Warships of the US Navy: Aircraft Carriers: Lexington-class, Ranger-class, Yorktown-class, Wasp-class, and Essex-class, in the Second Word War

USN Aircraft Carriers: Lexington-class, Ranger-class, Yorktown-class, Wasp-class, and Essex-class, in the Second Word War

Between 1941 and 1945, the United States Navy commissioned several classes of aircraft carriers, namely the Lexington, Ranger, Wasp, Yorktown, and Essex classes, which became instrumental in establishing air and naval superiority.

USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3)

USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (Navy Fleet Collier No. 3), and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship. Langley was named after Samuel Langley, an American aviation pioneer. She was the sole member of her class to be rebuilt as a carrier. Conversion of another collier was planned but canceled when the Washington Naval Treaty required the cancellation of the partially built Lexington-class battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga, freeing up their hulls for conversion to the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga. Following another conversion to a seaplane tender, Langley saw service in the Second World War. On 27 February 1942, while ferrying a cargo of USAAF P-40s to Java, she was attacked by nine twin-engine Japanese bombers of the Japanese 21st and 23rd naval air flotillas and so badly damaged that she had to be scuttled by her escorts. (Wikipedia)

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USS Langley (CV 1) going by the oil docks at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 4 May 1925.

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USS Langley (CV-1) underway in June 1927.

Lexington-class

The Lexington-class aircraft carriers were a pair of aircraft carriers built for the United States Navy (USN) during the 1920s, the USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3). The ships were built on hulls originally laid down as battlecruisers after World War I, but under the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, all U.S. battleship and battlecruiser construction was cancelled. The Treaty, however, allowed two of the unfinished ships to be converted to carriers. They were the first operational aircraft carriers in the USN[N 1] and were used to develop carrier aviation tactics and procedures before the Second World War in a series of annual exercises.They proved extremely successful as carriers and experience with the Lexington class convinced the Navy of the value of large carriers. They were the largest aircraft carriers in the USN until the Midway-class aircraft carriers were completed beginning in 1945. The ships served in the Second World War, seeing action in many battles. Although Lexington was sunk in the first carrier battle in history (the Battle of the Coral Sea) in 1942, Saratoga served throughout the war, despite being torpedoed twice, notably participating in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in mid-1942 where her aircraft sank the Japanese light carrier Ryūjō. She supported Allied operations in the Indian Ocean and South West Pacific Areas until she became a training ship at the end of 1944. Saratoga returned to combat to protect American forces during the Battle of Iwo Jima in early 1945, but was badly damaged by kamikazes. The continued growth in the size and weight of carrier aircraft made her obsolete by the end of the war. In mid-1946, the ship was purposefully sunk during nuclear weapon tests in Operation Crossroads. (Wikipedia)

USS Lexington (CV-2)

USS Lexington (CV-2). Commissioned 14 Dec 1927. She was the first of two carriers in the Second World War to be named Lexington. Lexington was one of the few carriers to be commissioned well before the war started. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lexington was en route to Midway Island, delivering aircraft. It later engaged in diversionary attacks in the Marshall Islands. Alongside USS Yorktown, it fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea. After enduring torpedo and aerial bomb hits, Lexington was scuttled, marking the first loss of an American aircraft carrier in the war. (USN)

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USS Lexington (CV-2) leaving San Diego, California (USA), on 14 October 1941. Planes parked on her flight deck include Brewster F2A-1 fighters (parked forward), Douglas SBD scout-bombers (amidships) and Douglas TBD-1 torpedo planes (aft). Note the false bow wave painted on her hull, forward, and badly chalked condition of the hull's camouflage paint.

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Commercial tugboats assist the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) during her transit from the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts (USA), to the Boston Navy Yard for her final dry docking before her shakedown cruise.

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USS Lexington (CV-2), burning and sinking after her crew abandoned ship during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 8 May 1942. Note the planes parked aft, where the fires have not yet reached.

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Crewmen abandon ship on board the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) after the carrier was hit by Japanese torpedoes and bombs during the Battle of the Coral Sea, on 8 May 1942. Note the destroyer alongside taking on survivors.

Battle of the Coral Sea

The Japanese and American forces needed to refuel, but TF 17 finished first, and Fletcher tookYorktown and her consorts northward toward the Solomon Islands on 2 May. TF 11 was ordered to rendezvous with TF 17 and Task Force 44, the former ANZAC Squadron, further west into the Coral Sea on 4 May. The Japanese opened Operation Mo by occupying Tulagi on 3 May. Alerted by Allied reconnaissance aircraft, Fletcher decided to attack Japanese shipping there the following day. The air strike on Tulagi confirmed that at least one American carrier was in the vicinity, but the Japanese had no idea of its location. They launched reconnaissance aircraft the following day to search for the Americans, but without result. One H6K flying boat spotted Yorktown but was shot down by one of Yorktown's Wildcat fighters before she could radio a report. US Army Air Forces (USAAF) aircraft spotted Shōhō southwest of Bougainville Island on 5 May, but she was too far north to be attacked by the American carriers, which were refueling. That day, Fletcher received Ultra intelligence that placed the three Japanese carriers known to be involved in Operation Mo near Bougainville Island, and predicted 10 May as the date of the invasion. It also predicted airstrikes by the Japanese carriers in support of the invasion several days before 10 May. Based on this information, Fletcher planned to complete refueling on 6 May and to move closer to the eastern tip of New Guinea to be in a position to locate and attack Japanese forces on 7 May.

Another H6K spotted the Americans during the morning of 6 May and successfully shadowed them until 1400. The Japanese, however, were unwilling or unable to launch air strikes in poor weather or without updated spot reports. Both sides believed they knew where the other force was and expected to fight the next day. The Japanese were the first to spot their opponents when one aircraft found the oiler Neosho escorted by the destroyer Sims at 0722, south of the strike force. They were misidentified as a carrier and a cruiser so the fleet carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku launched an airstrike 40 minutes later that sank Sims and damaged Neosho badly enough that she had to be scuttled a few days later. The American carriers were west of the Japanese carriers, not south, and they were spotted by other Japanese aircraft shortly after the carriers had launched their attack on Neosho and Sims.

American reconnaissance aircraft reported two Japanese heavy cruisers northeast of Misima Island in the Louisiade Archipelago off the eastern tip of New Guinea at 07:35 and two carriers at 08:15. An hour later Fletcher ordered an airstrike launched, believing that the two carriers reported were Shōkaku and Zuikaku. Lexington and Yorktown launched a total of 53 Dauntlesses and 22 Devastators escorted by 18 Wildcats. The 08:15 report turned out to be miscoded, as the pilot had intended to report two heavy cruisers, but USAAF aircraft had spotted Shōhō, her escorts and the invasion convoy in the meantime. As the latest spot report plotted only 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) away from the 08:15 report, the aircraft en route were diverted to this new target.

