- USS Langley (AV-3), formerly CV-1 and before that AC-3.
Jupiter (AC-3), a collier, commissioned 7 April 1913, was the first electrically propelled ship of the U.S. Navy., She spent time on each coast and participated in WW I. She decommissioned 24 March 1920 for conversion into the first US aircraft carrier for the purpose of conducting experiments in the new idea of seaborne aviation, a field of unlimited possibilities. Her name was changed to Langley 21 April 1920; and recommissioned 20 March 1922 as CV-1
Her statistics as an aircraft carrier are: 11,500 tons; 542" 15 knots; 468 men; 4-5" guns ; 55 aircraft.
For 12 years she operated off the California coast and Hawaii engaged in training fleet units, experimentation, pilot training, and tactical-fleet problems.
On 25 October 1935, Langley entered conversion and was reclassified AV-3, seaplane tender, on 21 April. 1936.
At the outbreak of World War II, Langley was anchored off Cavite, Philippine Islands. She proceeded to Darwin, Australia, where she assisted the RAAF in running anti-submarine patrols. She departed Freemantle, Australia, to deliver 32 P-40's to Tjilatjap, Java. Nine twin-engine enemy bombers attacked Langley and her aircraft topside burst into flames. The escorting destroyers destroyed the old tender to insure her sinking, 75 miles south of Tjilatjap with a loss of 16. - USS Lexington (CV-2) 33,000 tons
The fourth Lexington (CV-2) was originally laid down as a battle cruiser, CC-1, completed as an aircraft carrier, and commissioned 14 December 1927. On 7 December 1941 Lexington was at sea with TF 12 carrying marine aircraft from Pearl Harbor to reinforce Midway. She diverted to search for the Jap fleet and returned to Pearl. Lexington was attacked by enemy aircraft near Rabaul on 20 Feb; the carrier splashed 17 of the attackers. During a single sortie Lt. E. H. (Butch) O Hare won the Medal of Honor by downing five planes. She attacked, with Yorktown, over the mountains of New Guinea to inflict heavy damage on shipping and installations at Salamaua and Lae on 6 March. Lexington with Yorktown fought in the strategic Battle of the Coral Sea, where on 8 May 1942 she was struck by two torpedoes and three bombs. Lexington had to be abandoned and was sunk by her escorts. Her story is told in "Queen of the Flattops" by Sanley Johnston. Lexington received two battle stars for World War II service. - USS Saratoga (CV-3) 33,000 tons
Pearl Harbor found the Saratoga had just left dry-dock and entering San Diego. She immediately departed for Wake Island loaded with Marine planes. Undelivered when Wake fell, the aircraft were offloaded at Midway. Damaged by a torpedo while patrolling SW of Hawaii, she spent five months in repair on the West Coast. As the Midway battle was developing, she hurriedly loaded with airplanes, but was too late; replenished Enterprise and Hornet with air crews and planes. She ferried aircraft to Midway then joined the South Pacific fleet to participate in the invasion of Guadalcanal and the air Battle of Eastern Solomons. Hit by another torpedo a few days later, she is on the West Coast for repairs for three months. She returned the South Pacific by way of Fiji and patrolled south of Guadalcanal for a year, participated in Bougainvillea invasion. As new carriers arrived in the Pacific, our oldest and largest carrier was sent to the Indian Ocean for a year to provide combat training for British naval aircrews. [Raises a possibly interesting part of the war to investigate because several British aircraft carriers were there, equipped with Wildcats -- supporting Burma, Sumatra and later attacked Japan.] Saratoga refitted as a frontline trainer in night combat operating out of Pearl Harbor for four months and rejoined the fleet in February where her broad deck was valuable for night fighting. Saratoga survived Kamikaze hits off Iwo Jima 21Feb45. She was repaired and training pilots again when the war ended. Saratoga received seven battle stars for her World War II service. - USS Ranger (CV-4). 14,500 tons
The sixth Ranger, the first ship of the Navy to be designed and built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier was commissioned 4 June 1934 as a compact design..
On Atlantic patrol when the war started, she was the lead carrier in the invasion of North Africa and continued to serve in the Atlantic until after D-Day. Transited to Pacific July 1944 and conducted night fighter combat training at Pearl Harbor and the West Coast for the remainder of the war. Ranger received two battle stars.
- USS Yorktown (CV-5) . 19,800 tons
The third Yorktown commissioned 30 Sept 1937 and was part of the Pacific Fleet transferred with 1/4 of that fleet in April 1942 to "Neutrality Patrol" in the Atlantic. Yorktown put into Norfolk on 2 Dec41 and was there five days later when America became at war. Yorktown departed Norfolk on 16 Dec 41 for San Diego, Calif, where on 1 Jan 42 she became flagship for RAdm Frank Jack Fletcher's newly formed TF 17 and departing San Diego on 6Jan42, escorting a convoy carrying Marine reinforcements to American Samoa.
Yorktown and Enterprise, departed Samoan waters on 25 Jan. Six days later, Yorktown planes attacked the Gilberts: Jaluit, Makin and Mili atolls while Enterprise (TF 8) attacked the Marshall Islands, Yorktown returned to Pearl Harbor, replenished, put to sea on 14 Feb, bound for the Coral Sea. On 6 March, she rendezvoused with TF 11 - formed around Lexington (VAdm Brown) and headed towards Rabaul until word of the Japanese landing at Salamaua-Lae sector of New Guinea. On the morning of 10 March 42, the American carriers launched aircraft from the Gulf of Papua across New Guinea on the invasion force in which the fliers gained invaluable combat experience. Yorktown resumed her patrols in the Coral Sea area, remaining at sea into April.
Yorktown"s air group made attacks on enemy ships and beachhead at Tulagi and Gavutu in the Solomons 4 May. At the same time, eleven enemy troop-laden transports--escorted by destroyers and covered by the light carrier Shoho, four heavy cruisers, and a destroyer--steamed toward Port Moresby, on the Australian side of New Guinea. Yorktown and Lexington attacked, "Scratch one flattop", and the invasion force withdrew. Meanwhile an IJN strike force with two fleet carriers was searching for the two US carriers. In the Battle of Coral Sea, both US carriers and one Japanese were hit. Lexington exploded after the battle and was sunk by her escorts.
Yorktown returned to Pearl for repairs in time to participate as flagship in the Battle of Midway with Enterprise and Hornet in which four enemy carriers were sunk and Yorktown damaged. On the 6th, Yorktown was struck by two more torpedoes and damaged by the depth charges from destroyer (DD-412) sunk alongside hit by a third torpedo from that submarine. Yorktown finally sank the morning of the 7th.
Yorktown (CV-5) earned three battle stars for her World War II service; two of them being for the significant part she had played in stopping Japanese expansion at Coral Sea and turning the tide of the war at Midway. - USS Enterprise (CV-6) . 19,800 tons
The seventh Enterprise (CV-6) was commissioned 12 May 1938. Enterprise had just completed taking Marine Corps Fighter Squadron 211 to Wake Island on 2 December 1941, and was returning to Hawaii when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Unarmed Enterprise planes made contact with the attackers.
1942: January, protect convoys reinforcing Samoa. February, the task force dealt a hard blow to Kwajalein, Wotje, and Maloelap in the Marshall Islands. March, blasted enemy installations on Wake and Marcus Islands. April, rendezvous with Hornet (CV-8) and sailed to launch 16 Army B-25 bombers in Doolittle"s Raid on Tokyo. May, speeds to South Pacific, too far to participate in Coral Sea. June, Battle of Midway. July, to Solomons. August, Battle of Eastern Solomons. September, repair in Pearl. October, Battle of the Santa Cruz Island. November, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. December, complete repairs at Noumea.
She fought the whole war and was repaired from a Kamakazi strike off Kyushu in time for the planned invasion of Japan.
Enterprise is the most successful ship of all time -- credited with 71 ships sunk, 911 aircraft destroyed. and received 20 battle stars for World War II service. Her story is told in The Big "E" by Cdr Edward Stafford. - USS Wasp (CV-7) . 14,700 tons
The eighth Wasp (CV-7) was laid down on 1 April 1936 as an improved, compact fleet carrier and commissioned on 25 April 1940. She carried aircraft to Iceland and participated in "Neutrality Patrols" in the Atlantic and lay at anchor in Bermuda on 7 December 1941.
