The closet that a fleet carrier came to being sunk by land based aircraft was the USS Ben Franklin. Only miraculously super human effort kept her afloat.
36 posted on 06/04/2016 7:19:29 AM PDT by central_va
(I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
After Hornet sank in October 1942 no US fleet carriers were sunk by any enemy action -- whether sea-based, land-based, submarines, mines or anything else. Of the Essex class carriers, Franklin was the most heavily damaged.
But smaller carriers were sunk throughout the war by all of the above, plus kamikazes.
37 posted on 06/04/2016 7:43:06 AM PDT by BroJoeK
(a little historical perspective...)