


Essex-class Aircraft Carrier
Country | United States |
Ships in Class | 24 |
Builders | Newport News Shipbuilding: 10 Bethlehem Fore River Shipyard: 5 New York Navy Yard: 4 Norfolk Navy Yard: 3 Philadelphia Navy Yard: 2 |
Displacement | 27,100 tons standard; 36,380 tons full |
Length | 872 feet (initial short-hull variant; 10 built); 888 feet (later long-hull variant; 14 built) |
Beam | 147 feet (waterline: 93 feet) |
Draft | 29 feet |
Machinery | Eight boilers, four Westinghouse geared steam turbines, four shafts |
Bunkerage | 6,330t fuel oil; 240,000gal aviation fuel |
Power Output | 150,000 shaft horsepower |
Speed | 33 knots |
Range | 20,000nm at 15 knots |
Crew | 3,448 |
Armament | (as planned) 4x twin 5in/38 cal guns, 4x5in 38 cal guns, 10x quad 40mm 56 cal guns, 60x20mm 78 cal guns |
Armor | 2.5 to 4in belt, 1.5in hangar and protective decks, 4in bulkheads, 1.5in STS top and sides of pilot house |
Aircraft | 90-100 |
Elevators | 3 (2 center-line, 1 deck-edge) |
Contributor: David Stubblebine
This article refers to the entire Essex-class; it is not about an individual vessel.
ww2dbaseFrom the conversion of the collier Jupiter into the carrier Langley in 1920 to the laying down of the last Yorktown-class carrier USS Hornet in 1939, the evolution of the United States Navy's eight aircraft carriers had come a long way from nothing fairly rapidly. However, Wasp and Hornet had not yet even been completed when lessons learned aboard the earlier six carriers convinced Navy planners that another design improvement was warranted.
ww2dbaseDesign work on a new carrier design began in earnest in 1939 with Commander Leslie Kniskern as the primary design officer at Bureau of Ships. Commander Kniskern coordinated input from a variety of specialists including naval architects, experts on aircraft catapults and arresting gear, aviation service units, and of course aviators. A good deal of input came from the Carrier Desk Officer at the Bureau of Aeronautics, Commander James Russell. Russell was the first naval aviator to land on all of the Navy's pre-war aircraft carriers and had just finished two years aboard USS Yorktown (Yorktown-class), including close involvement in the carrier's initial fitting out. His practical carrier experience both as an aviator and as a ship's officer proved invaluable to Kniskern's team.
ww2dbaseAll previous carriers had been constructed within the guidelines of the international naval treaties of their day. With the lapse of the Washington Treaty in 1936, it became possible to increase carrier tonnage to the new levels set by Congress in 1938. At the Bureau of Ships, the top design priority for these new carriers was a requirement for them to fit through the locks at the Panama Canal and so this, then, became the deciding factor for the upper limits of the new carriers' size.
ww2dbaseThe second of the priorities came from something known as the "Sunday Punch." Since the sole purpose of an aircraft carrier is to launch aircraft as a projection of force, the design specification was created for the new ships to have a compliment of 90 aircraft with all 90 able to be spotted on the flight deck at the same time for a fully armed deck-load launch in a single strike – the Sunday Punch. With naval aircraft getting larger, this would require more square footage than earlier classes and with naval aircraft getting heavier, this would require more free deck forward for the take-off roll. Catapults were part of the design but were viewed as optional given the carrier aircraft of the day and the helpful effects of ocean winds blowing across the deck. Even so, the requirement to spot 90 planes on the deck ready for launch was a challenge for the designers. Using a scaled-up version of the Hornet as a starting point, they found some of this extra space by eliminating the starboard gun gallery and extending the flight deck over those spaces. The 5-inch guns were repositioned into four twin-turrets on the flight deck, two before and two abaft the island, which was also reduced in size to create more flight deck space. The Wasp (Wasp-class) had put to sea by this time and her experiment with an aircraft elevator at the edge of the flight deck instead of along the deck's centerline had already met with resounding approval. Since the new ship also needed to fit through the Panama Canal, the specification was created for a deck edge elevator that could fold up for passage through the canal. All of these features, along with a few other tricks, added to the useable flight deck space.
