USS Bairoko
The USS Bairoko CVE 115 was a Commencement Bay-class escort aircraft carrier that was titled after Bairoko, which was a tiny inlet on the northern coast of New Georgia, Solomon Islands and was occupied at the time by U. S. forces on August 26th, 1943. Once known as the USS Portage Bay, CVE 115, she was renamed the Bairoko on June 6th, 1944.The ship was launched on January 25th, 1945 from Todd-Pacific Shipyards, Inc. in Tacoma, Washington and was sponsored by a Mrs. J. J. Ballentine who was the wife of Rear Admiral John J. Ballentine and was commissioned on July 16th, 1945 under the command of Captain H. B. Temple. The USS Bairoko was commissioned at too late of a time to take an active role in World War II. The USS Bairoko continued to serve her country while embarking in good-will voyages, training exercises and various operations until December of 1949.
While serving the United States during this period, she completed to voyages to the Far East where she cooperated with U. S. forces with the nuclear bomb test at Eniwetok Atoll. During the months of November of 1950 and August of 1953 the USS Bairoko set out on multiple trips to the Far East representing the U. S. and showing their support for the United Nations Forces in Korea. Tragically, on May 9th, 1951 five men lost their lives as well as thirteen injured all by an explosion that had occurred in Japanese waters. She immediately headed back to home base to receive emergency repairs.
The Bairoko finally made it back to the west coast in late August of 1953 where she remained until January of 1954 where the ship then left to participate with the hydrogen bomb tests around the Eniwetok Bikini island area. The Castle Bravo atomic test on March 1st, 1954 brought about unusual havoc and dire consequences that were still young to the world where sixteen sailors of the USS Bairoko CVE 115 had received mild but harmful burns from the radiation from the test. The USS Bairoko CVE 115 received three battle stars for her service and was officially decommissioned on February 18th, 1955. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Record on April 1st, 1960.
When the USS Bairoko was built in 1945, the dangers of asbestos were not well known and it was used extensively as an insulator in the construction of the vessel. Crewmen were therefore exposed to a dangerous material without their knowledge. Asbestos is now known to increase the risk of mesothelioma and other respiratory problems in people who work near it. Asbestos fibers were often used internally within the insulation surrounding piping systems and various types of ducts constructed inside the ship. Any crewmembers who served aboard the USS Bairoko CVE 115 during that time period who may have been exposed to asbestos while aboard the Bairoko or in another similar ship should see a respiratory physician for evaluation immediately to determine whether or not they are at an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
