A column of black smoke rises from a stricken vessel on the horizon in this photograph from the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) collection. Images like this, taken from the decks of escort carriers, captured the ever-present danger faced by Allied ships in the Pacific, whether from enemy air attack, kamikaze strikes, or accidental fires, and served as sober reminders of the risks of fleet operations during World War II. Project: 218458