ww2dbaseThere was also serious consideration given to the question of whether or not to armor the flight deck. Naval architecture requires placing as much of the ships' weight as possible in the lower parts of the ship; the closer to the waterline the better and below the waterline better still. A large armored flight deck with all the structural supports needed to hold it up would put significant weight high in the ship, with the added problem of reducing the useable hangar deck spaces due to the larger size and number of structural members. Along with other considerations, the decision was made early on to not armor the flight deck but to armor the hangar deck and also the fourth deck instead. From an architectural perspective, the hangar deck became the ship's main deck. Reducing the weight of the flight deck also allowed that deck to be raised a bit higher, opening the vertical space in the hangar deck even more. A sort-of half-deck, the Gallery or Mezzanine Deck, was to be suspended from beneath the flight deck for aviation squadron ready-rooms and the Combat Information Center. The flight deck surface was to be made of wood; teak beams laid athwartships (crossways) in steel channels with every twelfth cross-channel having steel tie-down slots for the lashing down of aircraft. If damaged, these wooden planks could be easily and quickly replaced using few tools and thus restore the deck for flight operations. This ability to quickly repair a damaged flight deck at sea to get the ship back in the fight was another reason the flight deck was not armored, since damage to an armored deck would almost certainly require repairs at a shipyard. In 1940 at the Navy Yard in Washington DC, no one was considering the prospect of kamikaze-type attacks.
ww2dbaseDuring the conversation about how to maximize the space on the flight deck, Commander Russell, the aviator, pushed hard for the flight deck to be rectangular all the way to the bow. His reasons were only partly about having more space for spotting aircraft but was more about giving pilots the full width of the deck for take-off, where the most vulnerable moment would be at the very end of the take-off roll. The naval architects resisted this idea based of the structural support that would be needed at the forward corners where the ship's hull would be the narrowest. Once the decision was made to not armor the flight deck and lighten the deck with wood, Commander Russell brought this idea up again. The architects said a deck with wide corners supported only in the middle would fail structurally in heavy seas and buckle. The aeronautic people at the table convinced the designers that an occasional buckled deck was worth the trade-off of having a safer take-off platform and more space to spot planes. The rectangular flight deck was approved [Note: In June 1945, at a time when 16 Essex-class carriers were in commission, the fleet steamed through a typhoon southeast of Japan and of the six carriers in that storm, two suffered buckled flight decks precisely as the architects had predicted; this was the third typhoon Essex-class carriers sailed through and these were the only instances of buckled flight decks].
ww2dbaseIn many areas of the design, specifications called for the use of Special Treatment Steel (STS), a nickel-chromium steel alloy that had the same protective qualities as Class B armor but was less prone to splintering and was fully structural rather than just deadweight. STS was used extensively as a structural material wherever armor protection was desirable, including the hangar deck, the fourth deck, the pilot house, the bulkheads surrounding the boiler and engine rooms, around the steering works, and many other areas of the ship.
ww2dbaseSeveral design innovations were used in the ship's powerplant as well. Steam turbines were chosen over the turbo-electric designs of Langley and the Lexington-class. There would be four boiler rooms and two engine rooms arranged along the center-line of the ship. Each boiler room had two Babcock and Wilcox boilers operating at 850°F (450°C). The engines were Westinghouse steam turbines with each consisting of paired low-pressure and high-pressure turbines connected to double-reduction gears. The low-pressure turbines were used for better efficiency at lower cruising power but were bypassed with the steam fed directly to the high-pressure turbine for higher power. Altogether, the engines were capable of producing 150,000 horsepower to four propeller shafts with maximum headway over 30 knots.
ww2dbaseThe spaces below the waterline received special attention from the planners and their internal design was integrated with the specifications for the hull's outer armor plate. The underwater armor extended 17 feet below the waterline and was designed to withstand up to 500 pounds (230 kg) of TNT. This was not enough to withstand the large Japanese torpedoes but could localize the damage. The interior spaces consisted of two outer fuel oil tanks and two inner void spaces with the frames staggered to avoid transmitting the shock of an explosion too deeply into the ship. The hull was also given a triple bottom against magnetic mines.
ww2dbaseFuel capacity and fuel handling was another area that required special and innovative planning, both for the ship's fuel and for the aviation fuel. The carrier's range specifications required a fuel oil capacity of 6,330 tons (1.5 million gallons) and aviation fuel capacity of 240,000 gallons.
ww2dbaseSeveral features were designed into the ship with respect to safely handling the volatile aviation gasoline. First, the fuel was divided between three tanks with one center tank, one saddle-shaped tank over the center tank as well as along both sides, and another saddle-shaped tank over and alongside both of the other two. In this way, as fuel was used up from the outside tanks toward the middle, the tanks were filled with seawater to create additional protection buffers between the hull and the remaining fuel. Second, the fuel itself was not pumped to the fight deck or hangar deck; instead seawater was pumped into the fuel tanks and as the water level rose at the bottom of the tanks, the fuel floating on top was forced up the risers and delivered where it was needed. This created two main advantages: the fuel tanks were never partially full with dangerous gasoline vapors building up inside them, and after each fueling operation the system would dump a particular amount of seawater out of the tanks to lower the fuel levels and drain the risers. This feature was also used to quickly empty the fuel supply system on the hangar deck and flight deck in the event of fires on those decks.
