"Kaiser" escort carrier names

[Werner]

I have been trying to make sense of the names originally assigned to the Casablanca class and later CVEs (55 on). The closest I can come to is they are page headings in the 1942 & 1944 USCG tide tables publications. Obviously, as battle names became available, they were assigned to ships when available.

Anyone know the real story?

[Mac]

I think the theme for USN CVE names was bodies of water (bays, sounds, etc.). A quick look through the Navsource CVE page shows that most of the Casablanca class (other than those named for battles) were named for bays. I'm not sure how the particular bays were chosen.

Mac

[Werner]

If you look, a huge number of them are bays in peninsular Alaska. They are roughly alphabetical, and one of the later ships (in the "S" series) is obviously named for Saginaw, Michigan. Commencement Bay starts a new class and is a locale in Washington State.

Most of the Alaska series are uninhabited spots which might be interesting for their fishing interest, but would be of little note except on a tide and buoy table,