Chapter 2 - The Great Carrier War

(Part 9)

The Battle of the Atlantic

By April 1943, the U-boat threat in the Atlantic had reached its peak. During that month, Allied convoys lost a total of 567,000 tons of shipping, against the destruction of only six U-boats. The escort carriers USS Bogue, HMS Archer, HMS Biter, and HMS Dasher, however, soon began operating with the convoys. Their aircraft almost immediately began to disrupt the U-boat activities. As more escort carriers became available, hunter-killer groups were also formed, which further disrupted U-boat action.

On April 23, the HMS Biter and a destroyer sank a U-boat, becoming the first escort carrier to score such a kill. Soon, the HMS Archer and USS Bogue were also credited with U-boat kills. Some of the small carriers had rather spectacular successes. On October 4, 1943, the USS Card's aircraft attacked three U-boats that were being replenished by a larger submarine. They sank the resupply submarine and damaged the three U-boats. The USS Card ended the war with eight U-boat kills, while the USS Bogue had ten kills. In an unusual attack in May 1944, the USS Guadalcanal captured the U-505, which is now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry along Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois.

With the aid of long-range B-24 Liberator bombers and the breaking of German codes, the tide in the Atlantic began to turn even faster in favor of the Allies. During the 6- month period from April to September 1943, escort carriers sank 33 U-boats and shared credit for sinking 12 more in the Atlantic and sank 14 U-boats in the Arctic Ocean. These little ships were perhaps the single most important element in defeating the dreaded German U-boats.

The USS Long Islands CVE-1 was the first of 123 American-built escort carriers, 37 of which were transferred to the Royal Navy.

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Last Updated: January 1, 2003