USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80), a Casablanca-class escort carrier, photographed underway in the Pacific during World War II. Built rapidly on a merchant hull by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company, escort carriers like Petrof Bay provided air cover, antisubmarine patrol, and close support for Allied amphibious landings from 1943 through the end of the war, including operations at Leyte Gulf. The ship's disruptive camouflage scheme and embarked aircraft, visible on the flight deck, illustrate the improvised but essential role these 'jeep carriers' played in projecting American air power far from land bases. Project: 218297