World War II Database

Editor's Note: The following content is a transcription of a period document or a collection of period statistics. It may be incomplete, inaccurate, or biased. The reader may not wish to take the content as factual.

ww2dbase

			By Theater		By Navy				By Carrier Type				By Year
	Total	Percent of Total	Atlantic	Pacific	USN Ships	RN Ships	US & RN	IJN Ships	CVs	CVLs	CVs & CVLs	CVEs	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
1. Carriers Afloat and Operational (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
United States CVs	5
United Kingdom CVs	7
Japanese CVs & CVLs	6
	------
CVs & CVLs Afloat 8/31/39	18
CVEs (Langley)	1
	------
Carriers Afloat 8/31/39	19
Produced 9/39 to 8/45 (Excl. MACs)	181
	------
Carriers Afloat During War (Excl. MACs)	200
Carriers Afloat But Not Operational	-4
	------
Carriers Operational 8/39 to 9/45	196
2. Carriers Produced During World War II (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
United States	143	79%	42	101	143		143		19	9	28	115	0	1	3	18	65	45	11
United Kingdom (Excluding MACs)	19	10%	19	0		19	19		6	7	13	6	0	2	3	1	4	4	5
Japan	19	10%	0	19			0	19	9	5	14	5	0	1	4	5	3	6	0
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total (Excluding MACs)	181	100%	61	120	143	19	162	19	34	21	55	126	0	4	10	24	72	55	16
3. Carriers Afloat During World War II (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
United States	111	57%	24	105	111				24	9	33	78	6	7	9	17	39	88	102
United Kingdom (Excluding MACs)	64	33%	63	45		64			12	8	20	44	7	8	9	11	25	49	52
Japan	25	13%	0	25				25	13	7	20	5	6	7	10	16	12	17	6
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total (Excl. MACs & France)	200	102%	87	175	111	64	175	25	49	24	73	127	19	22	28	44	76	154	160
4. Carriers Operational During World War II (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
United States	108	55%	23	103	108				23	9	32	76	6	7	9	17	39	88	99
United Kingdom (Excluding MACs)	63	32%	62	45		63			12	7	19	44	7	8	9	11	25	49	51
Japan	25	13%	0	25				25	13	7	20	5	6	7	10	16	12	17	6
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total (Excluding France)	196	100%	85	173	108	63	171	25	48	23	71	125	19	22	28	44	76	154	156
5. Carriers Sunk During World War II (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
United States	12	29%	1	11	12				4	1	5	7	0	0	0	5	1	4	2
United Kingdom	8	20%	7	1		8			4	1	5	3	1	1	2	3	1	0	0
Japan	21	51%	0	21				21	11	5	16	5	0	0	0	6	1	12	2
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total	41	100%	8	33	12	8	20	21	19	7	26	15	1	1	2	14	3	16	4
			By Theater		By Navy				By Carrier Type				By Year
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
6. Number of Lost-Time Damage Incidents, by Cause
Bombs	42	18%	6	36	15	7	22	20	29	8	37	5			4	16		9	13
Kamikazes	40	17%		40	33	7	40		22	2	24	16						13	27
Bombs & Aerial Torpedoes	8	3%		8	2		2	6	4	4	8					4		4
Bombs/Rockets	6	3%		6			0	6	2	2	4	2							6
Aerial Torpedoes	4	2%	1	3	3	1	4		3	1	4						3	1
Kamikazes & Bombs	1	0%		1	1		1		1		1								1
Kamikazes & Warship Gunfire	2	1%		2	2		2				0	2						2
Kamikazes & Aerial Torpedoes	1	0%		1	1		1				0	1						1
Aerial & Submarine Torpedoes	1	0%		1	1		1		1		1					1
Bombs & Warship Gunfire	1	0%		1				1		1	1							1
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Aerial Weapon Systems	106	46%	7	99	58	15	73	33	62	18	80	26	0	0	4	21	3	31	47
Submarine Torpedoes	28	12%	8	20	5	7	12	16	13	1	14	14	1		2	7	6	11	1
Mines	3	1%	1	2		1	1	2			0	3						1	2
Warship Gunfire	3	1%	1	2	2	1	3		1		1	2		1				2
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Surface Weapon Systems	34	15%	10	24	7	9	16	18	14	1	15	19	1	1	2	7	6	14	3
Storms & Typhoons	30	13%	10	20	22	8	30		3	6	9	21				2	3	12	13
Collisions	29	13%	16	13	14	15	29		5	3	8	21			2	2	3	15	7
