The "Attacker" Class were the second batch of escort carriers built in the USA for the Royal Navy, the lead ship - Attacker - having originally been intended to be one of the "Avenger" Class. They were also the first escort carriers to be ordered after the USA entered the war; the USN kept the other 10 vessels ordered at the same time, as these became the "Bogue" Class. Once the ships were ready for action they soon proved themselves, both as convoy escorts and fighter support ships for amphibious landings.

Stalker's war service included operating in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and East Indies, as an "Assault Carrier" including in supporting the Salerno landings in September 1943, providing effective on the spot air support for assault forces. She also took part in the invasion of South of France in August 1944 and later in the Aegean, and subsequently was involved in operations against Burma in 1945.

After the war in the Far East was officially over on 15 August the main activity for both British fleets was to accept the Japanese surrender in the numerous islands and areas of coast were they had been in control. In many cases there was still the risk of continued resistance, particularly in Malaya. On 9 September Operation Zipper, the recapture of Malaya, was put into effect, but without a previously arranged air and sea bombardment. Over 100,000 troops landed at various points escorted by HMS Nelson, Richelieu, Nigeria, Cleopatra, Royalist and Ceylon, with the escort carriers Hunter, Stalker, Archer, Khedive, Emperor, Pursuer and Trumpeter with 15 destroyers.

Stalker was returned to the USN on 29 December 1945, became mercantile Roiuw 1948 (Netherlands) and Lobito 1967, scrapped 1975.

Battle Honours
Atlantic 1943 - 4, Salerno 1943, South France 1944, Aegean 1944, Burma 1945

Captains
No information on Captains.

Squadrons and Aircraft

FAA squadrons embarked	Dates	Aircraft type
833	July 1943	Swordfish II/Seafire L.IIc
880	Aug-Oct 1943	Seafire IIc
897	Dec 1943-Feb 1944	Seafire L.IIc
809	Dec 1943-Feb 1944	Seafire L.IIc
1700	April-June 1945	Walrus I
809	May-Oct 1945	Seafire L.III

Associations and Reunions
No information

Carrier name	HMS Stalker Ex USS Hamlin AVG-15.  became mercantile Roiuw 1948 and Lobito 1967
Class	Attacker
Type	Assault Escort Carrier (US built)
Ships in Class	Attacker, Battler, Chaser, Fencer, Hunter, Pursuer, Ravager, Searcher, Stalker, Striker, Tracker
Launched
Tonnage	Net displacement 9,800 tons, Gross displacement, Load 6,900 tons
Engines	2 Foster-Wheeler boilers, 2 Westinghouse geared turbines driving 1 shaft at 8500 shp
Speed in Knots	18.5 knots
Armament	Gun 1 x 2 x 4" L/50 AA, 4x 2 x 40mm Bofors AA 10-35 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
Crew Complement	646 Officers & Ratings excluding Air Group
Range
Length (ft/inches)	496
Beam (ft/inches)	69'6''
Draught (ft/inches)	26
Flight Deck length (ft/inches)	480
Flight Deck width (ft/inches)	70
Armour
Number of aircraft carried	up to 24
Fate of carrier	Scrapped 1975.
Notes

 
 

FURTHER INFORMATION   NavSource Photo Archives Escort Carriers:  STALKER   World Aircraft Carrier Lists and Photo Gallery - from 1913 to 2000. Naval History Information Center, Haze Gray & Underway   Sturtivant, R & Ballance, T  (1994). 'The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1994 ISBN: 0 85130 223 8 The World’s Warships 1941 by Francis E. McMurtrie (1944). Janes London 1941 1st ed.  Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II by Francis E. McMurtrie (Editor)(1984). 320 pages. Crescent Books; ISBN: 0517679639

        Last Modified: 23-2-2001

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