The US Navy's Five Aircraft Carrier Museum Ships

JEFFHEAD.COM ^ | July 12, 2013 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

US NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER MUSEUMS


(Click map for a high resolution image)

Currently (July 2013) there are five US Navy Aircraft Carrier museums. Four are of Essex class carriers commissioned during World War II which underwent the SBC-125 refit in the 1950s to modernize them. All were commissioned in 1943 & served into modern times. The last, the USS Lexington, was decommissioned in 1991 after 48 years service. The other is the USS Midway, namesake of a larger class carrier built at the end of the war. She underwent two major refits, in the 1950s & in 1970 greatly enlarging her flight deck for modern aircraft. She was commissioned in 1945 & decommissioned in 1992 after 47 years service.

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USS YORKTOWN, CV-10, MUSEUM, CHARLESTON, SC

Name: USS Yorktown
Designation: CV-10
Class: Essex
Displacement: 41,200 tons (after modernization)
Commissoned: 1943
Decommissioned: 1970
Mueum Web Site: http://www.patriotspoint.org/
Location: Charleston, SC (Click HERE for a map)

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USS INTREPID, CV-11, MUSEUM, NEW YORK, NY

Name: USS Intrepid
Designation: CV-11
Class: Essex
Displacement: 41,200 tons (after modernization)
Commissoned: 1943
Decommissioned: 1974
Mueum Web Site: http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/
Location: New York, NY (Click HERE for a map)

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USS HORNET, CV-12, MUSEUM, ALAMEDA, CA

Name: USS Hornet
Designation: CV-12
Class: Essex
Displacement: 41,200 tons (after modernization)
Commissoned: 1943
Decommissioned: 1970
Mueum Web Site: http://www.uss-hornet.org/
Location: Alameda, CA (Click HERE for a map)

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USS LEXINGTON, CV-16, MUSEUM, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

Name: USS Lexington
Designation: CV-16
Class: Essex
Displacement: 48,300 tons (after modernization)
Commissoned: 1943
Decommissioned: 1991
Mueum Web Site: http://usslexington.com/
Location: Corpus Christi, TX (Click HERE for a map)

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USS MIDWAY, CV-43, MUSEUM, SAN DIEGO, CA

Name: USS Midway
Designation: CV-41
Class: Midway
Displacement: 74,000 tons (after modernization)
Commissoned: 1945
Decommissioned: 1992
Mueum Web Site: http://www.midway.org/
Location: San Diego, CA (Click HERE for a map)

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PROPOSED AIRCRAFT CARRIER MUSEUM

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Currently, none of the more modern "super carriers," meaning none of the Forrestal Class, Kitty Hawk Class, or later aircraft carriers, have been saved and set aside as museums. However, there is an active effort underway to get the John F. Kennedy, CV-67, set up as an aicraft carrier museum in the New England area, She was a "super carrier," built to a modified Kitty Hawk standard, and was the last conventionally powered (meaning non-nulcear) aircraft carrier the United States built.

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USS JOHN F. KENNEDY, CV-67, (Proposed - Rhode Island)

Name: USS John F. Kennedy
Designation: CV-67
Class: Kitty Hawk
Displacement: 82,700 tons
Commissoned: 1968
Decommissioned: 2007
Mueum Web Site: http://www.ussjfkri.org/
Location: (Proposed Rhode Island)

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WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA
AEGIS & AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD
THE US NAVY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY

[Jeff Head]

For all of those interested in US NAvy history and naval matters, there are five of these museum aricraft carriers spread around the country. Any one of them would make a wonderful stop on a vacation coming anywhere near them. I particularly like the USS Midway in San Diego, and the USS Intrepid in New York City, thought the Yorktown museum at Patriot's Point is also excellent.

[Jeff Head]

Thought you might enjoy this. Ever been to one of them?

[dirtboy]

My grandfather served on an Essex-class carrier in WWII (Bunker Hill). I'll have to take a trip down to Charleston to see the Yorktown. Thanks for the post.

[MosesKnows]

there are five US Navy Aircraft Carrier museums

Where is the USS America (CVA/CV-66)museum?

[dirtboy]

Actually, the Lexington would be easier as I go see my parents in Texas a couple of times a year.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

I’ve had my kids on the Hornet in Alameda a couple of times, and will be taking them back. As they get older they can understand more.