Shōhō and the rest of the main force were spotted by aircraft from Lexington at 10:40. At this time, Shōhō's patrolling fighters consisted of two Mitsubishi A5M "Claudes" and one Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The dive bombers of VS-2 began their attack at 1110 as the three Japanese fighters attacked the Dauntlesses in their dive. None of the dive bombers hit Shōhō, which was maneuvering to avoid their bombs; one Zero shot down a Dauntless after it had pulled out of its dive; several other Dauntlesses were also damaged. The carrier launched three more Zeros immediately after this attack to reinforce its defenses. The Dauntlesses of VB-2 began their attack at 11:18 and they hit Shōhō twice with 1,000-pound (450 kg) bombs. These penetrated the ship's flightdeck and burst inside her hangars, setting the fueled and armed aircraft there on fire. A minute later the Devastators of VT-2 began dropping their torpedoes from both sides of the ship. They hit Shōhō five times and the damage from the hits knocked out her steering and power. In addition, the hits flooded both the engine and boiler rooms. Yorktown's aircraft finished the carrier off and she sank at 11:31. After his attack, Lieutenant Commander Robert E. Dixon, commander of VS-2, radioed his famous message to the American carriers: "Scratch one flat top!"

After Shōkaku and Zuikaku had recovered the aircraft that had sunk Neosho and Sims, Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara, commander of the 5th Carrier Division, ordered that a further air strike be readied as the American carriers were believed to have been located. The two carriers launched a total of 12 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers and 15 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers late that afternoon. The Japanese had mistaken Task Force 44 for Lexington and Yorktown, which were much closer than anticipated, although they were along the same bearing. Lexington's radar spotted one group of nine B5Ns at 17:47 and half the airborne fighters were directed to intercept them while additional Wildcats were launched to reinforce the defences. The intercepting fighters surprised the Japanese bombers and shot down five while losing one of their own. One section of the newly launched fighters spotted the remaining group of six B5Ns, shooting down two and badly damaging another bomber, although one Wildcat was lost to unknown causes. Another section spotted and shot down a single D3A. The surviving Japanese leaders canceled the attack after such heavy losses and all aircraft jettisoned their bombs and torpedoes. They had still not spotted the American carriers and turned for their own ships, using radio direction finders to track the carrier's homing beacon. The beacon broadcast on a frequency very close to that of the American ships and many of the Japanese aircraft confused the ships in the darkness. A number of them flew right beside the American ships, flashing signal lights in an effort to confirm their identity, but they were not initially recognized as Japanese because the remaining Wildcats were attempting to land aboard the carriers. Finally, they were recognized and fired upon, by both the Wildcats and the anti-aircraft guns of the task force, but they sustained no losses in the confused action. One Wildcat lost radio contact and could not find either of the American carriers; the pilot was never found. The remaining 18 Japanese aircraft successfully returned to their carriers, beginning at 20:00.

8 May 1942

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On the morning of 8 May, both sides spotted each other about the same time and began launching their aircraft about 09:00. The Japanese carriers launched a total of 18 Zeros, 33 D3As and 18 B5Ns. Yorktown was the first American carrier to launch her aircraft, and Lexington began launching hers seven minutes later. These totaled 9 Wildcats, 15 Dauntlesses and 12 Devastators. Yorktown's dive bombers disabled Shōkaku's flight deck with two hits and Lexington's aircraft were only able to further damage her with another bomb hit. None of the torpedo bombers from either carrier hit anything. The Japanese CAP was effective and shot down 3 Wildcats and 2 Dauntlesses for the loss of 2 Zeros.

The Japanese aircraft spotted the American carriers around 11:05 and the B5Ns attacked first because the D3As had to circle around to approach the carriers from upwind. American aircraft shot down four of the torpedo bombers before they could drop their torpedoes, but 10 survived long enough to hit Lexington twice on the port side at 11:20, although 4 of the B5Ns were shot down by anti-aircraft fire after dropping their torpedoes. War correspondent Stanley Johnston, who was on the signal bridge during the battle, noted five torpedo hits on the port side from 11:18 to11:22. The shock from the first torpedo hit at the bow jammed both elevators in the up position and started small leaks in the port avgas storage tanks. The second torpedo hit her opposite the bridge, ruptured the primary port watermain, and started flooding in three port fire rooms. The boilers there had to be shut down, which reduced her speed to a maximum of 24.5 knots (45.4 km/h;28.2 mph), and the flooding gave her a 6–7° list to port. Shortly afterward, Lexington was attacked by 19 D3As. One was shot down by fighters before it could drop its bomb and another was shot down by the carrier. She was hit by two bombs, the first of which detonated in the port forward five-inch ready ammunition locker, killing the entire crew of one five-inch gun and starting several fires. The second hit struck the funnel, doing little significant damage although fragments killed many of the crews of the .50-caliber machineguns positioned near there. The hit also jammed the ship's siren in the "on" position. The remaining bombs detonated close alongside and some of their fragments pierced the hull, flooding two compartments.

Fuel was pumped from the port storage tanks to the starboard side to correct the list and Lexington began recovering damaged aircraft and those that were low on fuel at 11:39. The Japanese had shot down three of Lexington's Wildcats and five Dauntlesses, plus another Dauntless crashed on landing. At 12:43, the ship launched five Wildcats to replace the CAP and prepared to launch another nine Dauntlesses. A massive explosion at 12:47 was triggered by sparks that ignited gasoline vapours from the cracked port avgas tanks. The explosion killed 25 crewmen and knocked out the main damage control station. The damage did not interfere with flight deck operations, although the refueling system was shutdown. The fueled Dauntlesses were launched and six Wildcats that were low on fuel landed aboard. Aircraft from the morning's air strike began landing at 13:22 and all surviving aircraft had landed by 14:14. The final tally included three Wildcats that were shot down, plus one Wildcat, three Dauntlesses and one Devastator that were forced to ditch.
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Another serious explosion occurred at 14:42 that started severe fires in the hangar and blew the forward elevator 12 inches (305 mm) above the flight deck. Power to the forward half of the ship failed shortly afterward. Fletcher sent three destroyers to assist, but another major explosion at 15:25 knocked out water pressure in the hangar and forced the evacuation of the forward machinery spaces. The fire eventually forced the evacuation of all compartments below the waterline at 16:00 and Lexington eventually drifted to a halt. Evacuation of the wounded began shortly afterward, and Sherman ordered "abandonship" at 17:07. A series of large explosions began around 18:00 that blew the aft elevator apart and threw aircraft into the air. Sherman waited until 18:30 to ensure that all of his crewmen were off the ship before leaving himself. Some 2,770 officers and men were rescued by the rest of the task force. The destroyer Phelps was ordered to sink the ship and fired a total of five torpedoes between 19:15 and 19:52. Immediately after the last torpedo hit, Lexington finally slipped beneath the waves at 15°20′S 155°30′E. Some 216 crewmen were killed and 2,735 were evacuated. 17 SBD Dauntless dive bombers, 13 F4F Wildcat fighters, and 12 TBD Devastator torpedo bombers, 42 planes total, went down with Lexington. (Wikipedia)

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A mushroom cloud rises after a heavy explosion on board the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), 8 May 1942. This is probably the great explosion from the detonation of torpedo warheads stowed in the starboard side of the hangar, aft, that followed an explosion amidships at 1727 hrs. Note USS Yorktown (CV-5) on the horizon in the left center, and destroyer USS Hammann (DD-412) at the extreme left.

