The ship initially served as a convoy escort in the Atlantic theatre. Later in the war she was used mainly as a deck-landing training carrier. In February 1946 she was returned to the US Navy and sold for civilian use in July 1947, being renamed Robin Trent and later Trent. She was scrapped in 1973.
Construction
Ravager (AVG-24) was laid down as MC hull 240 on 11 April 1942, by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington. She was intended to be named Charger, but was named Ravager when launched 16 July 1942;[2] sponsored by Mrs. C. G. Mitchell; acquired by the U.S. Navy and transferred to the United Kingdom under lend-lease on 25 April 1943; and commissioned in the Royal Navy the same day.[3]
Design and description
These ships were all larger and had a greater aircraft capacity than all the preceding American built escort carriers. They were also all laid down as escort carriers and not converted merchant ships. All the ships had a complement of 646 men and an overall length of 495 feet 6 inches (151.0 m), a beam of 69 feet 6 inches (21.2 m) and a draught of 25 ft 6 in (7.8 m). Propulsion was provided by one shaft, two boilers and a steam turbine giving 8,500 shp (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).[4]
During World War II, Ravager, redesignated on U.S. Navy records as CVE-24 on 15 July 1943, operated in the Atlantic protecting Allied shipping from German U-boats. After the war ended, she arrived Norfolk, 9 February 1946, and was returned to the U.S. Navy there on 27 February, the day she was decommissioned by the Royal Navy. Ravager was sold to William B. St. John, of New York City, 1 July 1947, and was placed in merchant service as Robin Trent.[3]