ww2dbaseThe build-up of gasoline vapors inside the hangar deck was identified as a problem in earlier carrier designs so the new carriers were to have well ventilated hangar deck spaces. This was accomplished through a by-product of not armoring the flight deck; the lack of heavy structural flight deck supports allowed for large openings along the edges of the full length of the hangar deck that could be individually closed off as needed. This feature proved very beneficial later on when the carriers came under attack and burning aircraft and loose ordinance could be easily and quickly pushed over the side through these openings.
ww2dbaseMany of the aviation facilities of the new design were direct carry-overs from the preceding Yorktown-class. The new design called for two aircraft catapults on the flight deck with one hangar deck catapult, as before, but in actual production the catapult arrangements varied from ship to ship. There were three aircraft elevators as before, but one was moved to the deck edge. Also, the elevators were positioned to partition the hangar deck into quarters that could then be used by aircraft handlers and mechanics for different specialized purposes. The number of arrestor cables crossing the deck for aircraft landings was increased to sixteen. Something new were a set of arrestor cables across the bow as well with a performance specification for the class to be able to conduct flight operations while steaming in reverse [Note: The first several Essex-class carriers had to demonstrate this ability during their sea trials and in June 1945 when a typhoon buckled the leading edge of Hornet's flight deck, she launched aircraft over the stern in the only operational use of this capability].
ww2dbaseOnce the design plans were accepted by the Secretary of the Navy in Feb 1940, individual construction contracts were drawn up and awarded to shipyards. The contracts were numbered sequentially with numbers that would become the ships' hull numbers but the contracts were assigned to shipyards in blocks so the ships were not built in that same order. The first block of contracts was split between the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia and the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts; seven to Newport News and four to Quincy. Later, smaller blocks were awarded to the New York Navy Yard, the Norfolk Navy Yard, and the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Still later, three more contracts were awarded to Newport News and one more to Quincy, for a total of 24 ships of the class. Actual construction began with the laying of the Essex keel on 28 Apr 1941 and by the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack six months later, five Essex-class carriers were under construction. The original block of seven contracts awarded to Newport News became Essex, Yorktown, Intrepid, Hornet, Franklin, Ticonderoga, and Randolph; the four at Quincy became Lexington, Bunker Hill, Wasp, and Hancock.
ww2dbaseThough not designed with mass production in mind, several of the design elements, like the large number of flat steel surfaces, greatly assisted shipbuilders and nearly every one of the carriers beat their projected construction schedules by about half. Design modifications were still being made even as construction was underway and also after ships went into service. Often the changes were on an individual ship-by-ship basis and in the end, no two ships of the class were truly identical. Some changes were small and some were more significant. Many of the differences between ships centered on the radar configurations, since that technology was changing very rapidly. Starting with Bennington laid down 15 Dec 1942, certain reconfigurations were introduced into the design. The hangar deck aircraft catapult was eliminated as unnecessary (although the first two carriers, Essex and Lexington, never had one). Gun directors were added or relocated and the Central Intelligence Center was moved to an armored location. Lessons learned in battle led to a need for more anti-aircraft gun mounts and so starting with the ships laid down in 1943, twin 40mm mounts were added on the bow just below the level of the flight deck and another on the stern. To make room for them, the bow and stern were extended slightly, adding 16 feet to the overall length of the ship. In later years, this extra 16 feet gave rise to distinguishing some ships as Long-Hull Essex-class and the others as Short-Hull Essex-class. Some sources went so far as to call the Short-Hulls Essex-class and the Long-Hulls Ticonderoga-class. All of these were post-war distinctions made mainly by model makers and addressed differences the Navy ignored; to the Navy they were all simply Essex-class.
ww2dbaseA total of seventeen Essex-class carriers were commissioned during World War II with fourteen sailing into the combat zones, all in the Pacific and amassing 88 battle stars. Seven more ships of the class went into service after the war until the class was superseded by the larger Midway-class. Some Essex-class carriers suffered tremendous battle damage during World War II but none were sunk by enemy action. Even as Oriskany, the last of the class to be commissioned, was being intentionally sunk as an artificial reef off the Florida coast in 2006, the quality of the design made the ship very reluctant to slip beneath the surface.
