A History of HMS REAPER

Laid down 5 June 1943, at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Co. Tacoma, Washington, a Maritime Commission C3-S-A1 type freighter hull, Seattle-Tacoma hull number 9; purchased by the US navy to be the USS WINJAH AVG–54. Whilst still under construction it had been decided that AVG-46 was to be transferred to the Admiralty on loan on her completion as an aircraft carrier. She was transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend Lease on 23 June1943 (CVE-54 from July 13th 1943); CVE-54 was launched on 22 November 1943, and was delivered to the RN on February 18th 1944; commissioned into RN service as HMS REAPER (D82), Captain J.F.H. Sawyer RN in command on February 21st.

HMS Reaper was to make several runs as a ferry carrier before seeing active service; Reaper embarked a ferry load of aircraft at Norfolk, Virginia on November 11th 1944, amongst the airframes she carried were 2 Grumman Tigercats for evaluation by the FAA, She arrived in the Clyde on December 7th.

On November 22nd – 23rd 1944 she embarked 1849 and 1850 squadrons at Norfolk, Virginia for passage to UK; 1849 squadron was disbanded when Reaper arrived in the UK on December 6th due to heavy losses of aircraft, the remained of her Corsairs being split between 1845 and 1850, which disembarked to RNARY Belfast.

After the end of the hostilities in Europe HMS Reaper was loaned to the US for a brief period as a ferry carrier; she participated in the final recovery stage of a top secret US intelligence mission, code named operation ‘Lusty’.

Operation ‘LUSTY’ commenced on April 22nd 1945, and involved USAAF Intelligence Service personnel scouring Europe searching for top secret German aircraft and weapons, along with other technical and scientific intelligence, to be taken back to the US for study. The Searchers, nicknamed "Watrson’s Whizzers" (after their CO) located many airworthy aircraft, including nine Me 262 jet aircraft at Lechfeld, and other secret weapons and materials; in total Operation ‘LUSTY’ had acquired 16,280 items (6,200 tons) of equipment and other materials which were transported to Cherbourg for the voyage to the US under the code name operation ‘SEAHORSE’. For this operation two vessels were loaded at Cherbourg, HMS Reaper and the liberty ship USS Richard J. Gatling.

HMS Reaper embarked 41 airframes comprising of: Ten Me 262; Five Fw 190F; Four Fw 190D; One Ta 152H; Four Ar 234B; Three He219; Three Bf 109; Two Do 335; Two Bu 181; One Helicopter WNF 342; Two Fl 282 helicopters; One Ju 88G; One Ju 388; One Bf 108; and One US P-51. These were cocooned before being secured as deck cargo on the flight deck. She also accommodated the intelligence staff and searchers as passengers. The majority of the other materials contained in 74 railroad cars, and a seven aircraft, sailing on July 12th. Reaper sailed form Cherbourg bound for Newark, New Jersey on July 19th, 1945.

For more detailed info on operation ‘Lusty’ and Watson’s ‘Whizzers’ visit http://www.stormbirds.com/squadron/

Reaper was next assigned to the 30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron with the British Pacific Fleet, sailing in on July 23rd having loaded aircraft for the BPF. Reaper arrived on Sydney on August 15th after the end of hostilities.  After unloading and embarking passengers and stores she sailed on to Manus, the Admiralty Islands, arriving at RNAS Ponam at teatime on the October 3rd, to embark, the sea Otters and personnel of 'B' Flt of 1701 Squadron for passage to MONAB VIII (HMS Nabcatcher) at Kai Tak, Hong Kong. Reaper arrived at Hong Kong on the 11th and unloaded aircraft, passengers and stores, then embarked further passengers for the return voyage to Sydney, sailing on the 18th.

After arriving in Sydney on November 11th and unloaded Reaper began her return voyage to the UK carrying ex-POWs and other passengers. Galling at Auckland on the 17th of November then on to Singapore (date unknown) HMS Reaper arrived in the Clyde for the final time on March 23rd 1946 where she was to be de-stored and and prepared for her return to the US Navy.

HMS Reaper arrived at Norfolk, Va., on 13 May 1946, and was decommissioned and returned to the US Navy custody on 20 May. No longer required for military service her disposal was authorized on 14 June, USS WINJAH was struck from the US Navy list on 8 July 1946. She was sold to the Blue Star Line Ltd. on 12 February 1947 and converted and converted into a cargo liner by Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A., becoming the MV South Africa Star when she entered service in 1948; she was scrapped at Milhara in 1967.

Content revised: July 2008