The USS Altamaha (AVG-18, ACV-18, CVE-18) was a World War II-era escort aircraft carrier constructed by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in Tacoma, Washington. Laid down on December 19, 1941, and launched on May 25, 1942, she was commissioned on September 15, 1942, under the command of Captain J. R. Tate. The vessel measured approximately 492 feet in length with a beam of around 69 feet and a displacement of roughly 11,000 tons. Her design was optimized for aircraft operations, featuring a flight deck and hangar facilities suitable for transport and operational training. Throughout her service, Altamaha participated in various key operations across the Pacific theater. She initially departed San Diego in late October 1942, carrying aircraft and personnel to Espiritu Santo, New Caledonia, and later engaged in flight operations and training exercises in the South Pacific. She played a role in logistical support, delivering aircraft to locations such as Karachi, Australia, and New Guinea, and conducted antisubmarine warfare patrols alongside destroyer escorts. Her operational history includes a notable torpedo attack evasion on April 15, 1944, during a patrol east of the Marshall Islands. In late 1944, Altamaha was involved in fleet replenishment operations, including transporting aircraft to Ulithi and supporting the Third Fleet. She endured a severe typhoon in December 1944, suffering significant material damage but no personnel casualties, and resumed operations shortly after. During the final months of the war, she provided transportation services, moving troops and equipment across the Pacific islands, including Guam, Saipan, and Eniwetok, as part of the "Magic-Carpet" fleet. Decommissioned on September 27, 1946, Altamaha was placed in reserve and later redesignated CVHE-18 in 1955. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1959 and sold for scrap in 1961. Her service exemplifies the vital logistical and operational support roles played by escort carriers in the Pacific during World War II, contributing significantly to Allied maritime efforts.

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