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The FReeper Foxhole Studies U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers - Part 2 of 2 - Feb. 1, 2004
http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/carriers/cv-hist2.html ^

Posted on 02/01/2004 5:18:22 AM PST by snippy_about_it



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.



...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
to add the Foxhole to your sidebar,
click on the books below.

A Brief History of U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers



Part IIa — The War Years (1941-1942)




Dec. 7, 1941 - Carrier aircraft of the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor and on the military and air installations in the area. The three aircraft carriers of the Pacific Fleet were not present. USS Saratoga (CV 3), just out of overhaul, was moored at San Diego. USS Lexington (CV 2) was at sea about 425 miles southeast of Midway toward which she was headed to deliver a Marine Scout Bombing Squadron. USS Enterprise (CV 6) was also at sea, about 200 miles west of Pearl Harbor, returning from Wake Island where she had delivered a Marine Fighter Squadron. Expanded information


Feb. 1, 1942 - Task Forces 8 (under Vice Adm. William F. Halsey) and 17 (under Rear Adm. Frank J. Fletcher, built around the carriers Enterprise and Yorktown, attacked the Japanese installations on the islands of Wotje, Kwajalein, Jaluit, Makin, and Mili in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. This was the first U.S. aircraft carrier offensive.


Feb. 27, 1942 - Early in the morning, USS Langley (AV 3) rendezvoused with her antisubmarine screen, USS Whipple (DD 217) and USS Edsall (DD 219) near Tjilatjap, Java. At 1140, nine twin-engine Japanese bombers attacked her. The first and second strikes were unsuccessful, but during the third strike, Langley took five hits. Aircraft topside burst into flames, steering was impaired, and the ship took a 10 degree list to port. Unable to negotiate the narrow mouth of Tjilajap Harbor, Langley went dead in the water as inrushing water flooded her main engines. At 1332, the crew was order to abandon ship, and shortly after all were clear, the two destroyers fired 4-inch shells and two torpedoes into her and she sunk about 75 miles south of Tjilatjap. Sixteen crew were lost.


Apr. 18, 1942 - Army Lieut. Col. James H. Doolittle, taking off from USS Hornet (CV 8), Capt. Marc A. Mitscher commanding, bombed Tokyo, the first American air strike against the Japanese homeland. Hornet's mission was kept an official secret for a year; until then President Roosevelt referred to the origin of the Tokyo raid only as "Shangri-La." Expanded information


May 4-8, 1942 - The Battle of the Coral Sea. In the first naval engagement of history fought without the opposing ships making contact, U.S. carrier forces stopped a Japanese attempt to land at Port Moresby by turning back the covering carrier force. In the battle, the japanese lost the light carrier Shoho and the U.S. lost the carrier, USS Lexington (CV 2). Expanded information


Jun. 3-6, 1942 - The Battle of Midway. A strong Japanese thrust to occupy Midway Island was led by a four-carrier Mobile Force, supported by heavy units of the Japanese First Fleet. Also, a diversionary carrier raid was launched against Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. The Japanese attack on Midway was met by a greatly outnumbered U.S. carrier force composed of Task Force 17 with USS Yorktown (CV 5) and Task Force 16 with USS Hornet (CV 8) and USS Enterprise (CV 6). In the ensuing battle, the four large Japanese carriers were sunk, carrying with them 258 planes along with a high percentage of Japan's most highly trained and battle-experienced carrier pilots, a blow to Japan from which she could not recover. Midway was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. Expanded information


Jun. 15, 1942 - USS Copahee (CVE 12), Cmdr. J. G. Farrell in command, commissioned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, the first of 10 escort carriers of the Bogue class.


Aug. 12, 1942 - USS Wolverine (IX 64) commissioned at Buffalo, N.Y., Cmdr. G. R. Fairlamb, commanding. Wolverine and USS Sable (IX 81), commissioned May 1943, were Great Lakes excursion ships converted for aviation training . Sailing Lake Michigan, they provided flight decks on which hundreds of student aviators qualified for carrier landings and many flight deck crews received their first practical experience in handling aircraft aboard ship.

Aug. 20, 1942 - The designation of escort carriers was changed from AVG to ACV.


Aug. 24, 1942 - USS Santee (ACV 29), under the command of Capt. W. D. Sample, was placed in commission at the Norfolk Navy Yard, the first of four escort carriers of the Sangamon class, converted from Cimarron class fleet oilers.


Sept. 15, 1942 - USS Wasp (CV 7), under the command of Capt. Forrest P. Sherman, is torpedoed by a Japanese submarine southeast of San Cristobal Island and sinks with a loss of 193 killed and 366 wounded. Expanded information.


Oct. 26, 1942 - The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands resulted in a tactical victory for Japan, but a strategic one for the U.S. in that Japan was unable to dislodge American forces off Guadalcanal. While the Japanese suffer no losses, USS Hornet (CV 8) was sunk. Damaged were the Japanese carrier Zuiho and the carrier Shokaku, and the cruiser Chikuma. Expanded information.


Dec. 31, 1942 - USS Essex (CV 9), Capt. D. B. Duncan commanding, was placed in commission in Norfolk, Va., the first of 17 ships of her class commissioned during World War II.

Part IIb — The War Years (1943)



Jan. 14, 1943 - USS Independence (CVL 22), begun as Amsterdam, (CL-59), commissioned in Philadelphia, Capt. G. R. Fairlamb, Jr., in command. The ship launched as CV 22 on 22 Aug. 1942 by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J. This was the first of nine light carriers of her class constructed on Cleveland class cruiser hulls.


Feb. 17, 1943 - USS Lexington (CV 16) commissioned , Capt. Felix B. Stump in command. The ship was originally laid down as Cabot 15 Jul. 1941 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass., and renamed Lexington 16 Jun. 1942. She was launched 23 September 1942.

Feb. 25, 1943 - USS Princeton (CV 23) commissioned at Philadelphia, Capt. George R. Henderson, commanding. The ship was originally laid down as Tallahassee (CL 61) by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J. She was reclassified as CV 23 on Feb. 16, 1942, and renamed Princeton on Mar. 31, 1942. The ship was launched Oct. 18, 1942. Following shakedown in the Caribbean, she was reclassified CVL-23 on 15 July 1943.


Apr. 15, 1943 - USS Yorktown (CV 10) commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Capt. Joseph J. ("Jocko") Clark in command. The ship was laid down 1 Dec. 1941 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. as Bon Homme Richard. It was renamed Yorktown 16 Sept. 1942 and launched 21 Jan 1943.

Apr. 21, 1943 - Capt. Frederick M. Trapnell made a flight in the Bell XP-59A jet Airacomet at Muroc, Calif., the first jet flight by a Naval Aviator.


May 25, 1943 - USS Bunker Hill (CV 17) commissioned , Capt. J. J. Ballentine in command. The ship was launched 7 Dec. 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.


May 28, 1943 - USS Cowpens (CVL 25) commissioned, Capt. R. P. McConnell in command. The ship was launched Jan. 17, 1943, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.


Jun. 17, 1943 - USS Monterey (CV 26) commissioned, Capt. Lester T. Hundt, commanding. The ship was laid down as Dayton (CL 78) Dec. 29, 1941, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J. and was reclassified as CV 26 Mar. 27, 1942. She was launched Feb. 28, 1943.


Jul. 8, 1943 - USS Casablanca (ACV 55), first of her class and the first escort carrier designed and built as such, was placed in commission at Astoria, Ore., Capt. S. W. Callaway commanding.

Jul. 15, 1943 - New designations for carriers were established which limited the previous broadly applied CV symbol to Saratoga, Enterprise, and carriers of the Essex class, and added CVB (Aircraft Carriers, Large) for the 45,000 ton class being built and CVL (Aircraft Carriers, Small) for the 10,000 ton class built on light cruiser hulls. The same directive reclassified escort carriers as combatant ships and changed their symbol from ACV to CVE.


Jul. 24, 1943 - USS Cabot (CVL 28) commissioned, Capt. M. F. Shoeffel in command. The ship was laid down as Wilmington (CL 79). She was redesignated as CV 28 on Jun. 2, 1942, and renamed Cabot on Jun. 23. She was converted while building and was launched Apr. 4, 1943, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.


Aug. 16, 1943 - USS Intrepid (CV 11) commissioned in Norfolk, Va., Captain Thomas L. Sprague in command. She was launched 26 Apr. 1943, by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va.

Aug. 18, 1943 - The Secretary of the Navy establishes the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air) with Vice Adm. John S. McCain as the first DCNO(Air).


Aug. 31, 1943 - USS Langley (CVL 27) commissioned, Capt. W. M. Dillon in command. The ship was originally named Fargo (CL 85) but laid down as Crown Point (CV 27) by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J. Apr. 11, 1942. The ship was launched on May 22, 1943.

Oct. 16, 1943 - The Navy accepted its first helicopter, a Sikorski YR-4B (later an HNS-1), at Bridgeport, Conn., following a 60 minute test flight by Lt. Cmdr. F.A. Erickson, USCG.


Nov. 15, 1943 - USS San Jacinto (CVL 30) commissioned, Capt. Harold Martin, commanding. The ship was laid down as Newark (CL 100) on Oct. 26, 1942, by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., and redesignated CV 30 and renamed Reprisal on Jun. 2, 1942. The ship was again renamed San Jacinto on Jan. 30, 1943, and converted while building to a light aircraft carrier. She was reclassified CVL 30.

Nov. 17, 1943 - USS Bataan (CVL 29) commissioned, Capt. V. H. Schaeffer in command. Built by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., she was originally laid down as Buffalo (CL 99) but was reclassified as CV 29 and renamed Bataan Jun. 2, 1942.


