USS Bataan (CVL-29/AVT-4) was an 11,000-ton Independence-class light aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, commissioned during World War II on 17 November 1943. Originally planned as the Cleveland-class cruiser USS Buffalo (CL-99), she was reclassified as CV-29 and later as CVL-29 to reflect her conversion into a light aircraft carrier. Her physical dimensions included an overall length of 622 feet 6 inches, a waterline length of 600 feet, a beam of 109 feet 2 inches at her extreme, and a draft of 26 feet. Her armor comprised a 5-inch belt, 2-inch deck armor, and a 1/2-inch conning tower, with armament consisting of 24 Bofors 40 mm guns and 22 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons for anti-aircraft defense. She normally carried around 30 aircraft, primarily fighters and bombers, and was powered by four Babcock & Wilcox steam boilers driving General Electric turbines producing 100,000 shaft horsepower, enabling a top speed of approximately 31.5 knots and a range of 12,500 nautical miles at 15 knots. Constructed at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, she was laid down on 31 August 1942 and launched on 1 August 1943. Following her commissioning, USS Bataan conducted preliminary shakedown in Chesapeake Bay and then transited to the Pacific Theater. Her early service included participation in key campaigns such as operations around New Guinea, the Mariana Islands, and the Battle of the Philippine Sea, notably contributing to the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" with her air group claiming multiple Japanese aircraft. Throughout her wartime service, Bataan supported strikes against Japanese bases, participated in the Battle of Okinawa, and took part in attacks on the Japanese home islands. She was instrumental in sinking Japanese aircraft carriers and battleships, including Hiyō and Hyūga, during the final phases of the Pacific War. After Japan’s surrender, she supported occupation efforts and was involved in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating U.S. troops. Reactivated in 1950 for the Korean War, Bataan was the only Independence-class carrier to see combat during the conflict, conducting air strikes, blockade patrols, and close air support missions off Korea. Following her Korean service, she underwent inactivation and was decommissioned on 9 April 1954. She was later reclassified as AVT-4 in 1959 and struck from the Navy List the same year. Ultimately, she was sold for scrapping in 1961. Her service highlights her versatility and significance as a light carrier that contributed notably to both World War II and Korea, reflecting the adaptability of the Independence-class design in maritime warfare.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.