USS Saratoga (CV-3)

USS Saratoga (CV-3). Commissioned 16 Nov 1927. She was built in 1927, initially as a battle cruiser but later completed as an aircraft carrier, and she served as the U.S. Navy’s first fast carrier. Saratoga played a key role in the Guadalcanal campaign, sinking the Japanese carrier Ryujo and providing air cover for the landings. Saratoga survived torpedo hits and continued operations until the end of the war. After the war, the ship was destroyed in atomic bomb testing at Bikini Atoll.

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USS Saratoga (CV-3) running full power trials in Puget Sound, Washington (USA), following battle damage repairs, 15 May 1945.

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USS Saratoga (CV-3), circa 1942. Planes on deck include five Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters, six Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers and one Grumman TBF-1 Avenger torpedo plane.

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USS Saratoga (CV-3) underway in Puget Sound, Washington (USA), making 12 knots, 7 September 1944. Saratoga wears her single Camouflage Measure 32 Design 11A.

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Aerial view from a U.S. Navy Martin PBM Mariner (callsign "U") of the Crossroads Baker atomic test, less than one second after the detonation. Identifiable ships are (l-r): USS Pensacola (CA-24), USS Saratoga (CV-3), USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), the former Japanese battleship Nagato, USS New York (BB-34), and USS Salt Lake City (CA-25).

Ranger-class

USS Ranger (CV-4) was an interwar United States Navy aircraft carrier, the only ship of its class. As a Treaty ship, Ranger was the first U.S. vessel to be designed and built from the keel up as a carrier. She was relatively small, just 730 ft (222.5 m) long and under 15,000 long tons (15,000 t), closer in size and displacement to the first US carrier—Langley—than later ships. An island superstructure was not included in the original design, but was added after completion. Deemed too slow for use with the Pacific Fleet's carrier task forces against Japan, she spent most of the Second World War in the Atlantic Ocean, where the German fleet, the Kriegsmarine, was a weaker opponent. Ranger saw combat in that theater and provided air support for Operation Torch. In October 1943, she fought in Operation Leader, air attacks on German shipping off Norway. She was sold for scrap in 1947. (Wikipedia)

USS Ranger (CV-4)

USS Ranger (CV-4). Commissioned 4 Jun 1934. Sher was the first US aircraft carrier to be built as such, rather than being repurposed from an existing ship hull. During the war, Ranger mostly fulfilled escort carrier duties. Lacking the speed and capacity of larger carriers, Ranger served in convoy escort, aircraft transport, and amphibious support roles. It survived the war along with two other pre-war carriers, USS Enterprise and USS Saratoga. After the war, it underwent overhaul and was ultimately decommissioned in 1946 before being sold for scrapping in 1947.

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USS Ranger (CV-4) anchored in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on 10 November 1939.

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USS Ranger (CV-4) transits through the Panama Canal in 1945.

Yorktown-class

The Yorktown class was a class of three aircraft carriers built for the United States Navy and completed shortly before the Second World War, the USS Yorktown (CV-5), USS Enterprise (CV-6), and USS Hornet (CV-8). They immediately followed USS Ranger (CV-2), the first U.S. aircraft carrier built as such, and benefited in design from experience with Ranger and the earlier Lexington class, which were conversions into carriers of two battlecruisers that were to be scrapped to comply with the Washington Naval Treaty, an arms limitation accord. These ships bore the brunt of the fighting in the Pacific during 1942, and two of the three were lost: Yorktown, sunk at the Battle of Midway, and Hornet, sunk in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Enterprise, the sole survivor of the class, was the most decorated ship of the U.S. Navy in the Second World War. After efforts to save her as a museum ship failed, she was scrapped in 1958. (Wikipedia)

USS Yorktown (CV-5)

USS Yorktown (CV-5). Commissioned 30 Sep 1937. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Yorktown passed through the Panama Canal to reinforce the Pacific Fleet. Despite damage sustained during the battle of the Coral Sea, Yorktown participated in the Battle of Midway, contributing to the sinking of Japanese carriers. Eventually, she was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-168. The wreck was discovered in 1998.

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) underway, on 21 July 1937.

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) anchored in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 30 October 1937.

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) in Dry Dock No. 1 at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, 29 May 1942, receiving urgent repairs for damage received in the Battle of Coral Sea. She left Pearl Harbor the next day to participate in the Battle of Midway. USS West Virginia (BB-48), sunk in the 7 December 1941 Japanese air attack, is being salvaged in the left distance.

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) underway with her air group on the flight deck, 4 June 1942, probably about 0630-0730 hrs, following recovery of her morning search and respotting the flight deck with her strike group. Several Douglas SBD Dauntless scout bombers are on deck alongside and forward of the island, with many other planes densely parked aft. Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers are at the flight deck's rear.

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) burning after the first attack by Japanese dive bombers during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942

Battle of Midway

U.S. naval intelligence had gained enough information from decoded Japanesenaval messages to estimate that the Japanese were on the threshold of a majoroperation aimed at the northwestern tip of the Hawaiian chain. These were twoislets in a low coral atoll known as Midway Island. Armed with thisintelligence, Admiral Nimitz began methodically planning Midway's defense,rushing all possible reinforcement in the way of men, planes and guns toMidway. In addition, he began gathering his comparatively meager naval forcesto meet the enemy at sea. As part of those preparations, he recalled TF 16,Enterprise and Hornet to Pearl Harbor for a quick replenishment.

Yorktown, too, received orders to return to Hawaii; she arrived at Pearl Harboron 27 May, entering dry dock the following day. The damage the ship hadsustained after Coral Sea was considerable, and led to the Navy Yard inspectorsestimating that she would need at least two weeks of repairs. However, AdmiralNimitz ordered that she be made ready to sail alongside TF 16. Furtherinspections showed that Yorktown's flight elevators had not been damaged, andthe damage to her flight deck and hull could be patched easily. Yard workers atPearl Harbor, laboring around the clock, made enough repairs to enable the shipto put to sea again in 48 hours. The repairs were made in such a short timethat the Japanese Naval Air Commanders would mistake Yorktown for anothercarrier as they thought she had been sunk during the previous battle. However,one critical repair to her power plant was not made: her damaged superheaterboilers were not touched, limiting her top speed. Her air group was augmentedby planes and crews from Saratoga which was then headed for Pearl Harbor afterher refit on the West Coast. Yorktown sailed as the core of TF 17 on 30 May.

Northeast of Midway, Yorktown, flying Vice Admiral Fletcher's flag,rendezvoused with TF 16 under Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and maintained aposition 10 miles (16 km) to the northward of him.

Patrols, both from Midway and the carriers, were flown during early June. Atdawn on 4 June Yorktown launched a 10-plane group of Dauntlesses from VB-5which searched a northern semicircle for a distance of 100 miles (160 km) outbut found nothing.

Meanwhile, PBYs flying from Midway had sighted the approaching Japanese andbroadcast the alarm for the American forces defending the key atoll. AdmiralFletcher, in tactical command, ordered Admiral Spruance's TF 16 to locate andstrike the enemy carrier force.

