USS Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81)

Rudyerd Bay was a Casablanca class aircraft carrier that was commissioned on February 25, 1944. The vessel was responsible for ferrying planes to the waters of Espiritu Santo in April and May, and then took part in qualification exercises off the coast of California into July of that year. A third ferry run was ordered, this time to Majuro. Aside from many replenishment and escort cruises during WWII, USS Rudyerd Bay was also involved in many operations and combat support missions.

Rudyerd Bay was sent to the United States for an overhaul in May of 1945, which was completed by July. The ship was then reassigned to plane ferry operations, and headed for the Marshall Islands. After the hostilities ended, the Rudyerd Bay escorted VC-33 to Okinawa, and then took on a squadron there bound for California.

She had repairs and alterations done upon arriving in the state, and joined the effort to bring the troops home. She then went to Boston by way of Jacksonville to offload some aircraft, being decommissioned in June of 1946. She was redesignated twice during her stint in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, but never reactivated. She was stricken from the Navy list in 1959 and sold for scrap in January of 1960.