Project commissioning is the process of assuring that all systems and components of a building or industrial plant are designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained according to the operational requirements of the owner or final client. A commissioning process may be applied not only to new projects but also to existing units and systems subject to expansion, renovation or revamping.
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military forces. The ceremonies involved are often rooted in centuries old naval tradition.
Just because it started project commissioning first doesn't make it the first escort carrier. This can take extremely long periods of time (if ever) to complete.
When the ship begins active service with its country's military forces makes it the first escort carrier.
USS Long Island was commissioned into its country's military forces first so it is the first escort carrier.
http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/AUDACITY.htm
HMS AUDACITY was the first escort carrier built for the Royal Navy : originally launched March 29th 1939 as the German passenger-cargo liner MV Hanover, she was captured by HMS Dunedin on March 8th 1940 trying to run the blockade in the West Indies, before she could be scuttled by her crew.
Impressed into service by the Admiralty she was initially renamed Sinbad. She was commissioned as an Ocean Boarding vessel on 11 November 1940 as HMS Empire Audacity. This was a short lived as she was selected for conversion into Britain's first escort carrier. Work commenced in Bootle on January 22nd 1942, the conversion was completed by Blyth Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Northumberland. Work was completed in early June 1941. The ship re-commissioned on June 17 as HMS Audacity.
Naval History Net Service Histories by Name, Type, and Class
First Royal Navy Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier which, as German mercantile HANNOVER, was captured on 8th March 1940 when intercepted in the West Indies by HM Cruiser DUNEDIN and HM Canadian Destroyer ASSINIBOINE. She had been laid down for use as a Refrigerated Cargo Ship and had completed build at Bremen in May 1939. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty and in November 1940 was taken in hand for conversion as a Ocean Boarding Vessel named SINBAD. However in January 1941 she was selected for deployment as the first mercantile to be converted for use as an escort aircraft carrier. The changes made included removal of existing superstructure to allow fit of a wooden flight deck for the full length of the ship. The work was carried out by Blyth Dock SB and the ship commissioned as EMPIRE AUDACITY on 20th June 1941. Ballast had to be added to ensure stability and this ship was fitted with a new design radar for aircraft warning purposes, Type 79B. The first of this type, which used only one mast had been fitted in HM Battlecruiser HOOD shortly before her loss in May 1941 (See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.) Six fighter aircraft were to be carried and had to be kept on the flight deck as no hangar was provided. The name was changed to HMS AUDACITY after conversion in order to avoid confusion with other mercantiles entering service after September 1939 either as new or captured vessels used for trade.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/03/001.htm
Named for the body of water between the southern shore of Connecticut and the northern coast of Long Island, N.Y. (A previous USS Long Island was a converted steam trawler which retained her original, civilian name).
Built under a Maritime Commission contract (hull number 47) as the civilian freighter Mormacmail (1st,) type C3-S-A1, for the Moore-McCormack Lines (Mooremack.) Sponsored by Miss Diane B. Holt, the 16-year old daughter of Mr. George L. Holt, vice president of Mooremack.
Acquired by the Navy on 6 March 1941.
Converted to an aircraft carrier by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va. Initially designated APV-1, but re-designated and commissioned as AVG-1 June 2, 1941.
Reclassified as an "Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier" and re-designated ACV-1, 20 August 1942.
Reclassified as an "Escort Carrier" and re-designated CVE-1, 15 July 1943.
Fate: sold to Zidell Ship Dismantling Co., Portland, Oregon 24 April 1947 for scrapping. Resold to the Canada-Europe Line, 12 March 1948, and converted for merchant service as Nelly by Albina Engineering & Machine Works, Portland, OR. Sold to the University of the Seven Seas (1953), renamed Seven Seas (German flag) and converted into a school ship. Hulked at Rotterdam as a floating students hostel (1966), later to become a local hostel for shipyard workers. Scrapped at Ghent, Belgium (May 1977).
The Kaiser or Casablanca Class were the first escort carriers to be built as such from the keel up.
University of Science Music and Culture (USMC) class of 71 and 72 ~ Extraneous (AKA Mziln)
I do not know name or story of any German merchant captured by CW and then put to use in another role by CW.