Wasp sailed for the British Isles on 26 March'42, to reinforce the Home Fleet of the Royal Navy at Scapa Flow. She twice braved the Straights of Gibraltar to ferry Spitfires to Malta. After the loss of Yorktown in the Coral Sea, Wasp was hurried back to the United States for refit.
Wasp arrived in San Diego on 19 June and embarked aircraft. She escorted a convoy including five transports of marines to the South Pacific preparatory for the invasion of Guadalcanal. Wasp, Saratoga, and Enterprise screened that operation. The carrier spent the next month engaged in patrol and covering convoys. Wasp was refueling and missed the Battle of Eastern Solomons.
Wasp, Hornet, and 11 other warships were escorting transports carrying the 7th Marine Regiment to Guadalcanal when, on 15 Sept 1942, Wasp was torpedoed and sunk, leaving on only one remaining active US carrier in the Pacific. Wasp received two battle stars for her World War II service. - USS Hornet (CV-8) . 20,000 tons
The seventh Hornet (CV-8) was commissioned 20 October 1941 and completing shakedown when Pearl Harbor was attacked. On 4 March 42 she sailed for the West Coast. At San Francisco she loaded 16 Army B-25 bombers destined to spend "30 Seconds over Tokyo". She then raced to the South Pacific, but missed the Battle of the Coral Sea. She fought in the pivotal Battle of Midway; Torpedo 8 was a Hornet squadron. Hornet had new radar installed and sailed 17 August 1942 to guard Guadalcanal. A month later as the only active carrier in the Pacific, she bore the brunt of air cover in the Solomons until she joined by Enterprise northwest of the New Hebrides Islands and steamed to intercept a Japanese carrier-battleship force bearing down on Guadalcanal. Hornet was severely damaged 26Oct 1942 in the Battle of Santa Cruz Island, abandoned and sunk by Japanese destroyers. Hornet received four battle stars.
The Essex class of fleet carrier and the Independence class of light carrier did not arrive in combat until mid-1943.
The Midway class of large carriers arrived after the war.
Escort Carriers
USS Long Island (ACV-1). Commissioned 2 June 1941 as Long Island (AVG-1). In mid-1943, all escort carriers were redesignated CVE.
See escort carrier tables.
This first escort aircraft carrier operated out of Norfolk, conducting experiments to prove the feasibility of aircraft operations from converted cargo ships. She escorted an Atlantic convoy to Newfoundland and qualified carrier pilots at Norfolk before departing for the West Coast 10 May 1942. She joined the battleships protecting the west coast during the Battle of Midway, June 42, and in July resumed carrier pilot training.
In August 1942 Long Island, ferrying Marine aircraft, steamed to a point 200 miles southeast of Guadalcanal and launched her aircraft. These planes were the first to reach Henderson Field and contributed to victory in the air battle of Eastern Solomon Sea, 24Aug42. She returned to San Diego and continued to train carrier pilots. During 1944 and 1945, she transported airplanes and their crews from the West Coast to various outposts in the Pacific. Long Island received one battle star.
Battleships. See: battleship tables.
- USS Utah (AG-16, former BB-31) commissioned on 31 August 1911, the
second US dreadnought.
Utah landed her marine "battalion" at Vera Cruz, Mexico 21 April 1914.
30 August 1918, Utah sailed for the British Isles to protect convoys from possible attacks by German heavy units. There, she became the flagship of Battleship Division 6. Utah, along with the sister ships Nevada (BB-36) and Oklahoma (BB-37), operated from Bantry Bay, Ireland, covering the Allied convoys approaching the British Isles, ready to deal with any surface threat that the German Navy could hurl at the transports and supply ships.
Utah was condemned as a battleship to be removed from service by the London Naval Conference and selected for conversion to a mobile target. On 1 July 1931, Utah's classification was changed to AG-16. Her conversion included the installation of radio-control apparatus. She also trained gun crews.