Yorktown's search group returned at 08:30, landing soon after the last of thesix-plane CAP had left the deck. When the last of the Dauntlesses wererecovered, the deck was hastily respotted for the launch of the ship's attackgroup: 17 Dauntlesses from VB-3, 12 Devastators from VT-3, and six Wildcatsfrom "Fighting Three". Enterprise and Hornet, meanwhile, launchedtheir attack groups.

The torpedo planes from the three American carriers located the Japanesestriking force, but met disaster. Of the 41 planes from VT-8, VT-6, and VT-3,only six returned to Enterprise and Yorktown; none made it back to Hornet.

As a reaction to the torpedo attack the Japanese CAP had broken off theirhigh-altitude cover for their carriers and had concentrated on the Devastators,flying "on the deck", allowing Dauntlesses from Yorktown andEnterprise to arrive unopposed.

Virtually unopposed, Yorktown's dive-bombers attacked Sōryū, making threelethal hits with 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bombs and setting her on fire.[8]Enterprise's planes, meanwhile, hit Akagi and Kaga, effectively destroyingthem. The bombs from the Dauntlesses caught all of the Japanese carriers in themidst of refueling and rearming operations, causing devastating fires andexplosions.

Three of the four Japanese carriers had been left burning wrecks. The fourth,Hiryū, separated from her sisters, launched a striking force of 18"Vals" and soon located Yorktown.

As soon as the attackers had been picked up on Yorktown's radar at about 13:29,she discontinued fueling her CAP fighters on deck and swiftly cleared foraction. Her returning dive bombers were moved from the landing circle to openthe area for antiaircraft fire. The Dauntlesses were ordered aloft to form aCAP. An auxiliary 800-US-gallon (3,000 L) gasoline tank was pushed over thecarrier's fantail, eliminating one fire hazard. The crew drained fuel lines andclosed and secured all compartments.[5]

All of Yorktown's fighters were vectored out to intercept the oncoming Japaneseaircraft at a distance of 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) out. The Wildcatsattacked vigorously, breaking up what appeared to be an organized attack bysome 18 "Vals" and 6 "Zeroes".[9] "Planes were flyingin every direction", wrote Captain Buckmaster after the action, "andmany were falling in flames."[5] The leader of the "Vals",Lieutenant Michio Kobayashi, was probably shot down by the VF-3's commandingofficer, Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach. Lieutenant William W. Barnes alsopressed home the first attack, possibly taking out the lead bomber and damagingat least two others.

Despite an intensive barrage and evasive maneuvering, three "Vals"scored hits. Two of them were shot down soon after releasing their bomb loads;the third went out of control just as his bomb left the rack. It tumbled inflight and hit just abaft the number two elevator on the starboard side,exploding on contact and blasting a hole about 10 feet (3 m) square in theflight deck. Splinters from the exploding bomb killed most of the crews of thetwo 1.1-inch (28 mm) gun mounts aft of the island and on the flight deck below.Fragments piercing the flight deck hit three planes on the hangar deck,starting fires. One of the aircraft, a Yorktown Dauntless, was fully fueled andcarrying a 1,000 pounds (450 kg) bomb. Prompt action by LT A. C. Emerson, thehangar deck officer, prevented a serious fire by activating the sprinklersystem and quickly extinguishing the fire.

The second bomb to hit the ship came from the port side, pierced the flightdeck, and exploded in the lower part of the funnel, in effect a classic"down the stack shot." It ruptured the uptakes for three boilers,disabled two boilers, and extinguished the fires in five boilers. Smoke andgases began filling the firerooms of six boilers. The men at Number One boilerremained at their post and kept it alight, maintaining enough steam pressure toallow the auxiliary steam systems to function.

A third bomb hit the carrier from the starboard side, pierced the side ofnumber one elevator and exploded on the fourth deck, starting a persistent firein the rag storage space, adjacent to the forward gasoline stowage and themagazines. The prior precaution of smothering the gasoline system with carbondioxide undoubtedly prevented the gasoline from igniting.

While the ship recovered from the damage inflicted by the dive-bombing attack,her speed dropped to 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph); and then at 14:40, about 20minutes after the bomb hit that had shut down most of the boilers, Yorktownslowed to a stop, dead in the water.

At about 15:40, Yorktown prepared to get underway; and, at 15:50, thanks to theblack gang in No. 1 Fireroom having kept the auxiliaries operating to clear thestack gas from the other firerooms and bleeding steam from No. 1 to the otherboilers to jump-start them, Chief Engineer Delaney reported to CaptainBuckmaster that the ship's engineers were ready to make 20 knots (37 km/h; 23mph) or better. Yorktown yanked down her yellow breakdown flag and up went anew hoist-"My speed 5." Captain Buckmaster had his signalmen hoist ahuge new (10 feet wide and 15 feet long) American flag from the foremast.Sailors, including Ensign John d'Arc Lorenz called it an incalculableinspiration: "For the first time I realized what the flag meant: all of us— a million faces — all our effort — a whisper of encouragement." Damagecontrol parties were able to temporarily patch the flight deck and restorepower to several boilers within an hour, giving her a speed of 19 knots (35km/h; 22 mph) and enabling her to resume air operations.

Simultaneously, with the fires controlled sufficiently to warrant theresumption of fueling, Yorktown began refueling the fighters then on deck; justthen the ship's radar picked up an incoming air group at a distance of 33 miles(53 km). While the ship prepared for battle, again smothering gasoline systemsand stopping the fueling of the planes on her flight deck, she vectored four ofthe six fighters of the CAP in the air to intercept the raiders. Of the 10fighters on board, eight had as little as 23 US gallons (87 L) of fuel in theirtanks. They were launched as the remaining pair of fighters of the CAP headedout to intercept the Japanese planes.

At 16:00, maneuvering Yorktown churned forward, making 20 knots. The fightersshe had launched and vectored out to intercept had meanwhile made contact withthe enemy. Yorktown received reports that the planes were "Kates".The Wildcats shot down at least three, but the rest began their approach whilethe carrier and her escorts mounted a heavy antiaircraft barrage.

Yorktown maneuvered radically, avoiding at least two torpedoes before anothertwo struck the port side within minutes of each other, the first at 16:20. Thecarrier had been mortally wounded; she lost power and went dead in the waterwith a jammed rudder and an increasing list to port.

As the ship's list progressed, Commander Clarence E. Aldrich, the damagecontrol officer, reported from central station that, without power, controllingthe flooding looked impossible. The Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander JohnF. Delaney, soon reported that all boiler fires were out, all power was lost,and that it was impossible to correct the list. Buckmaster ordered Aldrich,Delaney, and their men to secure the fire and engine rooms and lay up to theweather decks to put on life jackets.

The list, meanwhile, continued to increase. When it reached 26 degrees,Buckmaster and Aldrich agreed that capsizing was imminent. "In order tosave as many of the ship's company as possible", the captain wrote later,he "ordered the ship to be abandoned".

Over the next few minutes the crew lowered the wounded into life rafts andstruck out for the nearby destroyers and cruisers to be picked up by theirboats, abandoning ship in good order. After the evacuation of all wounded, theexecutive officer, Commander Dixie Kiefer left the ship down a line on thestarboard side. Buckmaster, meanwhile, toured the ship one last time, to see ifany men remained. After finding no "live personnel", Buckmasterlowered himself into the water by means of a line over the stern, by which timewater was lapping the port side of the hangar deck.[5]

After being picked up by the destroyer USS Hammann, Buckmaster transferred tothe cruiser Astoria and reported to Vice Admiral Fletcher, who had shifted hisflag to the heavy cruiser after the first dive-bombing attack. The two menagreed that a salvage party should attempt to save the ship since she hadstubbornly remained afloat despite the heavy list and imminent danger ofcapsizing.

While efforts to save Yorktown had been proceeding apace, her planes were stillin action, joining those from Enterprise in striking the last Japanesecarrier—Hiryū—late that afternoon. Taking four direct hits, the Japanesecarrier was soon helpless. She was abandoned by her crew and left to drift outof control.

Yorktown, as it turned out, floated throughout the night. Two men were stillalive on board her; one attracted attention by firing a machine gun, heard bythe sole attending destroyer, Hughes. The escort picked up the men, one of whomlater died. Buckmaster selected Executive Officer Dixie Kiefer commander of thesalvage crew which also included 29 officers and 141 men to return to the shipin an attempt to save her. Five destroyers formed an antisubmarine screen whilethe salvage party boarded the listing carrier on the morning of 6 June. Thefleet tug USS Vireo, summoned from Pearl and Hermes Reef, commenced towing theship, although progress was painfully slow.

Yorktown's repair party went on board with a carefully predetermined plan ofaction to be carried out by men from each department—damage control, gunneryair engineering, navigation, communication, supply and medical. To assist inthe work, Lieutenant Commander Arnold E. True brought Hammann alongside tostarboard, aft, furnishing pumps and electric power.

By mid-afternoon, the process of reducing topside weight was proceeding well;one 5-inch (127 mm) gun had been dropped over the side and a second was readyto be cast loose, planes had been pushed over the side, and a large quantity ofwater had been pumped out of engineering spaces. These efforts reduced the listby about two degrees.

Unknown to Yorktown and the six nearby destroyers, however, Japanese submarineI-168 had discovered the disabled carrier and achieved a favorable firingposition. The I-boat eluded detection—possibly due to the large amount ofdebris and wreckage in the water—until 15:36, when lookouts spotted a salvo offour torpedoes approaching the ship from the starboard beam.

Hammann went to general quarters, with a 20-millimeter gun going into action inan attempt to explode the torpedoes in the water as she tried to get underway.One torpedo hit Hammann directly amidships and broke her back. The destroyerjackknifed and went down rapidly. Two torpedoes struck Yorktown at the turn ofthe bilge at the after end of the island structure. The fourth torpedo passedastern of the carrier.

About a minute after Hammann sank there was an underwater explosion, possiblycaused by the destroyer's depth charges going off. The concussion killed manyof Hammann's and a few of Yorktown's men who had been thrown into the water,battered the damaged carrier's hull, dislodged Yorktown's auxiliary generatorand numerous fixtures from the hangar deck, sheared rivets in the starboard legof the foremast, and injured several onboard crew members. The remainingdestroyers initiated a search for the enemy submarine (which escaped), andcommenced rescue operations for Hammann survivors and the Yorktown salvagecrew. Vireo cut the tow and doubled back to assist in rescue efforts.

Throughout the night of 6 June and into the morning of 7 June, Yorktown remained afloat; but by 05:30 on 7 June, observers noted that her list wasrapidly increasing to port. Shortly afterwards, the ship turned over onto herport side, and lay afloat for several minutes, revealing the torpedo hole inher starboard bilge- the result of the submarine attack. Captain Buckmaster'sAmerican flag was still flying. All ships half-masted their colors in salute;all hands who were topside with heads uncovered came to attention, with tearsin their eyes. Two patrolling PBYs appeared overhead and dipped their wings ina final salute. At 07:01, the ship rolled upside-down, and slowly sank, sternfirst, in 3,000 fathoms (5,500 m) of water with her battle flags flying. Tomost who witnessed the sinking, the Yorktown went quietly and with enormousdignity- "like the great lady she was," as one of them put it. Inall, Yorktown's sinking on 7 June 1942 claimed the lives of 141 of her officersand crewmen. (Wikipedia)

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USS Yorktown (CV-5) is hit on the port side, amidships, by a Japanese Type 91 aerial torpedo during the mid-afternoon attack by planes from the carrier Hiryu, in the Battle of Midway, on 4 June, 1942. Yorktown is heeling to port and is seen at a different aspect than in other views taken by USS Pensacola (CA-24), indicating that this is the second of the two torpedo hits she received. Note very heavy anti-aircraft fire.

USS Enterprise (CV-6)

USS Enterprise (CV-6). Commissioned 12 May 1938. She was the most decorated naval vessel in the Second World War, and played a vital role in the Pacific. At the decisive Battle of Midway, she sank enemy warships, including three carriers. The ship supported the Guadalcanal Campaign and engaged in battles at Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz Islands. Enterprise participated in major operations, including the Marianas and Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Despite kamikaze damage, it stayed active, transporting U.S. servicemen before being decommissioned and sold for scrapping.

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USS Enterprise (CV-6) (foreground) steaming with USS Lexington (CV-16) in the Central Pacific in June 1944.

USS Hornet (CV-8)

USS Hornet (CV-8). Commissioned 20 Oct 1941. She was the first of two carriers to be named Hornet and fight in the Second World War. She participated in pivotal moments of the war, including the Doolittle Raids, Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Battle of Midway. The Hornet’s planes contributed to the sinking of the Japanese cruiser Mikuma. Severely damaged during the Battle of Santa Cruz, the carrier remained afloat until eventually sunk by Japanese submarines. In 2019, the wreckage of the Hornet was discovered near the Solomon Islands.

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USS Hornet (CV-8) underway in Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 27 October 1941.

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A Japanese Type 99 Aichi D3A1 dive bomber (Allied codename "Val") trails smoke as it dives toward the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8), during the morning of 26 October 1942. This plane struck the ship's stack and then her flight deck. A Type 97 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo plane ("Kate") is flying over Hornet after dropping its torpedo, and another "Val" is off her bow. Note anti-aircraft shell burst between Hornet and the camera, with its fragments striking the water nearby.

Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands

The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands took place on 26 October 1942 withoutcontact between surface ships of the opposing forces. That morning,Enterprise's planes bombed the carrier Zuihō, while planes from Hornet severelydamaged the carrier Shōkaku and the heavy cruiser Chikuma. Two other cruiserswere also attacked by Hornet's aircraft. Meanwhile, Hornet was attacked by acoordinated dive bomber and torpedo plane attack.[12] In a 15-minute period,Hornet was hit by three bombs from Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers. One"Val", after being heavily damaged by antiaircraft fire whileapproaching Hornet, crashed into the carrier's island, killing seven men andspreading burning aviation gas over the deck. A flight of Nakajima B5N"Kate" torpedo bombers attacked Hornet and scored two hits, whichseriously damaged the electrical systems and engines. As the carrier came to ahalt, another damaged "Val" deliberately crashed into Hornet's portside near the bow.

