USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) was the twenty-sixth of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II.

She was powered with two Skinner Unaflow reciprocating steam engines, which drove two shafts, providing 9,000 horsepower (6,700 kW), thus enabling her to make 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph).

[7] During the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, at the middle stages of the Philippines campaign, as well as during the Battle of Iwo Jima, she carried 20 FM-2 fighters and 12 TBM-1C torpedo bombers for a total of 32 aircraft.

[1][12] Upon being commissioned, Petrof Bay underwent a shakedown cruise down the West Coast, heading to Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California.

She initially conducted shakedown air operations with her newly embarked squadron, before heading westwards for Pearl Harbor on 30 July, arriving there on 6 August.

On 4 September, having been assigned to Task Unit 32.7.2, or "Taffy 3", commanded by Rear Admiral George R. Henderson along with her sisters Saginaw Bay, which was Henderson's flagship, and Kalinin Bay, she sortied for the western Caroline Islands as a part of the Peleliu and Anguar Movement Group Number 2, screened by the Fletcher-class destroyers Haggard, Hailey, Johnston, and the Gleaves-class destroyer Welles.

For example, on the late afternoon of 15 September, as the Japanese garrison massed for a counterattack, a VC-76 TBM dropped a 500 lb (230 kg) bomb in the midst of three tanks, putting all three out of action.

[12] In the meantime, as the escort carriers conducted their strikes, the Japanese garrison on Suluan had managed to alert their command, triggering Admiral Soemu Toyoda to launch Shō-Gō 1, a gambit to defend Japan's access to the oil fields of Southeast Asia.

With this news, VC-76 began rearming into a complement more suitable to fighting against surface ships, with Captain Kane ordering all of her TBM Avengers to be loaded with torpedoes, of which they would dearly need the following day.

[12][16] Over the night of 25 October, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita's Center Force swung through the San Bernardino Strait, confronting and catching "Taffy 3", the northernmost escort carrier group, by surprise as the sun rose.

Two of her Wildcats were lost in this action, one of them to friendly anti-aircraft fire as it tried to return to Petrof Bay over Tacloban, and another to the flak of the Japanese fleet as it made a run.

[12][18] In the chaos following the immediate aftermath of the kamikaze attacks, a Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bomber dove out of the cloud cover to the port side of Petrof Bay, catching the carrier's crew by surprise.

[12] At 09:10, having been delayed considerably by kamikazes attempting to harry "Taffy 1", the special strike group proceeded northwards, reaching the vicinity of the battle at around 10:00.

As the turn was completed, the crew of Petrof Bay spotted two torpedo wakes straddling the carrier, one 20 yd (18 m) to the portside, and another apparently coasting under the overhang on the starboard side.

The transport unit had also previously included the Aoba-class cruiser Aoba, but after having been damaged by the Gato-class submarine Bream on 23 October, it withdrew westwards.

Remarkably, despite the loss of several of her aircraft, and the fact that VC-76 had logged 15,000 flight hours over a period of eight months of active combat, the entirety of the crew of VC-76 survived the Philippines campaign.

[12][25] After arriving at Manus, Petrof Bay was assigned to Task Unit 77.4.5, the Reinforcement Carrier Group, and she was yet again under the flag of Rear Admiral Henderson.

[26] The task force came under intense kamikaze attack as it proceeded up the South China Sea to northern Luzon, sinking her sister Ommaney Bay on 4 January 1945, and damaging several other carriers.

[12][29] Upon helping the Eighth Army gain a foothold north of Manila, Petrof Bay retired for Ulithi of the Caroline Islands.

Just five days later, she departed Ulithi, this time assigned to Task Unit 52.2.1, under the command of Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague, in preparation for the Battle of Iwo Jima.

[12][9] Upon arriving, Petrof Bay's air contingent commenced operations over the island, which in conjunction with surface bombardment, aimed to soften the Japanese defenses.

Notably, on 21 February, the fleet carrier Saratoga was hit by a kamikaze, and Petrof Bay, which was heading to refuel, was recalled back by Vice Admiral Calvin T.

[12][31] By 7 March, the airstrip on Iwo Jima had been captured and restored to be fully operational, enabling ground-based aircraft to provide close air support in lieu of the carriers.

[12][32] At Ulithi, Petrof Bay was assigned to Task Unit 52.1.2, under the command of Rear Admiral Felix Stump,[10] in preparation for the Battle of Okinawa.

On March 31, she also provided support for the Marines landing on Keise Shima, a small archipelago of islets 8 mi (13 km) to the west of Naha.

On 1 April, the main landings on Okinawa took place, and aircraft from Petrof Bay provided close air support every step of the way.

[12][33] Petrof Bay continued air operations, with occasional breaks for refueling, rearming, and resupply until 26 May, when she was relieved of her duty by the arrival of other escort carriers.

The last plane to touch down on Petrof Bay's flight deck was a TBM Avenger, which landed at 16:28 on 10 September, whilst the carrier was transiting off Saipan.

She headed back to Pearl Harbor on 25 September, carrying onboard 104 personnel of Composite Squadron (VC) 7, as well as other military passengers.

[12] Petrof Bay's first "Magic Carpet" run began on 17 November, when she departed for Enewetak, where she loaded 1,062 veterans, followed by another 153 more at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands.