Bairoko

(CVE~115: dP. 10,330; 1. 557'1"; b. 106'2", dr. 32', s.
19.1 k.; cpl. 1066; a. 2 5"; cl. Commencement Bay)

Portage Bay (CVE~115) was renamed Bairoko 5 June 1944; launched 25 January 1945 by Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc., Tacoma, Wash.; sponsored by Mrs. J. J. Ballentine, wife of Rear Admiral Ballentine, and commissioned 16 July 1945, Captain H. B. Temple in command.

Commissioned too late to take an active part in World War II, Bairoko engaged in peacetime fleet cruises, maneuvers, and exercises until December 1949. During the period she made two cruises to the Far East (18 October 1945-25 January 1946 and 18 February-30 May 19471, and participated in the atomic bomb test at Eniwetok Atoll. On 15 December 1949 she reported to San Francisco for pre inactivation overhaul and went out of commission in reserve 14 April 1950.

When the Korean conflict broke out Bairoko was immediately readied for active duty. She was recommissioned 12 September 1950 and reported to the Pacific Fleet. Between November 1950 and August 1953 she made three extended cruises to the Far East (14 November 1950-15 August 1951, 1 December 1951-9 June 1952 and February-August 1953), acting in support of the United Nations Forces in Korea. Her planes flew hundreds of strikes against North Korean and "Chinese Volunteer" troops, installations, transportation facilities, and naval units. On 9 May 1951 she had five men killed and 13 injured by an explosion and flash fire in Japanese waters.

Returning to the west coast late in August 1953, Bairoko remained there until January 1954 when she departed to assist in the hydrogen bomb tests in the Eniwetok-Bikini area. From May through June 1954 she operated out of San Diego on training exercise~. In July 1954 she reported to Long Beach Naval Shipyard to commence preinactivation overhaul and went out of commission in reserve at San Francisco 18 February 1955.

Bairoko received three battle stars for her Korean service.

USS POLLUX AKS-4 HISTORY

POLLUX (AKS-4) was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearney, New Jersey as SS NANCY LYKES 2 October 1941 and launched 5 February 1942. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy 19 March 1942 and then transferred to the Robbins Dry Dock and Repair Company, Brooklyn, NY for conversion. USS POLLUX (AKS-4) was commissioned 27 April 1942 with Captain E.J. Kidder in command. After a shakedown cruise, POLLUX operated as a unit of the Service Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She supplied forces afloat and Allied bases at Guantanamo, Cuba; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Trinidad and Jamaica, West Indies; Colon, Panama Canal Zone; Recife and Bahia, Brazil; and Bermuda. She operated out of the East Coast ports of New York, Bayonne, Baltimore and Norfolk. On 19 August 1943 POLLUX sailed for duty in the Pacific under the command of Commander H.L. Bixby, sailing independently from the Canal Zone to Sydney, Australia. During the next 15 months, she supported the Eastern and Western New Guinea Campaigns, and the Admiralty Islands Campaign. During this period, she made numerous trips replenishing her stores from Sydney and Brisbane, Australia; Espiritu Santo; New Herbrides and Oakland, California. POLLUX then supported the Philippine Liberation Campaign. Operating out of New Guinea, she ran a shuttle service between the islands servicing forces afloat and bases from the Leyte Gulf to Manila. On 18 February 1945 POLLUX evacuated 124 repatriates from Lingayen Gulf. These men were the first POW's to be freed by our troops in the Manila area. During World War II, POLLUX steamed 135,152 miles, generally on unescorted supply lines. Although she received no battle stars, her services permitted our fleet to operate far in advance of normal bases. After World War II, she operated in the Pacific with Service Squadron I earning the Navy Occupation Service Medal from 9 October to 12 November 1945 while participating in the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll; and she earned the China Service Medal for periods from 29 March 1947 to 6 August 1949. POLLUX was decommissioned on 3 April 1950 but placed in reserve status. She was recommissioned 5 August 1950. She served in Korea during periods from 13 October 1950 to 19 July 1953 and received four battle stars for Korean War Service. From July 1953 through 1957 her operations continued between the West Coast of the United States and ports of the Far East, including Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. After an extensive overhaul and modernization at Todd Shipyard in San Francisco in 1957, POLLUX was assigned to her new homeport of Yokosuka, Japan with Service Group 3, never to see the United States again. With the outset of the Vietnam conflict, POLLUX served almost continually in the South China Seas supplying the various task groups of the U.S. 7th Fleet. On 31 December, 1968, Captain Charles N. Flitton, POLLUX's last Commanding Officer, decommissioned her in Yokosuka, Japan. USS POLLUX (AKS-4) was struck from the Naval Register 1 January 1969.