This first return to the United States found COWPENS at San Francisco on March 28th. Her overhaul at Mare Island and the subsequent trials kept her stateside until the 21st of May. During these two months the executive officer and every department head, except the first lieutenant and the supply officer, were relieved.
COWPENS had dropped Air Group 46 in the forward area. When the ship again sailed for the warfront, she had her fourth and last group, Air Group 50, under Commander R. E. Kirkpatrick. Upon arrival, COWPENS was assigned to Task Group 38.4, under Rear Admiral Radford again, and took up where she had left off three months before. From the 10th of July until the war ended on August 15th, she pounded Japanese shipping and aircraft from Hokkaido to the Inland Sea. She helped finish off the battleships NAGATO and OYADO. COWPENS planes accounted for two enemy planes in the air and 29 on the ground, sank 31 small ships and damaged 23 others, besides damaging numerous ground targets. Only once was the task force under attack.
The COWPENS was attached to the "show of force" group sent into Sagami Bay on August 27th, the only carrier, and the next day her planes flew passengers ashore to Atsugi Airfield. These are believed to be the first Navy planes to land on Japanese soil after the war.
During the 22 and a half months of fighting in which she participated, the COWPENS hung up this record:
Total number of flights:1063Action sorties flown:20452Enemy planes destroyed in the air:108Enemy planes destroyed on the ground198Ship’s planes lost to enemy AA1Ship’s planes lost to enemy planes:5Total tonnage of bombs dropped:657Total number of rockets fired:3063Merchant ships sunk:39Tonnage of merchant ships sunk7400
The COWPENS was placed in commission in reserve in the Alameda Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet in January 1947.
The USS COWPENS was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for outstanding heroism in action against Japanese forces during the Pacific war. The citation reads:
"For outstanding heroism for action against the enemy Japanese forces in the air, ashore and afloat in the Pacific War Area from October 5, 1943 to August 15, 1945. Operating continuously in the most forward areas, the USS COWPENS and her air groups struck crushing blows toward annihilating Japanese fighting power; they provided air cover for our amphibious forces; they fiercely countered the enemy’s aerial attacks and destroyed his planes; and they inflicted terrific losses on the Japanese in fleet and merchant marine units sunk or damaged. Daring and dependable in combat the COWPENS with her gallant officers and men rendered loyal service in achieving the ultimate defeat of the Japanese Empire."
USS COWPENS, CVL 25, earned 12 battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon for participation in the following operations or engagements:
1 starPacific Raids1943Wake Island Raid5 to 6 October 19431 starGilbert Islands Operation13 November to
8 December 19431 starMarshall Islands Operation1943 to 1944Occupation of Kwajalein
and Majuro Atolls29 January to
8 February 1944Asiatic-Pacific Raids19441 starTruk Attack16 to 17 February 19441 starMarianas Attack21 to 22 February 1944Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai Raid30 March to 1 April 1944Truk, Satawan, Ponape Raid29 April to 1 May 19441 starWestern New Guinea Operation1944Hollandia Operation21 April to 1 June 1944Morotai Landings15 September 19441 starMarianas Operation1944Capture and Occupation of Saipan11 June to 10 August 19441st Bonins Raid15 to 16 June 1944Battle of the Philippines Sea19 to 20 June 1944Capture and Occupation of the Southern Palau Islands6 Sept to 14 Oct 1944Assaults on the Philippine Islands9 to 24 September 19441 starWestern Caroline Islands Operation1944Capture and Occupation of the Southern Palau Islands6 September to
14 October 1944Assaults on the Philippine Islands9 to 24 September 19441 starLeyte Operation1944Battle of Leyte Gulf24 to 26 October 1944Third Fleet Supporting Operations Okinawa Attack10 Oct 1944Northern Luzon and Formosa Attacks11 to 14 October 1944Luzon Attacks15, 17 to 19 Oct
5 to 6, 13to- 24,
19 to 25 Nov
14 to 16 Dec 19441 starLuzon Operation1944 to 1945Luzon Attacks6 to 7 January 1945Formosa Attacks3 to 4, 9, 15, 21 Jan 1945China Coast Attack12, 16 Jan 1945Nansei Shoto Attack22 January 19451 starIwo Jima Operation1945Assault and Occupation of Iwo Jima15 Feb to 6 Mar 1945Fifth Fleet Raids Against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto15 Feb to 16 Mar 19451 starThird Fleet Operations Against Japan10 July to 15 August 1945
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