Yorktown’s crew was incredibly heroic and she was one tough carrier. And to be patched up in 3 days, going back out with the repair crews still on board after being briefly in drydock at Pearl Harbor - what an odyssey.
Yorktown’s loss is always a depressing remembrance - but if she wasn’t present at Midway, that battle could easily have ended much differently because of the ineffective dive- and torpedo-bombers from Hornet, which literally didn’t hit anything all day.
Truly a gallant lady with an incredible crew, including your dad. She was part of an amazing tale.
this is probably the last photo taken of her
https://www.navyhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/NH-95576.jpg
an account from a sailor who watched her vanish
https://www.navyhistory.org/2012/06/photographer-remembers-sinking-of-uss-yorktown-cv-5/
“We were all crying at this time” as Yorktown sank.
It is an odd thing indeed that sailors do develop an attachment to a ship, a big hunk of metal, but I understand it.
It is natural that ships are referred to as “she” and never, ever “he”.
I have always felt that way about ships myself, I understand that emotion...which must indeed be more concentrated and pronounced when you spend years on a vessel as they did during WWII.
Especially when you are in danger.
Thanks
