USS Rabaul (CVE/CVHE/AKV-21) was a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. She was delivered on 30 August 1946, but never commissioned. After spending 26 years in reserve, she was scrapped in 1973.

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USS Rabaul after her launch, 14 July 1945
History
United States
Name	USS Rabaul
Builder	Todd Pacific Shipyards
Laid down	29 January 1945
Launched	14 June 1945
Acquired	30 August 1946
Stricken	1 September 1971
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 25 August 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Commencement Bay-class escort carrier
Displacement	21,397 long tons (21,740 t)
Length	557 ft 1 in (169.80 m) loa
Beam	75 ft (23 m)
Draft	32 ft (9.8 m)
Installed power	16,000 shp (12,000 kW) 4 × boilers
Propulsion	2 × Steam turbines 2 × screw propellers
Speed	19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement	1,066
Armament	2 × 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns 36 × 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors AA guns 20 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns
Aircraft carried	33
Aviation facilities	2 × aircraft catapults

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In 1941, as United States participation in World War II became increasingly likely, the US Navy embarked on a construction program for escort carriers, which were converted from transport ships of various types. Many of the escort carrier types were converted from C3-type transports, but the Sangamon-class escort carriers were instead rebuilt oil tankers. These proved to be very successful ships, and the Commencement Bay class, authorized for Fiscal Year 1944, were an improved version of the Sangamon design. The new ships were faster, had improved aviation facilities, and had better internal compartmentation.^[1]

Rabaul was 557 ft 1 in (169.80 m) long overall, with a beam of 75 ft (23 m) at the waterline, which extended to 105 ft 2 in (32.05 m) at maximum. She displaced 21,397 long tons (21,740 t) at full load, of which 12,876 long tons (13,083 t) could be fuel oil (though some of her storage tanks were converted to permanently store seawater for ballast), and at full load she had a draft of 27 ft 11 in (8.51 m). The ship's superstructure consisted of a small island. She had a complement of 1,066 officers and enlisted men.^[2]

The ship was powered by two Allis-Chalmers geared steam turbines, each driving one screw propeller, using steam provided by four Combustion Engineering-manufactured water-tube boilers. The propulsion system was rated to produce a total of 16,000 shp (12,000 kW) for a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph). Given the very large storage capacity for oil, the ships of the Commencement Bay class could steam for some 23,900 nautical miles (44,300 km; 27,500 mi) at a speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).^[2]

Her defensive anti-aircraft armament consisted of two 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns in single mounts, thirty-six 40 mm (2 in) Bofors guns, and twenty 20 mm (1 in) Oerlikon light AA cannons. The Bofors guns were placed in three quadruple and twelve twin mounts, while the Oerlikon guns were all mounted individually. She carried 33 planes, which could be launched from two aircraft catapults. Two elevators transferred aircraft from the hangar to the flight deck.^[2]

The keel for Rabaul was laid down at the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Tacoma, Washington on 29 January 1945. She was named for the island of Rabaul in New Georgia, a major Japanese base during World War II, which was neutralized during a lengthy campaign in 1943 and 1944. The ship was launched on 14 June, and was delivered to the US Navy on 30 August, shortly after the end of the war.^[3]

The ship was not commissioned, and was instead assigned to the Pacific Reserve Fleet, based in Tacoma. She was reclassified as a helicopter escort carrier, with the hull number CVHE-121, in June 1955. Three years later, in June 1958, she was moved to the San Diego Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet.^[3]

In May 1959, Rabaul was reclassified as an aircraft ferry, with the hull number AKV-121. She remained part of the reserve fleet until she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 September 1971. The ship was eventually sold for scrap on 25 August 1972 to the Nicholai Joffe Corporation, based in Beverly Hills, California.^[3] Shortly before scrapping, she was used in the closing scenes of the 1973 movie Magnum Force.^{[citation needed]}