With power knocked out to her engines, Hornet was unable to launch or landaircraft, forcing her aviators to either land on Enterprise or ditch in theocean. Rear Admiral George D. Murray ordered the heavy cruiser Northampton totow Hornet clear of the action. Japanese aircraft were attacking Enterprise,allowing Northampton to tow Hornet at a speed of about five knots (9 km/h; 6mph). Repair crews were on the verge of restoring power when another flight ofnine "Kate" torpedo planes attacked. Eight of these aircraft wereeither shot down or failed to score hits, but the ninth scored a fatal hit onthe starboard side. The torpedo hit destroyed the repairs to the electricalsystem and caused a 14° list. After being informed that Japanese surface forceswere approaching and that further towing efforts were futile, Vice AdmiralWilliam Halsey ordered Hornet sunk, and an order of "abandon ship" was issued. Captain Mason, the last man on board, climbed over the side, and the survivors were soon picked up by the escorting destroyers.

American warships attempted to scuttle the stricken carrier, which absorbednine torpedoes, many of which failed to explode, and more than 400 5-inch (127mm) rounds from the destroyers Mustin and Anderson. The destroyers steamed awaywhen a Japanese surface force entered the area. The Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo finally finished off Hornet with 4 24-inch (610 mm) LongLance torpedoes. At 01:35 on 27 October, Hornet finally capsized to starboardand sank, stern first, with the loss of 140 of her 2,200 sailors. 21 aircraftwent down with the ship. (Wikipedia)

Wasp-class

USS Wasp (CV-7) was a United States Navy aircraft carrier commissioned in 1940 and lost in action in 1942. She was the eighth ship named USS Wasp, and the sole ship of a class built to use up the remaining tonnage allowed to the U.S. for aircraft carriers under the treaties of the time. As a reduced-size version of the Yorktown-class aircraft carrierhull, Wasp was more vulnerable than other United States aircraft carriers available at the opening of hostilities.

USS Wasp (CV-7)

Wasp was initially employed in the Atlantic campaign, where Axis naval forces were perceived as less capable of inflicting decisive damage. After supporting the occupation of Iceland in 1941, Wasp joined the British Home Fleet in April 1942 and twice ferried British fighter aircraft to Malta. Wasp was then transferred to the Pacific in June 1942 to replace losses at the battles of Coral Sea and Midway. After supporting the invasion of Guadalcanal, Wasp was hit by three torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-19 on 15 September 1942. The resulting damage set off several explosions, destroyed her water-mains and knocked out the ship's power. As a result, her damage-control teams were unable to contain the ensuing fires that blazed out of control. She was abandoned and scuttled by torpedoes fired from USS Lansdowne later that evening. Her wreck was found in early 2019. (Wikipedia)

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USS Wasp (CV-7) on 27 December 1940.

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USS Wasp (CV-7) entering Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 26 May 1942. The escorting destroyer USS Edison (DD-439) is visible in the background.

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USS Wasp (CV-7) burning after receiving three torpedo hits from the Japanese submarine I-19 east of the Solomons, 15 September 1942.

USS Wasp (CV-7). Commissioned 25 Apr 1940. The first of two aircraft carriers in the Second World War to be named Wasp, she was commissioned in 1940 and lost in action in 1942. A smaller version of the Yorktown-class carriers, the Wasp began in the Atlantic campaign and later was transferred to the Pacific. She participated in the invasion of Guadalcanal but was hit by three torpedoes in September 1942, leading to its abandonment and scuttling.

Essex-class

The Essex class is a retired class of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy. The 20th century's most numerous class of capital ship, the class consisted of 24 vessels which came in "short-hull" and "long-hull" versions. Thirty-two ships were ordered, but as the Second World War wound down, six were canceled before construction and two were canceled after construction had begun. Fourteen saw combat during the Second World War. None was lost to enemy action although several sustained crippling damage due to aerial attacks. Essex-class carriers were the backbone of the U.S. Navy from mid-1943 and, with the three Midway-class carriers added just after the war, continued to be the heart of U.S. naval strength until supercarriers joined the fleet starting in the 1950s. Several of the carriers were rebuilt to handle heavier and faster aircraft of the early jet age and saw service in the Vietnam War, with Lexington decommissioned as a training carrier in 1991. Of the 24 ships in the class, four – Yorktown, Hornet, Lexington, and Intrepid – have been preserved as museum ships. (Wikipedia)

USS Essex (CV-9)

USS Essex (CV-9). Commissioned 31 Dec 1942. She was the lead ship of the Essex class, and participated in multiple campaigns in the Pacific, including Wake Island, Palau, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. Following the war, she underwent modernization and was recommissioned as an attack carrier and later an anti-submarine aircraft carrier. Serving primarily in the Atlantic, Essex played a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Korean War. She was also the primary recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 space mission. Essex earned the Presidential Unit Citation and 13 battle stars for her involvement in the Second World War.

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USS Essex leaving San Francisco harbour on 15 April 1944.

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USS Essex (CV-9) Okinawa 1945.

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USS Essex (CV-9) underway at sea during the Okinawa Campaign, 20 May 1945. Note that her Carrier Air Group 83 (CVG-83) contains both Vought F4U-1 Corsair and Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat fighters of VBF-83 and VF-83.

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USS Essex (CV-9) in Hampton Roads on 1 February 1943.

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USS Essex (CV-9) underway in the Atlantic Ocean at 1615 hrs on 10 May 1943, circa 160 km off the coast of Virginia.

USS Yorktown (CV-10)

USS Yorktown (CV-10). Commissioned 15 April 1943. Originally named Bon Homme Richard, Yorktown was the second carrier bearing its name to serve in the war. Shewas named in honour of the carrier sunk at the Battle of Midway. During the war, she played a significant role in the Pacific offensive, earning 11 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. She underwent modernization in the 1950s and operated as an attack and anti-submarine carrier. Yorktown also participated in the Vietnam War and played a crucial role in recovering the Apollo 8 astronauts. Decommissioned in 1970, she is now part of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Charleston.

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A U.S. Navy Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat from Fighting Squadron Five (VF-5) makes condensation rings as it awaits the take-off flag aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10), 20 November 1943. Yorktown was then hitting targets in the Marshall Islands to cover the landings in the Gilberts.

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USS Yorktown (CV-10) during the Marcus Island raid on 31 August 1943: Lt. Comdr. James H. "Jimmy" Flatley,Commander of Air Group 5 (CAG-5), sits in his Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat (code "00"), painted in a tricolor-scheme (certainly an "in the field" application) before takeoff. An Aviation Boatswain Mate stands ready to remove chock from wheels. A non-specular insignia white diagonal stripe on the tail and the green propeller hub signified CAG-5 aboard the Yorktown.

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Two U.S. Navy Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers of bombing squadron VB-1 in the landing circle of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) in July 1944.

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USS Yorktown (CV-10) in 1943. Note that the forward hull number on the flight deck is turned around, so that it was readable for aircraft approaching from the bow. 15 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighers of fighting squadron VF-5 are visible on deck. Note the extended hangar catapult on the starboard side forward of the gun turrets.

