World War II Database

Saratoga was originally laid down as a Lexington-class battlecruiser, and like her sister Lexington, she was converted to become an aircraft carrier in 1922. Because she was visually identical to Lexington, a large black stripe was painted on her funnel to help sailors differentiate her, and it led to her nickname Stripe Stacked Sara. Her conversion to carrier was completed a month before Lexington's, therefore she was the first fast carrier in the United States Navy. Her shakedown took place off Philadelphia with Marc Mitscher on board as her air officer; Mitscher was also the first pilot to land an aircraft on her flight deck. She served off Panama, in the Caribbean Sea, and in the San Diego area before WW2, contributing greatly to the development of US Navy carrier doctrine. In Mar 1938, she conducted a mock surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that was eerily similar to how the Japanese would conduct the attack three years down the road.

When the attack on Pearl Harbor took place, Saratoga was just entering San Diego from Bremerton. With US Marine Corps aircraft intended for Wake Island, she got underway hurriedly, reaching Hawaii on 15 Dec 1941. The relief mission for Wake was cancelled on 22 Dec as Wake was already in danger of falling. She remained in the Hawaiian Islands region. On 11 Jan 1942, she was struck by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-16; she limped back to Pearl Harbor for repairs. Her 8in guns were removed while being repairs as they were useless against enemy aircraft; they were instead installed on shore facilities.

Saratoga arrived at San Diego on 22 May 1942 after repairs at Bremerton, and departed for Midway on 1 Jun. Because of the delay in loading aircraft at San Diego, she missed the action at Midway. She departed for the Aleutian Islands, but turned back after the operation was cancelled. She reached Pearl Harbor on 13 Jun.

Between 22 and 29 Jun 1942, Saratoga ferried Marine and Army aircraft to Midway. On 7 Jul, she departed for the South Pacific, conducting carrier rehearsals at Fiji at the end of the month, then participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign as the flagship of Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher in Aug 1942. On 24 Aug, at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, Saratoga's aircraft bit the bait and attacked the light carrier Ryujo, sinking her with several 1,000-lb bombs and one torpedo. Although they were able to sink Ryujo, the actual main attack in the form of aircraft from fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku attacked American carrier Enterprise; Saratoga, hiding in a squall, escaped unscathed.

In Sep 1942, Saratoga was struck by torpedo from Japanese submarine I-26 and was dead in the water. Cruiser Minneapolis towed her while her crew conducted temporary repairs. She eventually sailed to Tongatabu and then Pearl Harbor for repairs.

Saratoga returned to service in Nov 1942. Until mid-1943, she provided air cover for various American operations in the Solomon Islands area. On 5 and 11 Nov 1943, her aircraft conducted devastating attacks on the Japanese base at Rabaul, disabling many cruisers and lifting threat to US forces in the region from Japanese surface ships. Later that month, she supported the invasion of Tarawa.

After overhaul in San Francisco in Dec 1943, Saratoga returned to Pearl Harbor on 7 Jan 1944. She participated in the Marshall Islands Campaign, striking Japanese garrisons at Wotje, Taroa, and Eniwetok. In Mar, she joined the British Royal Navy Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean. The Eastern Fleet struck Sabang, Sumatra on 19 Apr and Soerabaja, Java on 17 May, with her aircraft contributing significantly to the success of both missions. She returned to Bremerton, Washington for overhaul in Jun 1944, then trained night fighter squadrons at Pearl harbor from Sep 1944 to Jan 1945.

On 29 Jan 1945, Saratoga set sail from Pearl Harbor for Iwo Jima. After landing rehearsals with Marine aircraft on 12 Feb off Tinian, her aircraft struck the Japanese home islands on 16 and 17 Feb. Her aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima. On 21 Feb, six Japanese aircraft scored five hits on Saratoga, damaging her flight deck and starting several fires. A second wave of attack two hours later scored another hit. By 2015 that evening, the fires were under control, and temporary repairs to the flight deck allowed it to function again. She returned to Bremerton for repairs in Mar.

In Jun 1945, Saratoga trained pilots at Pearl Harbor. She remained there until the end of the war.

After the war, Saratoga participated in Operation Magic Carpet that brought American servicemen back to the United States; she brought home 29,204 men, more than any other ship in the operation. As she became obsolete after the war, she was used as a target at Bikini Atoll for the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests. She survived the first blast on 1 Jul 1946, but the second test conducted on 25 Jul sank her.

USS Saratoga Operational Timeline

Photographs

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. MANDY MOORE says:
   21 Sep 2007 09:11:43 AM
   
   MY GRANDFATHER WAS LAWARNCE E. MOORE (LARRY) I WOULD LOVE 2 HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO KNEW HIM 2 CONTACT ME WITH ANY INFO. HE AND ANOTHER MAN TREADED WATER, SHARING A LIFE JACKET UNTIL THEY WERE RESCUED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY STORIES THAT U MIGHT HAVE OF HIM. HE DIED IN 85 SO I WOULD LOVE 2 LET MY KIDS KNOW MORE STORIES.
2. Anonymous says:
   28 Jan 2010 10:29:48 PM
   
   My grandfather was also on the Saratoga and lived, He passed when I was 6, and I am now 27. I'm doing a report on the Saratoga and in the next few weekd will be interviewing my grandmother. Maybe I will get some good informnation and stories.
3. Ellen says:
   11 Mar 2010 02:10:46 PM
   
   Here's some great photos taken aboard the Saratoga: http://todayspictures.slate.com/20100311/
4. Jon Sneddon says:
   17 Apr 2010 04:32:02 PM
   
   My uncle William Harlan "Simp" Brady was pilot and died 2/2/1943. He supposedly was flying off airfield instead of USS Saratoga.
5. Ray Montee says:
   16 Jul 2010 10:13:14 AM
   
   My brother Robert Earl Montee, QrtrMstr First Class, was on the Sara throughout the heavy south Pacific campaignes.....when she was torpedoed and hit by Japanese Aircraft. He joined the Navy at age 18 after graduation from Newberg, Or., High Schoo.
   
6. Anonymous says:
   31 Mar 2011 12:53:53 PM
   
   my uncle edford northern was on the us saratoga he was stationed in hawaii if anyone knew him please send me an e-mail .
7. Stephanie says:
   20 Jul 2012 05:51:13 AM
   
   My grandmother told me that my grandfather served on the Sara during WWII. I don't know dates or what he did, and I would love to know. If anyone has any information, please email me. My grandfather's name was Raymond Gremillion.
8. Jimmy D. Smith says:
   23 Jul 2012 03:04:32 PM
   
   My brother, Henry was killed FEB. 21 1945 on the Saratoga. I was only 4 Yrs. old at the time. Anyone who knew him send me an e-mail.
9. Linda says:
   11 Sep 2012 10:11:59 AM
   
   My Grandfather was a FC2 (Fire Controlman) on "Sara". Always heard rumors he was injured during 21st Feb 1944, Kamikaze attack. But like many of the Greatest Generation, he never spoke of it, would only say he was a sailor in WW2. His name was Frank B.Cole of Pittsburgh PA area. I'm his oldest Grandchild & would love to learn more about his adventures during WW2, no I need to know, his other Grandchildren & now Great & Great-Great Grandkids need to know what this generation sacrificed in order for them to have the privelages they so take for granted.
10. David Woods says:
    14 Apr 2013 01:53:07 PM
    
    Please tell me if you knew Frank Inzana who was a sailor on the Saratoga. Thank you. Write:
    Shadowlandhawk@yahoo.com

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