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The aircraft escort vessel AVG-20 was laid down on 19 January 1942 at [[Seattle]], Wash., by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. under a Maritime Commission (MC hull 236); named Barnes on 19 March 1942 after AVG-7's 1 March 1942 reallocation to the Royal Navy; acquired from the Maritime Commission on 1 May 1942; launched on 22 May 1942; sponsored by Mrs. George L. Hutchinson; reclassified an auxiliary [[aircraft carrier]] and redesignated ACV-20 on 20 August 1942; and commissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 20 February 1943, Capt. Cato D. Glover in command.

'''Barnes''', the aircraft escort vessel AVG-20 was laid down on 19 January 1942 at [[Seattle]], Wash., by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. under a Maritime Commission (MC hull 236); named Barnes on 19 March 1942 after AVG-7's 1 March 1942 reallocation to the Royal Navy; acquired from the Maritime Commission on 1 May 1942; launched on 22 May 1942; sponsored by Mrs. George L. Hutchinson; reclassified an auxiliary [[aircraft carrier]] and redesignated ACV-20 on 20 August 1942; and commissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 20 February 1943, Capt. Cato D. Glover in command.

After fitting out, Barnes, escorted by Endicott (DD-495), departed Port Townsend on 18 March 1943 for [[San Francisco]] and [[San Diego]]. Following shakedown training, the warship left San Diego for Hawaii on 20 April, arriving in [[Pearl Harbor]] on the 26th. Clearing Oahu two days later, the auxiliary aircraft carrier sailed for [[Noumea]], New Caledonia, and reached that port on 10 May. Barnes lingered there for only three days before she pushed on for Espiritu Santo, reaching her destination on 15 May. She brought her maiden voyage to a close at San Diego on 3 June 1943.

After fitting out, Barnes, escorted by Endicott (DD-495), departed Port Townsend on 18 March 1943 for [[San Francisco]] and [[San Diego]]. Following shakedown training, the warship left San Diego for Hawaii on 20 April, arriving in [[Pearl Harbor]] on the 26th. Clearing Oahu two days later, the auxiliary aircraft carrier sailed for [[Noumea]], New Caledonia, and reached that port on 10 May. Barnes lingered there for only three days before she pushed on for Espiritu Santo, reaching her destination on 15 May. She brought her maiden voyage to a close at San Diego on 3 June 1943.

Shifting to Alameda, and thence to San Francisco, Barnes came back to Alameda again before sailing for Hawaii on 12 October. Reaching Oahu six days later, the warship operated in nearby waters through the first week of November, alternating periods spent training at sea with upkeep in port. Finally, Barnes embarked Fighting Squadron (VF) 1's Grumman F6F-3 "Hellcats" and set sail on 10 November with Task Force (TF) 53 bound for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On the 19th, she became part of Task Group (TG) 53.6 which also comprised Nassau (CVE-16), Sangamon (CVE-26), Suwanee (CVE-27) and Santee (CVE-29). Her task group's specific target during the invasion was Tarawa.

Shifting to Alameda, and thence to San Francisco, Barnes came back to Alameda again before sailing for Hawaii on 12 October. Reaching Oahu six days later, the warship operated in nearby waters through the first week of November, alternating periods spent training at sea with upkeep in port. Finally, Barnes embarked Fighting Squadron (VF) 1's Grumman F6F-3 "Hellcats" and set sail on 10 November with Task Force (TF) 53 bound for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On the 19th, she became part of Task Group (TG) 53.6 which also comprised Nassau (CVE-16), Sangamon (CVE-26), Suwanee (CVE-27) and Santee (CVE-29). Her task group's specific target during the invasion was Tarawa.

At 0751 on 20 November, Barnes turned into the wind and began catapulting off the first of 16 F6F-3s of VF-1. Splitting into four groups of four, Barnes' planes strafed Japanese targets behind the three Red Beaches on Betio Island in the face of light antiaircraft fire. She recovered the last of her planes at 1046, about three hours after she had launched them, and stood off Tarawa for the rest of the day while the marines ashore dug in for the night on their precarious beachhead. The following morning, Barnes put aloft a combat air patrol (CAP) flight {{user:KJVonly}} of eight F6F-3s between 0630 and 0642. She then sent a second group of aircraft to conduct air patrol over Tarawa and a third to provide CAP for the transports off Betio. The last group also strafed of Japanese positions on Betio in support of the marines trying to wrest the atoll from determined defenders.

At 0751 on 20 November, Barnes turned into the wind and began catapulting off the first of 16 F6F-3s of VF-1. Splitting into four groups of four, Barnes' planes strafed Japanese targets behind the three Red Beaches on Betio Island in the face of light antiaircraft fire. She recovered the last of her planes at 1046, about three hours after she had launched them, and stood off Tarawa for the rest of the day while the marines ashore dug in for the night on their precarious beachhead. The following morning, Barnes put aloft a combat air patrol (CAP) flight of eight F6F-3s between 0630 and 0642. She then sent a second group of aircraft to conduct air patrol over Tarawa and a third to provide CAP for the transports off Betio. The last group also strafed of Japanese positions on Betio in support of the marines trying to wrest the atoll from determined defenders.

Barnes' fighters returned to the skies over Betio on the 22d and resumed CAP and close air support while the marines slowly wrested ground from the enemy. Her "Hellcats" made two runs on their targets, commencing their passes at 5,000 feet and pulling out at 100; enemy antiaircraft fire still rose to meet the attackers, but much reduced in volume. Early on the 23d, Cowell (DD-547) came alongside Barnes and completed the transfer of aircraft repair parts from Nassau between 0930 and 0935. Barnes then took up station astern of the destroyer and prowled the waters off Tarawa for the rest of the day.

Barnes' fighters returned to the skies over Betio on the 22d and resumed CAP and close air support while the marines slowly wrested ground from the enemy. Her "Hellcats" made two runs on their targets, commencing their passes at 5,000 feet and pulling out at 100; enemy antiaircraft fire still rose to meet the attackers, but much reduced in volume. Early on the 23d, Cowell (DD-547) came alongside Barnes and completed the transfer of aircraft repair parts from Nassau between 0930 and 0935. Barnes then took up station astern of the destroyer and prowled the waters off Tarawa for the rest of the day.

Underway for the east coast early on 16 April, Barnes arrived at Balboa in the Canal Zone on the 24th, transited the canal on the 27th, and resumed her voyage the next day. The escort carrier laid over in Norfolk for four days before entering Boston on 11 May. There, Barnes was placed out of commission on 29 August 1946. Despite her reclassification as an "escort helicopter aircraft carrier" and her redesignation as CVHE-20 effective 12 June 1955, the carrier never returned to service in that, or any other, role. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959, and she was sold to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. on 1 October 1959. She was broken up in Japan in 1961.

Underway for the east coast early on 16 April, Barnes arrived at Balboa in the Canal Zone on the 24th, transited the canal on the 27th, and resumed her voyage the next day. The escort carrier laid over in Norfolk for four days before entering Boston on 11 May. There, Barnes was placed out of commission on 29 August 1946. Despite her reclassification as an "escort helicopter aircraft carrier" and her redesignation as CVHE-20 effective 12 June 1955, the carrier never returned to service in that, or any other, role. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959, and she was sold to Union Minerals and Alloys Corp. on 1 October 1959. She was broken up in Japan in 1961.

Barnes (CVE-20) received three battle stars for her World War II service.<ref>Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b2-list.htm]</ref>

Barnes (CVE-20) received three battle stars for her World War II service.<ref>[http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b2-list.htm Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]</ref>

==References==

==References==