CVE-1

Displacement: 13,499 t.
Length: 492
Beam: 69 6
Draft: 25 8
Speed: 16.5 k.
Complement: 970
Armament: 1 5; 2 3
Aircraft: 21
Class: LONG ISLAND

Maritime Commission standard type: C3-S-A1

The second LONG ISLAND (CVE-1) was laid down 7 July
1939, as MORMACMAIL, under Maritime Commission contract, by
the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa.; launched
11 January 1940; sponsored by Miss Dian B. Holt; acquired by
the Navy 6 March 1941; and commissioned 2 June 1941 as LONG
ISLAND (AVG-1) Comdr. Donald B. Duncan in command.

In the tense months before Pearl Harbor, the new escort
aircraft carrier operated out of Norfolk, conducting
experiments to prove the feasibility of aircraft operations
from converted cargo ships. The data gathered by LONG
ISLAND greatly improved the combat readiness of later “baby
flattops. Just after the Japanese attack, LONG ISLAND
escorted a convoy to Newfoundland and qualified carrier
pilots at Norfolk before departing for the west coast 10 May
1942. Reaching San Francisco 5 June, the ship immediately
joined Admiral Pyes four battleships and provided air cover
while at sea to reinforce Admiral Nimitz forces after their
brilliant victory in the Battle of Midway. She left the
formation 17 July and returned to the west coast to resume
carrier pilot training.

LONG ISLAND departed San Diego 8 July 1942 and arrived
Pearl Harbor the 17th. After a training run south to
Palmyra Island, the ship loaded two squadrons of Marine Corp
aircraft and got underway for the South Pacific 2 August.
Five days later, the marines, while landing on Guadalcanal,
encountered stiff opposition and needed more air support
than could be provided by the handful of carriers available
during the early months of the war. Touching Fiji Islands
13 August, LONG ISLAND then steamed to a point 200 miles
southeast of Guadalcanal and launched her aircraft. These
planes, the first to reach Henderson Field, were
instrumental in the liberation of Guadalcanal and went on to
compile a distinguished war record. Her mission was
accomplished in an outstanding fashion. Reclassified ACV-1
on 20 August, LONG ISLAND sailed for Efate, New Hebrides,
and arrived 23 August.

LONG ISLAND returned to the west coast 20 September
1942, as the new baby flattops took up the slack in the
Pacific war zones. For the next year, the escort carrier
trained carrier pilots at San Diego, an unglamorous but
vital contribution to victory. LONG ISLAND was reclassified
CVE-1 on 15 July 1943. During 1944 and 1945, she
transported airplanes and their crews from the west coast to
various outposts in the Pacific. After V-J Day, she
revisited many of these same bases while transporting
soldiers and sailors back home during operation Magic
Carpet.

LONG ISLAND decommissioned 26 March 1946 at Puget Sound
Naval Shipyard. Struck from the Navy List 12 April 1946,
she was sold to Zidell Ship Dismantling Co., Portland,
Oreg., 24 April 1947 for scrapping. This was not to be.
The old warrior still had some life left for on 12 March
1948, she was acquired by the Canada-Europe Line for
conversion to merchant service. Upon completion of
conversion in 1949, she was renamed NELLY and served as an
immigrant carrier between Europe and Canada. In 1953, she
was sold to the University of the Seven Seas and was
converted into a schoolship. Later that year, she was
renamed SEVEN SEAS and with her cargo of students, began
sailing all over the world in pursuit of knowledge. After
13 years of service in this role, she was replaced as a
schoolship for the university, and was sold to the
University of Rotterdam for use as a floating dormitory.
Into 1969, she is still in service in this role, berthed
near the university grounds.

LONG ISLAND received one battle star for World War II
service.