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USS Yorktown (CV-10) and other ships of Task Group 58.4 steaming off Kyushu on 18 March 1945.

USS Intrepid (CV-11)

USS Intrepid (CV-11). Commissioned 16 Aug 1943. She contributed to the invasion of the Marshall Islands and conducted successful raids on Japanese positions. Intrepid was involved with the sinking of the battleship Musashi and attacks on Japanese carriers. It also supported the amphibious assault on Okinawa. Despite enduring multiple kamikaze attacks, Intrepid remained afloat. After the war, Intrepid underwent modernization and participated in the recovery of astronauts during the Mercury and Gemini programs. Today, it is a museum in New York City.

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USS Intrepid (CV-11) operating in the Philippine Sea in November 1944. Note the Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter parked on an outrigger forward of her island.

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USS intrepid (CV-11) off Newport News, Virginia, on 16 August 1943, the day she went into commission.

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USS Intrepid (CV-11) off Hunter's Point in June 1944, her deck loaded with aircraft to be transported to the Pacific Theater.

USS Hornet (CV-12)

USS Hornet (CV-12). Commissioned 29 Nov 1943. As part of the Fast Carrier Task Force 20, she participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, known as “The Marianas Turkey Shoot,” where her aircraft shot down numerous enemy planes. The carrier continued to conduct strikes in the Philippines and supported ground troops. The ship was decommissioned in 1970 but became a museum in Alameda, California, as well as a national historic landmark.

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Grumman Avengers belonging to Torpedo Squadron 2 (VT-2) overflying USS Hornet (CV-12) mid-1944.

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Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighter of VF-15 being catapulted from USS Hornet (CV-12) via the hangar catapult, 25 February 1944.

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View of the island of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-12) April 1945. Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters from Fighting Squadron VF-17 Jolly Rogers are visible on deck.

USS Franklin (CV-13)

USS Franklin (CV-13). Commissioned 31 Jan 1944. Her aircraft conducted strikes in the Mariana Islands, supported amphibious landings at Peleliu and Leyte, and fought battles at Sibuyan Sea and Cape Engano. The ship survived kamikaze attacks in 1944, underwent repairs and returned to the Pacific in time for the Okinawa landings, during which a Japanese bomb hit the flight deck, killing 807 troops on board. Lt. Cmdr. Joseph T. O’Callahan and Lt. Donald A. Gary received the Medal of Honor for their heroic actions during the bombings. After the war, Franklin was decommissioned and later sold for scrap. (USN)

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A U.S. Navy Vought F4U-1D Corsair of Fighting Squadron 5 (VF-5) "Fighting Hellcats" on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13). Note Franklin´s geometric air group identification symbol on the Corsair.

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USS Franklin (CV-13) on fire and listing after she was hit by a Japanese air attack while operating off the coast of Japan on 19 March 1945. The crew is clearly seen on flight deck. After the attack the vessel lay dead in the water, took a 13° starboard list, lost all radio communications, and broiled under the heat from enveloping fires. Many of the crewmen were blown overboard, driven off by fire, killed or wounded, but the hundreds of officers and enlisted who voluntarily remained saved their ship through sheer tenacity. The casualties totaled 724 killed and 265 wounded, and would have far exceeded this number if it were not for the exemplary work of many survivors. (USN)

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USS Franklin (CV-13) afire and listing after a Japanese air attack, off the coast of Japan, 19 March 1945. Note the fire hoses and the crewmen on her forward flight deck, and water streaming from her hangar deck.

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USS Franklin (CV-13) approaches New York City (USA), while en route to the New York Naval Shipyard for repairs, 26 April 1945. Note the extensive damage to her aft flight deck, received when she was hit by a Japanese air attack off the coast of Japan on 19 March 1945.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14). Commissioned 8 May 1944. During her service during the Second World War she earned five battle stars. Decommissioned after the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the 1950s as an attack carrier and then as an anti-submarine carrier. Ticonderoga played an active role in the Vietnam War. The carrier was decommissioned in 1973 and subsequently sold for scrap in 1975.

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USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) at Ulithi on 8 December 1944. An Independence-class carrier wearing Camouflage Measure 33, Design 7A is visible in the distance, either USS Cowpens (CVL-25) or USS San Jacinto (CVL-30).

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USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) lists to port in the aftermath of a kamikaze attack in which four suicide planes hit the ship, 21 January 1945. Note her camouflage scheme measure 33/10A and the Fletcher-class destroyer in the background.

USS Randolph (CV-15)

USS Randolph (CV-15). Commissioned 9 Oct 1944. She deployed to the Pacific in February 1945. She conducted airstrikes against Japanese targets in the Bonins and supported the Iwo Jima invasions. After being hit by a kamikaze in March, Randolph underwent repairs and returned to action in April. It actively participated in the Okinawa campaign and launched strikes against Japan until the war ended. Randolph later served in the Atlantic Fleet, underwent several modernizations, and was eventually decommissioned in 1969 and scrapped in 1975. (USN)

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USS Randolph (CV-15) at anchor in the western Pacific, June 1945.

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USS Randolph (CV-15) alongside repair ship USS Jason (ARH-1) at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, 13 March 1945, showing damage to her aft flight deck resulting from a kamikaze hit on 11 March. The photograph was taken from a floatplane from the light cruiser USS Miami (CL-89).

USS Lexington (CV-16)

USS Lexington (CV-16). Commissioned 17 Feb 1943. Originally planned to be named Cabot, she was instead called the Lexington after its predecessor, which was sunk the previous year. The aircraft carrier played an important role in the Pacific, notably at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, a key American victory that signaled the demise of the Japanese Navy. Redesignated several times after the war, the historic vessel eventually became the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay, a National Historic Landmark in Corpus Christi, Texas. It is the oldest existing fleet carrier on Earth.

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USS Lexington (CV-16) underway on 12 November 1943.

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USS Lexington (CV-16) underway on 10 March 1944. Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher took command of the newly formed Task Force 58 (TF 58) on 8 March. Mitscher took Lexington as his flagship, and after a warm-up strike against Mili atoll, the Fast Carrier Task Force began a series of operations against the Japanese positions in the Central Pacific. She supported U.S. Army landings at Hollandia on 13 April, and then raided Truk on 28 April.

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17). Commissioned 25 May 1943. She was an Essex-class aircraft carrier, fought in battles across the Pacific Theater, including at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. It suffered heavy casualties during the invasion of Okinawa, when it was struck by two kamikazes, resulting in a devastating fire. Although the ship returned to the United States for repairs, it was never recommissioned and was eventually decommissioned in 1947. Efforts to preserve it as a museum ship were unsuccessful, and it was sold for scrap in 1973 after serving as an electronics test platform.

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USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) at sea, 16 October 1945. Bunker Hill was still under repair at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, from kamikaze damage received on 11 May 1945 when the war ended in mid-August. On 27 September 1945, she sailed from Bremerton to report for duty with the Operation Magic Carpet fleet, being equipped to transport troops to return veterans from the Pacific as a unit of TG 16.12. The vessel made return trips to the U.S. West Coast from Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and Guam and Saipan. In January 1946 the ship was ordered to Bremerton for deactivation, and was decommissioned into reserve on 9 January 1947.

