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At the end of World War
II, sailors and airmen who had served on Escort Carriers
began forming individual ship associations composed of their former shipmates.
Some 70 of these ship and aircraft squadron organizations still exist.
Not until 1991, 46 years after the end
of the War, was an association formed
to represent all CVEs of World War II and Korea. This association
was named the
Escort Carrier Sailors and Airmen Association, Inc. and is usually
referred to as ECSAA.
Today ECSAA has over 2,400 members and
instead of diminishing in size
as most WWII veterans groups, its membership continues to grow at a healthy
annual rate.
ECSAA's Board of Governors handles the
business affairs of the association,
publishes a highly popular bi-monthly newspaper, The Piper, holds annual
conventions
in various cities where CVE sailors and airmen and their families meet
to visit
with old shipmates, make new friends, and recount their days of service
aboard the little
aircraft carriers which contributed so much to the nation's victory during
the war.
One of ECSAA's goals is to carry out programs
to educate current and
future generations of the vital role the CVEs played during the war.
The story of the escort carriers has never been told. During the War, the nation's press
rarely made mention of the CVEs, and their outstanding record of service
in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres of war.
ECSAA's educational program consists of
placing bronze plaques and displays
in key Navy and Maritime museums around the country where millions
of visitors of all ages can learn about the escort carriers, the men
who manned them, and the valiant pilots and airmen who flew from their
decks.
(see the page,The Men & The Ships)
The displays also pay tribute to the six CVEs which were sunk,
and our shipmates who died in battle.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our web site,
and that you will come back and visit us again.
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