Aircraft Accidents	15	7%	4	11	11	4	15		4	1	5	10			1	1	1	3	9
Mechanical Failures	5	2%	3	2		4	4	1	2		2	3		1		1	2	1
Groundings	5	2%	3	2		4	4	1	2		2	3			1	1		2	1
Friendly Fire	2	1%		2	2		2		2		2								2
Explosions Nearby	2	1%		2	2		2				0	2						2
Refueling Accidents	1	0%		1	1		1				0	1							1
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Other Causes	89	39%	36	53	52	35	87	2	18	10	28	61	0	1	4	7	9	35	33
All Lost-Time Damage Incidents	229	100%	53	176	117	59	176	53	94	29	123	106	1	2	10	35	18	80	83
7. Number of Damage Incidents Resulting In Sinking, By Cause
Bombs	9	22%		9	2	1	3	6	5	2	7	2				6		1	2
Bombs & Aerial Torpedoes	8	20%		8	2		2	6	4	4	8					4		4
Kamikazes	3	7%		3	3		3				0	3						1	2
Aerial & Submarine Torpedoes	1	2%		1	1		1		1		1					1
Bombs & Warship Gunfire	1	2%		1				1		1	1							1
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Aerial Weapon Systems	22	54%	0	22	8	1	9	13	10	7	17	5	0	0	0	11	0	7	4
Submarine Torpedoes	16	39%	6	10	3	5	8	8	8		8	8	1		2	3	2	8
Warship Gunfire	2	5%	1	1	1	1	2		1		1	1		1				1
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Surface Weapon Systems	18	44%	7	11	4	6	10	8	9	0	9	9	1	1	2	3	2	9	0
Mechanical Failures	1	2%	1			1	1				0	1					1
Total Sinkings-All Causes	41	100%	8	33	12	8	20	21	19	7	26	15	1	1	2	14	3	16	4
			By Theater		By Navy				By Carrier Type				By Year
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
8. Summary Statistics For Aircraft Carriers (Sept 1939-Aug 1945)
Note: Percentages are based upon the number of aircraft carriers afloat.
Produced (Excl. MACs)	181	91%	61	120	143	19	162	19	34	21	55	126	0	4	10	24	72	55	16
Afloat (Excl. MACs and France)	200	100%	87	175	111	64	175	25	49	24	73	127	19	22	28	44	76	154	160
Operational (Excl. MACs and France)	196	98%	85	173	108	63	171	25	48	23	71	125	19	22	28	44	76	154	156
Sunk	41	21%	8	33	12	8	20	21	19	7	26	15	1	1	2	14	3	16	4
Lost-Time Damage Incidents	229	115%	53	176	117	59	176	53	94	29	123	106	1	2	10	35	18	80	83
Incidents Involving Multiple Causes	14				7	0	7	7	6	5	11	3	0	0	0	5	0	8	1
Lost-Time Damage Involvements	243		53	190	124	59	183	60	100	34	134	109	1	2	10	40	18	88	84
9. Number of Lost-Time Damage Involvements, By Cause
Note: Percentages represent damage INVOLVEMENTS divided by total damage INCIDENTS and may total to more than 100%.
Summary
Damage Involving Aerial Weapons	116	51%	7	109	62	15	77	39	67	22	89	27	0	0	4	25	3	36	48
Damage Involving Surface Weapons	38	17%	10	28	10	9	19	19	15	2	17	21	1	1	2	8	6	17	3
Damage from Other Causes	89	39%	36	53	52	35	87	2	18	10	28	61	0	1	4	7	9	35	33
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total Lost-Time Damage Involvements	243	106%	53	190	124	59	183	60	100	34	134	109	1	2	10	40	18	88	84
Details
Damage Involving Bombs	58	25%	6	52	18	7	25	33	36	15	51	7	0	0	4	20	0	14	20
Damage Involving Kamikazes	44	19%	0	44	37	7	44	0	23	2	25	19	0	0	0	0	0	16	28
Damage from Storms & Typhoons	30	13%	10	20	22	8	30	0	3	6	9	21	0	0	0	2	3	12	13
Damage Involving Sub. Torpedoes	29	13%	8	21	6	7	13	16	14	1	15	14	1	0	2	8	6	11	1
Damage from Collisions	29	13%	16	13	14	15	29	0	5	3	8	21	0	0	2	2	3	15	7
Damage from Aircraft Accidents	15	7%	4	11	11	4	15	0	4	1	5	10	0	0	1	1	1	3	9
Damage Involving Aerial Torpedoes.	14	6%	1	13	7	1	8	6	8	5	13	1	0	0	0	5	3	6	0
Damage Involving Warship Gunfire	6	3%	1	5	4	1	5	1	1	1	2	4	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
Damage Involving Mines	3	1%	1	2	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
Damage from All Other Causes	15	7%	6	9	5	8	13	2	6	0	6	9	0	1	1	2	2	5	4
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total Lost-Time Damage Involvements	243	106%	53	190	124	59	183	60	100	34	134	109	1	2	10	40	18	88	84
			By Theater		By Navy				By Carrier Type				By Year
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