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Smoke fills the sky as the fire rages on Bunker Hill on 11 May 1945.

On the morning of 11 May 1945, while supporting the invasion of Okinawa, Bunker Hill was struck and severely damaged by two Japanese kamikaze planes. A Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter plane piloted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Seizō Yasunori emerged from low cloud cover, dove toward the flight deck on the starboard quarter and dropped a 550-pound (250 kilogram) bomb that penetrated the flight deck and exited from the side of the ship at gallery deck level before exploding in the ocean. The Zero then crashed onto the carrier's flight deck, destroying parked warplanes full of aviation fuel and ammunition, causing a large fire. The remains of the Zero went over the deck and dropped into the sea. Then 30 seconds later, a second Zero, piloted by Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa, plunged into its suicide dive despite facing antiaircraft fire, dropped a 550-pound bomb, and then crashed into the flight deck near the carrier's "island", as kamikazes were trained to aim for the island superstructure. The bomb carried by the second kamikaze penetrated to the pilots' ready room, where 22 members of VF-84 lost their lives. Gasoline fires flamed up and several explosions took place. The two kamikaze strikes killed 396 sailors and airmen, including 43 missing and never found, and wounded 264. Among the casualties were three officers and eleven enlisted men from Mitscher's staff. Mitscher's flag cabin was also destroyed, along with all of his uniforms, personal papers, and possessions. The admiral relinquished command by visual signal; he and his remaining staff were transferred by breeches buoy to the destroyer USS English and then to the USS Enterprise, which became the flagship. Despite the heavy damage, Bunker Hill was able to steam at 20 knots to Ulithi, where the Marine pilots of VMF-221, who had been aloft during the kamikaze attack and were diverted to other carriers, rejoined their ship. The carrier returned home by way of Pearl Harbor, and was sent to the Bremerton Naval Shipyard for repairs. She was still in the shipyard when the war ended in mid-August 1945. (Wikipedia)

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USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) hit by two Kamikazes in 30 seconds on 11 May 1945 off Kyushu. Dead-372. Wounded-264.

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USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) burning on 11 May 1945. The Cleveland-class cruiser USS Pasadena (CL-65) is visible on the right.

USS Wasp (CV-18)

USS Wasp (CV-18). Commissioned 24 Nov 1943. Originally named Oriskany, she was renamed in honour of the previous Wasp, which was sunk in 1942. The second Wasp earned eight battle stars. The ship was decommissioned and recommissioned as an attack carrier and then an anti-submarine carrier. Finally, Wasp operated in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Caribbean, and retrieved astronauts from a number of Gemini missions. She was retired in 1972 and sold for scrap in 1973.

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USS Wasp (CV-18) at sea in the Western Pacific on 6 August 1945. Note the scoreboard painted on the carrier's island. On deck are various aircraft of Carrier Air Group 86 (CVG-86).

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USS Wasp (CV-18) at the Boston Navy Yard on 14 March 1944. Wasp is painted in Measure 33, Design 10A camouflage.

USS Hancock (CV-19)

USS Hancock (CV-19). Commissioned April 1944. She joined Adm.ral W. F. Halsey’s 3rd Fleet. Her aircraft conducted strikes on enemy airfields and shipping in the Philippines. After the war, she underwent repairs and conversions, continuing its service in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The ship received four battle stars from its time in the Second World War and the Navy Unit Commendation. She was sold for scrap in 1976.

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USS Hancock (CV-19) underway on 15 December 1944, during operations in the Philippines area.

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USS English (DD-696) and the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CV-19) underway in the South China Sea, circa in January 1945. The photo was taken from the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62).

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USS Hancock (CV-19) on fire after being hit by a kamikaze off Okinawa, 7 April 1945.

USS Bennington (CV-20)

USS Bennington (CVS-20). Commissioned 6 Aug 1944. She served toward the end of the war, participating in the invasion of Okinawa. Following the war, Bennington supported occupation forces in Japan. After recommissioning in 1952, Bennington deployed to the Far East and actively participated in the Vietnam War. After being decommissioned in 1970, the ship was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet before being stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 1989.

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USS Bennington (CV-20) underway during her shakedown, in the western Atlantic or Caribbean area, 20 October 1944. She is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 17A-1.

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USS Bennington (CV-20) at Pearl Harbor, in January 1946. Note post-war high-visibility deck markings and the oil drifting aft of Bennington, most probably coming from the USS Arizona (BB-39), sunk five years earlier.

USS Boxer (CV-21)

USS Boxer (CV/CVA/CVS-21, LPH-4). Commissioned 15 April 1945. She was the fifth ship to be named for HMS Boxer. She was launched on 14 December 1944 and christened by the daughter of a US Senator from Louisiana. Commissioned too late to see any combat in the Second World War, Boxerspent much of her career in the Pacific Ocean, seeing 10 toursin the western Pacific. (Wikipedia)

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USS Boxer (CV-21) shortly after the end of the Second World War. She is painted in wartime Camouflage Measure 21 but has her hull number painted on the island.

USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31)

USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31). Commissioned 26 Nov 1944. She was an active participant in both the Second World War and the Korean War. After joining the Pacific Fleet, the carrier participated in attacks on Okinawa and launched strikes against Japan. Following the war, the ship transported service members home during Operation Magic Carpet. After being recommissioned in 1951, it conducted operations off Korea and engaged in heavy strikes against North Korean targets. Reclassified as an attack aircraft carrier, the Bon Homme Richard underwent modernization and continued serving with the Pacific Fleet. The ship was decommissioned in 1971 and scrapped in 1992.

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USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) anchored in New York harbor (USA), with supply barges alongside, on 9 January 1945.

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USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) at sea in the Central Pacific, in May 1945. On deck are aircraft of Night Carrier Air Group 91 (CVG(N)-91).

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USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) at Naval Air Station Alameda, California (USA), on 27 October 1945. BHR wears measure 22 camouflage. Note the escort carrier USS Commencement Bay (CVE-105) in the background.

USS Shangri-La (CV-38)

USS Shangri-La (CV-38). Commissioned 15 Sep 1944. She was commissioned in September 1944 and reached the Pacific in early 1945. Serving as flagship for Task Forces 38 and 58, her aircraft conducted strikes on Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. After the war, Shangri-La remained in the western Pacific before being decommissioned in 1947. Recommissioned in 1951, the carrier underwent modernization and was deployed to the Mediterranean and Vietnam. It was decommissioned in 1971 and eventually sold for scrapping in 1988.

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USS Shangri-La (CV-38) underway at sea, circa in January 1945, or during her shakedown cruise between September and November 1945. The carrier is painted in Camouflage Measure 33, Design 10A.

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USS Shangri-La (CV-38) leaving Norfolk, Virginia (USA), on 17 January 1945, heading to the Pacific. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 33, Design 10A.

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USS Shangri-La (CV-38) comes alongside the escort carrier USS Attu (CVE-102), not visible, to transfer personnel and supplies, 3 September 1945.