USS Santee

USS Santee (AVG/ACV/CVE/CVHE-29), was a US Navy escort carrier of World War II. Originally built as Seakay, one of twelve tankers built by a joint Navy-Maritime Commission design. This design was later duplicated and designated a T3-S2-A1 oiler. She was acquired by the Navy in 1940, and renamed Santee (AO-29), a Cimarron-class fleet oiler. In 1942, she was converted to a Sangamon-class escort carrier. Originally classified as an "Aircraft Escort Vessel", AVG-29, on 9 January 1942, she was reclassified an "Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier", ACV-29, 20 August 1942, before finally being classified as an "Escort Carrier", CVE-29, 15 July 1943. After the war, she was later classified an "Escort Helicopter Aircraft Carrier" and again redesignated, CVHE-29, 12 June 1955. She was named after the Santee River, in South Carolina.