The Hornet is moored at the same slip where the prior Hornet, CV 8, took off with Jimmy Doolittle for the Tokyo raid. Doolittle was actually born in Alameda, although he did not grow up there.

If anyone goes to see the Hornet, they should also go see the small Naval museum also on the former Alameda NAS. They have a section devoted to Doolittle, and a model of the Yamato about twelve feet long. It’ll cost you about five bucks, and the guys running it will shoot the breeze with all day if you want.

[Elderberry]

I was stationed on the Lex, 74-78.
I toured it at Corpus once. I was dissapointed that I couldn’t go exploring.

[Pan_Yan]

Though each of these ships served with distinction it is still a national tragedy that the most decorated ship in US naval history did not become a museum.

Old news clip of the Big E being towed to the scrap yard.

[BwanaNdege]

Thanks!

I did my first carrier landings on the Lex (as did thousands of other Naval Aviators).

[mn-bush-man]

I was on the Midway 2 weeks ago with my 9 year old son. GREAT time - took the wonderful self-guided tour. He was able to earn his Junior Pilot wings by answering questions in a pamphlet they gave us when we came in. He loved it! Very cool!

[skeeter]

We're lucky to have the Hornet relatively close by. I took my kids to several events there when they were young.

One event in particular was the 55 anniversary of the Midway battle. There were many participants in attendance - it was a rare opportunity and we're fortunate to have been there as they are all gone now.

[jimmango]

Slept on the Yorktown several times as Cubmaster / Asst. Scoutmaster. They do a nice job there, and it makes you appreciate how little personal space the sailors had.

[0.E.O]

Where is the USS America (CVA/CV-66)museum?

About 250 miles south east of Cape Hatteras in about 17000 feet of water.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Thanks for the post and pictures I have seen and been on the Midway.

[Last Dakotan]

Though each of these ships served with distinction it is still a national tragedy that the most decorated ship in US naval history did not become a museum.

Agreed.

[stremba]

Just went with family to the Intrepid and had a wonderful time. If you’re considering a visit, you should also know that they have on display the USS Growler, one of the last existing Grayback class subs. This was a nuclear-armed, diesel-powered sub from the cold war era (early 1950’s). Don’t go in if you’re claustrophobic though.

[HokieMom]

I toured the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, NC. Is that not a museum?

[rlmorel]

Thanks for your service...I spent five days on the Lexington, it was gawd awful. Those were five of the worst nights ever in the berthing space.

I had the overwhelming and overpowering stench of bunker fuel to the point I couldn’t sleep...I could taste it in my mouth and food, it was making me nauseous and sweaty.

I have no idea if there was something wrong with the ventilating systems, or if a vent for the fuel was sucking it back in, but I don’t think I spent more than ten minutes at a stretch sleeping for that whole week.

Ugh. If those guys who served in them all those years had to go through that, they have my deepest respect and sympathy. And it would make me feel like a wuss.

[MarkL]

I saw the Intrepid way back before it was finished as a museum, maybe 30 years ago. As I recall, there was a Soviet era sub moored next to her, and there were a few planes and a helicopter on the deck.

The size of the ship was really impressive. The hanger deck was enormous. But the two things I remember with total clarity was a plaque on the deck indicating the spot where a Kamikaze struck the ship during WWII, and a display where they had 2 scale models, with the Intrepid sitting on top of the deck of the Enterprise. As Huge as the Intrepid was, the model of the Enterprise just dwarfed the Intrepid.

I would really LOVE to see it again, now that it's a "real" museum.

Mark

[MasterGunner01]

As a kid I remember when the USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) was scrapped after all attempts to preserve her as a museum ship failed. I thought it was a huge historic loss to future generations of Americans that so historic a ship was scrapped.

I have a hope that USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) will not meet a similar fate. ENTERPRISE should be preserved as a museum, but she will need a home port that can accommodate her and she won't be cheap to keep in shape. [But, the same can be said of all museum ships.]

There is a group trying to turn USS SARATOGA (CV-60) into a museum, but they've had funding problems. I'm surprised that MA hasn't wanted the USS KENNEDY (CV-67) for Battleship Cove, given the importance of the Kennedys in that state.