10. Percentage of Lost-Time Damage Involvements, By Cause
Note: Percentages represent damage INVOLVEMENTS divided by total damage INCIDENTS and may total to more than 100%.
Summary
Damage Involving Aerial Weapons	51%		13%	62%	53%	26%	44%	74%	71%	76%	72%	25%	0%	0%	40%	71%	17%	45%	58%
Damage Involving Surface Weapons	17%		19%	16%	9%	15%	11%	36%	16%	7%	14%	20%	100%	50%	20%	23%	33%	21%	4%
Damage from Other Causes	39%		68%	30%	44%	59%	49%	4%	19%	34%	23%	58%	0%	50%	40%	20%	50%	44%	40%
Details
Damage Involving Bombs	25%		11%	30%	15%	12%	14%	62%	38%	52%	41%	7%	0%	0%	40%	57%	0%	18%	24%
Damage Involving Kamikazes	19%		0%	25%	32%	12%	25%	0%	24%	7%	20%	18%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	20%	34%
Damage from Storms & Typhoons	13%		19%	11%	19%	14%	17%	0%	3%	21%	7%	20%	0%	0%	0%	6%	17%	15%	16%
Damage Involving Sub. Torpedoes.	13%		15%	12%	5%	12%	7%	30%	15%	3%	12%	13%	100%	0%	20%	23%	33%	14%	1%
Damage from Collisions	13%		30%	7%	12%	25%	16%	0%	5%	10%	7%	20%	0%	0%	20%	6%	17%	19%	8%
Damage from Aircraft Accidents	7%		8%	6%	9%	7%	9%	0%	4%	3%	4%	9%	0%	0%	10%	3%	6%	4%	11%
Damage Involving Aerial Torpedoes.	6%		2%	7%	6%	2%	5%	11%	9%	17%	11%	1%	0%	0%	0%	14%	17%	8%	0%
Damage Involving Warship Gunfire	3%		2%	3%	3%	2%	3%	2%	1%	3%	2%	4%	0%	50%	0%	0%	0%	6%	0%
Damage Involving Mines	1%		2%	1%	0%	2%	1%	4%	0%	0%	0%	3%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	1%	2%
Damage from All Other Causes	7%		11%	5%	4%	14%	7%	4%	6%	0%	5%	8%	0%	50%	10%	6%	11%	6%	5%
11. Number of Damage Involvements Resulting in Sinking, By Cause
Note: Percentages represent damage INVOLVEMENTS divided by total damage INCIDENTS and may total to more than 100%.
Summary
Sinkings Involving Aerial Weapons	30	73%	0	30	10	1	11	19	14	11	25	5	0	0	0	15	0	11	4
Sinkings Involving Surface Weapons	20	49%	7	13	5	6	11	9	10	1	11	9	1	1	2	4	2	10	0
Sinkings from Other Causes	1	2%	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total Sinking Involvements	51	124%	8	43	15	8	23	28	24	12	36	15	1	1	2	19	3	21	4
Details
Sinkings Involving Bombs	18	44%	0	18	4	1	5	13	9	7	16	2	0	0	0	10	0	6	2
Sinkings Involving Sub. Torpedoes.	17	41%	6	11	4	5	9	8	9	0	9	8	1	0	2	4	2	8	0
Sinkings Involving Aerial Torpedoes.	9	22%	0	9	3	0	3	6	5	4	9	0	0	0	0	5	0	4	0
Sinkings Involving Kamikazes	3	7%	0	3	3	0	3	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	2
Sinkings Involving Warship Gunfire	3	7%	1	2	1	1	2	1	1	1	2	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
Sinkings from All Other Causes	1	2%	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Total Sinking Involvements	51	124%	8	43	15	8	23	28	24	12	36	15	1	1	2	19	3	21	4
12. Percentage of Damage Involvements Resulting in Sinking, By Cause
Note: Percentages represent damage INVOLVEMENTS divided by total damage INCIDENTS and may total to more than 100%.
Summary
Sinkings Involving Aerial Weapons	73%		0%	91%	83%	13%	55%	90%	74%	157%	96%	33%	0%	0%	0%	107%	0%	69%	100%
Sinkings Involving Surface Weapons	49%		88%	39%	42%	75%	55%	43%	53%	14%	42%	60%	100%	100%	100%	29%	67%	63%	0%
Sinkings from Other Causes	2%		13%	0%	0%	13%	5%	0%	0%	0%	0%	7%	0%	0%	0%	0%	33%	0%	0%
Details
Sinkings Involving Bombs	44%		0%	55%	33%	13%	25%	62%	47%	100%	62%	13%	0%	0%	0%	71%	0%	38%	50%
Sinkings Involving Sub. Torpedoes.	41%		75%	33%	33%	63%	45%	38%	47%	0%	35%	53%	100%	0%	100%	29%	67%	50%	0%
Sinkings Involving Aerial Torpedoes.	22%		0%	27%	25%	0%	15%	29%	26%	57%	35%	0%	0%	0%	0%	36%	0%	25%	0%
Sinkings Involving Kamikazes	7%		0%	9%	25%	0%	15%	0%	0%	0%	0%	20%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	6%	50%
Sinkings Involving Warship Gunfire	7%		13%	6%	8%	13%	10%	5%	5%	14%	8%	7%	0%	100%	0%	0%	0%	13%	0%
Sinkings from All Other Causes	2%		13%	0%	0%	13%	5%	0%	0%	0%	0%	7%	0%	0%	0%	0%	33%	0%	0%

