The USS Puget Sound (CVE-113) was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier constructed during World War II, representing an improved design over earlier escort carriers. She measured 557 feet 1 inch (169.80 meters) in overall length and had a beam of 75 feet (23 meters) at the waterline, extending to 105 feet 2 inches (32.05 meters) at maximum. Displacing approximately 21,397 long tons (21,740 metric tons) at full load, she featured a substantial fuel capacity that allowed for an impressive range of around 23,900 nautical miles at 15 knots. Her propulsion system consisted of two Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines powered by four Combustion Engineering water-tube boilers, producing 16,000 shaft horsepower for a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h). Her superstructure was dominated by a small island, and her armament included two 5-inch dual-purpose guns, thirty-six 40mm Bofors guns in quadruple and twin mounts, and twenty 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons, providing robust air defense. She carried a complement of 1,066 officers and enlisted men and was equipped to operate a flight deck with two aircraft catapults, supported by two elevators transferring aircraft between hangar and flight deck. Her air group consisted of 33 aircraft, capable of being launched and recovered during tactical operations. Commissioned on 18 June 1945, USS Puget Sound conducted sea trials and subsequent training before deploying to the Pacific theater. She participated in occupation duties in Japan, arriving in Tokyo Bay in October 1945, and contributed to anti-mine patrols during the initial occupation phase. Following her service in Japan and the Pacific, she was involved in Operation Magic Carpet, transporting over 1,200 veterans back to the United States between early 1946 and May of that year. Decommissioned in October 1946 and assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, she was later reclassified as CVHE-113 in 1955 and then as AKV-13, a cargo ship and aircraft transport. She remained in the reserve fleet until striking from the Naval Vessel Register in 1960. Ultimately, USS Puget Sound was sold for scrap in 1962 and dismantled in Hong Kong, marking her as a representative of the rapid wartime shipbuilding efforts and postwar transition in naval aviation support vessels.

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