Utah rests at Pearl Harbor with 6 officers and 58 men killed during the attack. - USS Nevada (BB-36)
The second Nevada commissioned 11 March 1916. She sailed l3 August 1918 to serve with the British Grand Fleet and made a sweep through the North Sea.
On 7 December 1941, Nevada was moored singly off Ford Island, and had a freedom of maneuver denied the other battleships present during the attack. As her gunners opened fire and her engineers got up steam, she was struck by one torpedo and two, possibly three, bombs from the Japanese attackers, but was able to get underway. While attempting to leave harbor she was struck again. Fearing she might sink in the channel, blocking it, Nevada was beached at Hospital Point.
Refloated 12 February 1942, Nevada repaired at Pearl Harbor and Puget Sound Navy Yard, then sailed for Alaska where she provided fire support for the capture of Attu in May 1943. In June she sailed for further modernization at Norfolk Navy Yard, and in April 1944 left to support the Normandy invasion and that of Southern France. She arrived off Iwo Jima February 1945, received a kamikaze hit off Okinawa, and fired on Japan before the war ended. s; Nevada received 7 battle stars. - USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
Oklahoma commissioned 2 May 1916 and in August 1918 joined in the task of protecting Allied convoys in European waters.
She was moored in Battleship Row when the Japanese attacked. Oklahoma took 3 torpedo hits almost immediately; as she began to capsize, 2 more torpedoes struck home, and her men were strafed as they abandoned ship. Within 20 minutes after the attack began, she had swung over until halted by her masts touching bottom, her starboard side above water, and a part of her keel clear. The difficult savage job began in March 1943 and Oklahoma entered dry dock 28 December. Oklahoma never reentered service and decommissioned 1 September 1944. - USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
The second Pennsylvania commissioned 12 June 1916. She did not join WWI since she burned fuel oil and tankers could not be spared to carry additional fuel to the British Isles, only coal burning battleships were selected for this mission. At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Pennsylvania was in drydock in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Damages and retraining kept her out of combat until 11 May 1943 when Pennsylvania arrived at Cold Bay, Alaska, where she engaged in shore bombardment of Attu in support of the landings. She provided fire support at Miska, Makin, Kwajalein, Marshalls, Florida Islands, Saipan, Guam, Leyte, and fought the Japanese Southern fleet at the Battle of Surigao Strait in the last and largest battleship battle.
On 12 August 1944 at Okinawa Pennsylvania lay at anchor when a Japanese torpedo plane launched an attack which hit well aft. Pennsylvania suffered extensive damage. Twenty men were killed and ten injured. Many compartments were flooded and Pennsylvania settled heavily by the stern. She was out for the rest of the war. - USS Arizona (BB-39)
The second Arizona commissioned on 17 October 1916. An oil-burner, she had not been deployed to European waters in WWI. The ship sustained eight bomb hits at Pearl Harbor. A cataclysmic explosion ripped through the forward part of the ship, touching off fierce fires that burned for two days and consumed the lives of 1,103 of the 1,400 on board on the "Day of Infamy." Arizona's wreck remains at Pearl Harbor -- as a memorial. - USS New Mexico (BB-40)
Commissioned 20 May 1918, in 1919 became flagship of the newly-organized Pacific Fleet. Modernized 1932, her base was Pearl Harbor from 6 December 1940 until 20May41 when she joined the Atlantic fleet on neutrality patrol. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, she returned to the west coast and 1 Aug 1942 to Hawaii. Between 6Dec42 and 22March43, she escorted troop transports to Fijis, then patrolled the SW Pacific. On 17 May43 she arrived Adak, Aleutians, her base to blockade Attu, and on 21July43 opened bombardment that forced its evacuation. She then participated in Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Philippine Sea, Guam, Palaus, and Luzon where she was hit by a kamikaze (29 kia,87 wia) and Okinawa (54k,115w) and was preparing for the invasion of Japan as the war ended. New Mexico earned six battle stars. - USS Mississippi (BB-41)
Commissioned 18 December 1917 and operated out of San Pedro, CA. Transferred to the Atlantic 16June41, she escorted two convoys Iceland. Two days after Pearl Harbor, Mississippi left Iceland for the Pacific arriving San Francisco 22Jan42 and escorting convoys along the coast. Dec42 escorted troops to Fiji. 10May43 shelled Kiska Island, Aleutians. She then participated in Gilberts, Marshalls, New Ireland, Palau, Leyte Gulf, Luzon, and Okinawa. She suffered a turret explosion while bombarding Makin and a suicide plane in Lingayen Gulf. Mississippi earned eight battle stars. - USS Idaho (BB-42)