13. Notes

Re: carriers "afloat":

Values include only carriers that could both launch and retrieve aircraft at sea and were afloat between September 1939 and August 1945.

Values include USS Langley (CV-1, AV-3) as a CVE. It was designated as a seaplane tender during WWII but performed CVE functions including anti-submarine patrols and aircraft transport.

Values exclude the UK's 19 Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MACs); information about damage incidents was not located.

Values exclude UK Fighter Catapult ships (FACs) and Catapult Aircraft Merchant ships (CAMs) which carried a single catapult-launched aircraft but could not retrieve it.

Values exclude two Japanese CVEs launched or commissioned but constructed with flight decks too short to recover aircraft (Akitsu Maru, Kumano Maru). The former was sunk November 1944. The latter was built for the Army rather than the Navy and survived the war. Both transported aircraft during the war.

Values exclude the French carrier B?arn that was quarantined for most of the war and did not see action.

Re: carriers "operational":

Values exclude USS Lake Champlain (CV-39), Puget Sound (CVE-113) and Bairoko (CVE-115) and HMS Ocean (CVL-R68) that were commissioned and afloat but not operational before the end of WWII.

Values exclude two Japanese CVEs launched or commissioned but destroyed before entering service (Shimani Maru, Yamashio Maru).

Re: carrier production:

Annual production values are based upon commissioning dates.

US production in the Atlantic included all 19 USN CVs, all 9 USN CVLs, and 14 CVEs (USS Long Island, Charger, Santee, Sangamon, Chenango, Suwannee, HMS Archer, Avenger, Biter, Dasher, Pursuer, Battler, Hunter, Chaser.)

All UK production was in the Atlantic; all Japanese production was in the Pacific.

Production values during the Pacific War (Sept 1939 to Aug 1945) exclude the Japanese carrier Hiryu that was commissioned July 5, 1939.

Re: damage statistics:

"Damage incidents" include those that sunk carriers.

Damage incidents involving two weapons systems are included with involvements for both causes. Consequently, percentages regarding "damage involvements" by cause add to more than 100% of "damage incidents." ww2dbase

Source(s):
"Details For Incidents Resulting in Lost Operational Time For Aircraft Carriers During World War II" at World War II Database
"Japanese Aircraft Carrier Operational Status By Month" at World War II Database
"UK Aircraft Carrier Operational Status By Month" at World War II Database
"US Aircraft Carrier Operational Status By Month" at World War II Database
"Japanese Aircraft Carrier Time Operational" at World War II Database

Added By:
Bob Bryant

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