Originally classified as an auxiliary aircraft carrier ACV-57, the vessel was laid down in 1942, in Vancouver, Washington, by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company and initially named Alikula Bay, then renamed Coral Sea and redesignated CVE-57 in 1943.

Following the cessation of hostilities in 1945, Anzio was among the escort carriers used in Operation Magic Carpet, returning US soldiers to the United States.

Originally classified as the auxiliary aircraft carrier ACV-57, the vessel's keel was laid down on 12 December 1942, by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company at their yard in Vancouver, Washington, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1094.

Coral Sea was redesignated CVE-57 on 15 July 1943, and commissioned at Astoria, Oregon, on 27 August 1943, Captain Herbert W. Taylor, in command.

The carrier sailed for Hawaii on 25 October, and upon arrival at Pearl Harbor, joined by sister ship Liscome Bay for exercises off Oahu.

The American forces sortied on 10 June and Coral Sea was among the carriers providing air support for the landings by the 2nd Marine Division on Saipan.

The carrier moved south to Guam, on 17 June, to begin softening up operations against that island but returned to Saipan, the next day to assist the bogged-down American forces.

Two days later, she paused at Kwajalein, to unload most of her aircraft and ammunition and then continued via Pearl Harbor, for the naval base at San Diego.

There, Anzio joined a hunter-killer group and carried out an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) mission while she was en route to Ulithi.

When Anzio was relieved by Extractor, she resumed her ASW patrols and worked at that task through mid-February 1945, when she steamed to Iwo Jima.

From that point, she was to provide air cover and ASW patrol services for transports carrying occupation troops to Korea.

The carrier made two trips to the western Pacific and back, one to Pearl Harbor and one to Shanghai, China, to shuttle American troops home as part of Operation Magic Carpet.

She paused at San Francisco, then continued southward to transit the Panama Canal before finally reaching the east coast.

[5] Coral Sea/Anzio received eleven Navy Unit Commendations and nine battle stars for service in World War II.

The Secretary of the Navy commended the men of Anzio "For outstanding heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces in the air, ashore and afloat.