killed in action while supporting ground troops at the [[Battle of Chosin Reservoir]]. Brown's wingman, [[Thomas J. Hudner Jr.]], was awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for attempting to save Brown's life.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2253580/retired-capt-thomas-j-hudner-jr-korean-war-medal-of-honor-recipient-passes-away/ |title=Retired Capt Thomas J Hudner Jr, Korean War Medal of Honor Recipient, Passes Away |website=navy.mil |date=November 16, 2017 |accessdate=October 21, 2024}}</ref>

At 15:15 on 16 October 1953, while at the [[South Boston Naval Annex]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-navy-blast-kills-33-ca/157582552/ |title=Navy Blast Kills 33: Carrier Leyte Rocked at South Boston Dock; 40 Hurt |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=1 |date=October 17, 1953 |accessdate=October 21, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and still under conversion to an antisubmarine carrier, ''Leyte'' suffered an explosion in her port catapult machinery room. Within minutes, naval base and city fire trucks were on the scene. After a hard and gallant fight, the fire was extinguished at 19:57. As a result of the fire, 37 men<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-memorial-services-held/157582668/ |title=Memorial Services Held for Leyte Dead |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=24 |date=October 27, 1953 |accessdate=October 21, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> (including five civilians)<ref name=WBUR/> died and 28 were injured. It remains the largest loss of life on the Boston waterfront.<ref name=WBUR>{{cite news |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/10/23/boston-navy-uss-leyte-explosion-anniversary |title=70 years later, survivor recalls Boston ship blast that killed 37 |first=Lisa |last=Mullins |website=[[WBUR-FM]] |date=October 23, 2023 |accessdate=October 21, 2024}}</ref>

On 26 February 1955, Hans Anton Michelberger, a fireman apprentice from [[Old Bridge, New Jersey]], was swept overboard and lost at sea; his body was not recovered.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-old-bri/157582032/ |title=Old Bridge Boy is Lost at Sea |newspaper=[[The Daily Home News]] |location=[[New Brunswick, New Jersey]] |page=1 |date=February 28, 1955 |accessdate=October 21, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

==Awards==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|colspan="3"|{{Ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Army_of_Occupation_ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean_Service_Medal_-_Ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=110}}
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan=3|[[Navy Unit Commendation]]
|-
|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
|[[Navy Occupation Service Medal]]<br>(with Europe clasp)
|[[National Defense Service Medal]]
|-
|[[Korean Service Medal]]<br>(with 2 [[Service star|battle stars]])
|[[United Nations Korean Medal]]
|[[Korean War Service Medal|Republic of Korea War Service Medal]]<br>(retroactive)
|}

==Memorials==
The builder's plaque from ''Leyte'' is in the collection of the [[Naval History and Heritage Command]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/artifacts/ship-and-shore/plaques/builder-s-plaques/builders-plaque-uss-leyte-cv-32.html |title=Builder's Plaque from USS Leyte (CV-32) |website=history.navy.mil |date=April 16, 2020 |accessdate=October 21, 2024}}</ref>

A historical marker honoring ''Leyte'' is located in [[Charlestown, Boston]], near the [[USS Constitution|USS ''Constitution'']]. The inscription reads, in part: "In memory of our shipmates and civilians lost in the disastrous explosion aboard the USS Leyte on October 16, 1953 while in the Boston Naval Shipyard."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=37701 |title=USS Leyte (CV-32) |website=hmdb.org |accessdate=October 21, 2024}}</ref><ref name=WBUR/>

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="nolines">
File:USS Leyte (CV-32) at anchor at Guantanmo Bay in 1946.jpg|''Leyte'' anchored in [[Guantanmo Bay]] in 1946
File:TBM-3E Avengers of VT-18 aboard USS Leyte (CV-32) in 1946.jpg|[[TBM-3|TBM-3E Avengers]] onboard ''Leyte'' in 1946
File:USS Leyte (CV-32) Yokosuka Dec 1950.jpg|''Leyte'' off [[Yokosuka]] in December 1950
File:USS Leyte (CV-32), Yokosuka, Japan, 1951.jpg|''Leyte'' in Yokosuka in 1951
File:USS Leyte (CVS-32) off Vieques Island in 1957.jpg|''Leyte'' off [[Vieques Island]] with [[HSS-1 Seabat|HUS-1 Seabat]] and [[Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw|HRS-19 Chickasaw]] in 1957
File:USS Leyte in Yokohama Japan.jpg|''Leyte'' in Yokosuka in 1952–53
File:USS Leyte Yokohama Japan with visible Planes - 1952-53.jpg|''Leyte'' in Yokosuka, taken from [[USS Toledo (CA-133)|USS ''Toledo'']]
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[List of disasters in Massachusetts by death toll]]

==References==
*{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/leyte-iii.html}}
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Leyte (CV-32)}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/leyte-iii.html History of ''Leyte'' (CV-32)] via history.navy.mil
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/32.htm Photos of ''Leyte''] via NavSource Online
*[https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=24029425%40N06&view_all=1&text=LEYTE Photos of ''Leyte'' 1953 fire] from [[Boston Public Library]] via [[Flickr]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20230602223016/http://ussleytecv32.com/ U.S.S. ''Leyte'' CV-32 Association] via [[Wayback Machine]]

{{Essex class aircraft carrier}}
{{1953 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leyte (CV-32)}}
[[Category:Essex-class aircraft carriers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Newport News, Virginia]]
[[Category:1945 ships]]
[[Category:World War II aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Korean War aircraft carriers of the United States]]
[[Category:Ship fires]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1953]]