Nov. 24, 1943 - USS Wasp (CV 18) commissioned , Capt. Clifton A. F. Sprague in command. The ship was laid down as Oriskany on 18 Mar.1942 at Quincy, Mass., by the Bethlehem Steel Co.; renamed Wasp on 13 Nov. 1942; and, launched on 17 August 1943.


Nov. 29, 1943 - USS Hornet (CV 12) commissioned , Capt. Miles M. Browning in command. The ship was launched 30 Aug. 1943 by the Newport News Shipbuilding Dry Dock Co. Newport News, Va., sponsored by Mrs. Frank M. Knox, wife of the Secretary of the Navy.




FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links




TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: aircraftcarriers; freeperfoxhole; samsdayoff; usnavy; veterans
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To: snippy_about_it
Me? Trick my partner? Never!
41 posted on 02/01/2004 9:57:20 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: Professional Engineer
It is amazing how they get that C-130 off an aircraft carrier.
42 posted on 02/01/2004 9:58:04 AM PST by bulldogs
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To: Professional Engineer
Now that I would have paid to see that!
43 posted on 02/01/2004 9:58:41 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: bentfeather
Great pictures, thanks for sharing them.
44 posted on 02/01/2004 10:00:27 AM PST by Professional Engineer (Spirit/Opportunity~0.002acres of sovereign US territory~All Your Mars Are Belong To Us)
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To: SAMWolf
Me? Trick my partner? Never!

Yea, right! LOL.

45 posted on 02/01/2004 10:01:15 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: bulldogs
Morning Bulldogs

In April 1992, "Heavenly Body" was the first B-25 in fifty years to fly from the deck of an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Ranger in San Diego Bay. That event was to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of then, Lt. Col. James Doolittle's, flight of sixteen B-25 aircraft from the navy carrier, U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8), on April 18, 1942 to bomb Japan in retaliation for that country's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

46 posted on 02/01/2004 10:06:51 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf; bulldogs
Here are a couple of movie links I just found.

http://www.cgaux.com/

http://www.theaviationzone.com/media/c130_forrestal_landing.mov


http://www.theaviationzone.com/media/c130_forrestal_takeoff.mov
47 posted on 02/01/2004 10:07:54 AM PST by Professional Engineer (Spirit/Opportunity~0.002acres of sovereign US territory~All Your Mars Are Belong To Us)
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To: SAMWolf
Great pictures Sam! Do you mind if I forward them? My father was in the Navy, He has been lurking here.
48 posted on 02/01/2004 10:10:07 AM PST by bulldogs
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To: bulldogs
Your father was in the Navy? Tell us about him, where, when, what ship, etc. If you don't mind. ;-)
49 posted on 02/01/2004 10:12:51 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf
COOL. I didn't know about this. Thanks, Sam.
50 posted on 02/01/2004 10:16:19 AM PST by Professional Engineer (Spirit/Opportunity~0.002acres of sovereign US territory~All Your Mars Are Belong To Us)
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To: Professional Engineer
Hi PE. I'm not able to get the .mov files. What are you playing them on?
51 posted on 02/01/2004 10:17:51 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: snippy_about_it
I am going to go watch the game with him tonight. I will get his ship's name and more. Will report back snippy!!
52 posted on 02/01/2004 10:19:03 AM PST by bulldogs
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To: bulldogs
Cool thanks! Take a notepad!!!
53 posted on 02/01/2004 10:19:43 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: bulldogs
Be my guest. here's the link to more of them. USS Ranger
54 posted on 02/01/2004 10:20:18 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: bulldogs
Thank you Bulldog's Dad for your service in the Navy.
55 posted on 02/01/2004 10:21:10 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: Professional Engineer
Here's a link to the B-25 "Heavenly Body"

Heavenly Body

56 posted on 02/01/2004 10:22:59 AM PST by SAMWolf (We secretly replaced the dilithium crystals with Folgers crystals...)
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To: SAMWolf
You know Sam, we study war here with you and snippy and everybody, but this is the most peaceful part of the Free Republic.
57 posted on 02/01/2004 10:25:18 AM PST by bulldogs
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To: snippy_about_it
You need QuickTime from Apple to watch those movies.

Thanks for running the Foxhole. I only wish they hadn't scrapped the Great Lakes carriers.

58 posted on 02/01/2004 10:56:43 AM PST by steveegg (You don't clean up 8 years of messes in 4, only to turn it over to Pigpen - W'04)
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To: bulldogs
Awwww. That's so sweet of you to say. We like to think of it as all of us sitting around in a comfy living room discussing the history and sacrifices made by those gone before us. Kind of a "family" affair. We're glad you take the time to join us here.
59 posted on 02/01/2004 10:57:16 AM PST by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: snippy_about_it
Thanks for having me.
60 posted on 02/01/2004 10:58:43 AM PST by bulldogs
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