Commissioned 24 March 1919 and part of the Pacific fleet operating out of San Pedro, CA, modernized in 1932-33, and moved with the battle fleet to Pearl Harbor 1 July40. Transferred 6 June 1941 to Atlantic neutrality patrol and was at Iceland when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 Dec41. Idaho and sister Mississippi departed Iceland 2 days after Pearl Harbor to join the Pacific Fleet off California and Hawaii until she sailed 7 April 1943 for operations in the Aleutians. There she was flagship of the bombardment and patrol force around Attu, where she gave gunfire support to the Army landings 11 May 1943, and on Kiska, 15 Aug43 as the Japanese abandoned the Aleutians. She then participated in Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Philippine Sea, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Idaho earned seven battle stars. - USS Tennessee (BB-43)
The fifth Tennessee commissioned on 3 June 1920.
Moored inboard of West Virginia, Tennessee was trapped when that ship was sunk. Oklahoma capsized in front and Arizona blew up behind her. Tennessee was hit by only two bombs, more damage was done by the inferno of oil spilled by ships around her. With seams temporally welded, on 20 December, Tennessee departed Pearl Harbor with Pennsylvania (BB-38) and Maryland (BB-46) - all superficially damaged in the Japanese attack - with a screen of four destroyers. Tennessee arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard on 29 December 1941 to replace buckled plating, melted wiring. In addition, radar was installed, and her smaller guns replaced with automatic anti-aircraft guns.
On 26 February 1942, Tennessee departed Puget Sound with Maryland and Colorado. Upon arriving at San Francisco, she began a period of intensive training operations with RAdm William S. Pye's Task Force 1 made up of the Pacific Fleet's available battleships and a screen of destroyers. This force protected the West Coast and sallied halfway to Hawaii during the Battle of Midway in June'42. She escorted Hornet to Hawaii in August, then returned for further modernization from late August through May 1943 to begin a career of island bombardment. Tennessee earned 10 battles stars. - USS California (BB-44)
The fifth California commissioned 10 August 1921. For 20 years from 1921 until 1941, California served as flagship of the Pacific Fleet.
On 7 December 1941 she was moored at the southernmost berth of "Battleship Row". A bomb touched off a magazine and California settled into the mud with only her superstructure remaining above the surface.
On 25 March 1942 California was refloated and dry-docked at Pearl Harbor for repairs. On 7 June she departed under her own power, for Puget Sound Navy yard where a major reconstruction job was accomplished, including improved protection, stability, AA battery, and fire control system. California departed Bremerton 31 January 1944 for shakedown, and sailed from San Francisco 5 May for the invasion of the Marianas. California received seven battle stars for World War II service - USS Colorado (BB-45)
The third Colorado commissioned 30 August 1923. From 1924 to 1941 Colorado operated with the Battle Fleet in the Pacific. Based on Pearl Harbor until 25 June 1941when she departed for the west coast and overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard which lasted until 31 March 1942. After west coast training, Colorado returned to Pearl Harbor 14 August 1942 to complete her preparations for action. She operated in the vicinity of the Fiji Islands and New Hebrides from 8 November 1942 to 17 September 1943 to prevent further Japanese expansion. Colorado received seven battle stars. - USS Maryland (BB-46)
Maryland commissioned 21 July 1921.
She was present at battleship row along Ford Island when Japan struck 7 December 41. A gunner's mate striker, writing a letter near his machine-gun, brought the first of his ship's guns into play, shooting down one of two attacking torpedo planes. Inboard of Oklahoma and thus protected from the initial torpedo attack, Maryland managed to bring all her antiaircraft batteries into action. Despite two bomb hits she continued to fire and, after the attack, sent fire fighting parties to assist her sister ships. The Japanese announced that she had been sunk, but 30 December, battered yet sturdy, she entered the repair yard at Puget Sound Navy Yard. She emerged 26 Feb 1942 not only repaired, but modernized.
During the important Battle of Midway, the old battleships, not fast enough to accompany the carriers, operated as a backup force. Maryland returned to Pearl Harbor the first of August. Assigned sentinel duty along the southern supply routes to Australia and the Pacific fighting fronts, Maryland and Colorado operated out of the Fiji Islands in November and advanced to the New Hebrides in February 1943. She returned to Pearl Harbor after 10 months in the South Pacific and continued to fight in the Pacific for the rest of the war. Maryland received seven battle stars. - USS West Virginia (BB-48)
The second West Virginia commissioned on 1 December 1923.
On Sunday, 7, December 1941, West Virginia lay moored outboard of Tennessee with 40 feet of water beneath her keel. West Virginia took seven torpedoes and two bombs. She was abandoned, on fire, settling to the harbor bottom on an even keel. Her fires were put out the next day and refloated on 17 May 1942. During the ensuing repairs, workers located 70 bodies of West Virginia sailors who had been trapped below when the ship sank. In one compartment, a calendar was found, the last scratch-off date being 23 December. She later headed for a complete rebuilding at the Puget Sound Navy Yard at Bremerton, Wash., emerging from the extensive modernization in early July 1944.
West Virginia fought in the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa. Although heavily damaged at Pearl Harbor and missing much of the war, she earned five battle stars.
- USS North Carolina (BB-55)
The third North Carolina was laid down 27 October 1937 and commissioned 9 April 1941, After intensive war exercises sparked by the Pearl Harbor attack, she entered the Pacific 10 June 1942 and covered the landing at Guadalcanal and Tulagi 7 August 1942. She provided escort to Enterprise at the battle of Eastern Solomons, escorted troops to Guadalcanal for the next year, with time out for torpedo damage repair from the same spread that sank Wasp. Modernized she performed the classic battleship functions of World War II. She screened carriers from air attack and provided fire support of troops ashore.
North Carolina earned 12 battle stars. She is moored at Wilmington, N.C. as a memorial. - USS Washington (BB-56)
The eighth Washington (BB-56) was laid down on 14 June 1938, commissioned 15 May 1941 and on her shakedown cruise during Pearl Harbor. Initially served in European waters and reached Pacific combat area 12 Sept 1942. On the night of 14 November with sistership South Dakota (BB-57) in the second night fight of the Naval Battle of Guardalcanal, intecepted Japanese force and engaged in first battleship-to-battlehip fight. Aided by radar, Washington crippled Kirishima which was scuttled that morning. Washington earned 13 battle stars during World War II. - USS South Dakota (BB-57)
The second South Dakota was laid down on 5 July 1939, commissioned on 20 March 1942, and sailed for the South Pacific 16 October 1942. On the 26th she defended Enterprise from air attack in the Battle of Santa Cruz and was damaged. Repaired, she joined Washington (BB-56) 14 Nov 43 in a rush to the first battleship fight for the second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal where damaged again and returned to New York for repair and operated in British waters till returning to the Pacific September'43. South Dakota received 13 battle stars. - USS Indiana (BB-58)
The fourth Indiana commissioned 30 April 1942, After shakedown she joined the Pacific fleet and the South Pacific 28 November 1942. For the next 11 months, Indiana helped protect carriers Enterprise and Saratoga then supporting American advances in the Solomons. She fought at Gilberts, Marshalls, raid onTruk, Marianas, Palaus, Philippines, Iwo Jima, Raid on Japan, and Okinawa Indiana received nine battle stars.
Links
Table of Contents
Ship Descriptions- WWW.History.Navy.Mil
- Hazegray: DANFS Ship Descriptions
Pictures- Hyperwar
- NavSource "Photos"
Return to: WW2 Menu
About this page: ships.html Reference links of Capital Ships mentioned in these pages.
Last updated: July 4, 2001. 15Aug07 added BBs 56,57, 10Mar'07 added BB58
URL: http://www.ww2pacific.com/ships.html
Ship Descriptions |
|