ww2dbaseBunker Hill and Franklin were so badly damaged in 1945 that soon after the war, they were taken out of service and scrapped. Of the remaining ships that served into the 1950s, all but one (Boxer) were modified with an enclosed reinforced bow and an angled flight deck that was essential for landing post-war jet aircraft. Nearly every ship of the class that served into the 1950s and 1960s saw further combat service during the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts.
ww2dbaseThe second Essex-class ship to be commissioned, USS Lexington, was the last to be taken out of service in 1991, over 48 years after she first sailed (although not all continuous service). Presently, four ships of the class survive as museum ships, Lexington (Texas), Intrepid (New York), Yorktown (South Carolina), and Hornet (California).
ww2dbaseEssex-class carriers (in order of commissioning with World War II Battle Stars):
Lexington (11)
Yorktown (11)
Bunker Hill (11)
Intrepid (5)
Wasp (8)
Hornet (7)
Franklin (4)
Hancock (4)
Ticonderoga (5)
Bennington (3)
Shangri-La (2)
Randolph (3)
Bon Homme Richard (1)
Antietam
Boxer
Lake Champlain
Princeton*
Tarawa*
Kearsarge*
Leyte*
Philippine Sea*
Valley Forge*
Oriskany*
*Commissioned after the end of World War II
ww2dbaseSources:
United States Navy
Carrier Warfare in the Pacific; Smithsonian History of Aviation Series; E. T. Wooldridge, editor
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
Aircraft Carriers: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Important Warships; Michael E. Haskew
The Pacific War: The U.S. Navy, by Tim Lanzendörfer
Essex Class Aircraft Carrier Reference Guide
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Navy Live - Evolution of the Aircraft Carrier
Aircraft Carriers: Building the Essex (Blog)
HistoryLink.org – Admiral James Sargent Russell (1903-1996)
Researcher @ Large
United States National Archives
NavSource Naval History
USS Hornet Museum Ship
Wikipedia
Last Major Revision: Jul 2020
Essex-class Aircraft Carrier Interactive Map
Photographs
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Videos
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Essex-class Aircraft Carrier Operational Timeline
1 Jul 1939 | (appx date) Planning of the new Essex-class carrier began at the United States Navy's Bureau of Ships at the Washington Navy Yard. |
28 Apr 1941 | The USS Essex keel was laid at Newport News, Virginia, United States, the first of the Essex-class aircraft carriers. |
15 Jul 1941 | The keel of carrier Cabot was laid down at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. |
1 Dec 1941 | The fourth Yorktown (CV-10) was laid down on at Newport News, Virginia, United States by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. as Bon Homme Richard. |
18 Mar 1942 | The keel of Oriskany was laid down at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. |
7 Aug 1942 | The order for the construction of carrier Shangri-La was issued. |
26 Sep 1942 | Bon Homme Richard was renamed Yorktown at Newport News, Virginia, United States to honor the US carrier lost at Midway. |
13 Nov 1942 | Carrier Oriskany was renamed Wasp while still under construction at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. |
15 Dec 1942 | USS Bennington was laid down, New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
31 Dec 1942 | Essex was commissioned into service. |
15 Jan 1943 | The keel of carrier Shangri-La was laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. |
21 Jan 1943 | Yorktown (Essex-class) launched at Newport News, Virginia, United States sponsored by Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt. |
1 Feb 1943 | The keel of CV-14, originally destined to be USS Hancock, was laid down at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
17 Feb 1943 | Lexington (Essex-class) was commissioned into service. |
15 Apr 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, Capt. Joseph J. "Jocko" Clark in command. |
1 May 1943 | CV-14 was renamed USS Ticonderoga. |
10 May 1943 | The keel of carrier Randolph was laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia, United States. |
21 May 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) got underway for shakedown training in the vicinity of Trinidad. |
24 May 1943 | Bunker Hill was commissioned into service. |
17 Jun 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) returned to Norfolk, Virginia, United States and began post-shakedown availability. |
29 Jun 1943 | Carrier Randolph was launched at Newport News, Virginia, United States, sponsored by Rose Gillette, wife of Iowa Senator Guy M. Gillette. |
1 Jul 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) completed repairs on and began air operations out of Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
6 Jul 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) exited Chesapeake Bay, United States on her way to the Pacific Ocean. |
11 Jul 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) transited the Panama Canal. |
12 Jul 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. |
24 Jul 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on and began a month of exercises in the Hawaiian Islands. |
16 Aug 1943 | Intrepid was commissioned into service. |
17 Aug 1943 | Wasp was launched at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, sponsored by Miss Julia M. Walsh, the sister of US Senator David I. Walsh. |
22 Aug 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) stood out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii bound for her first combat of the war. |
31 Aug 1943 | The first combat mission of the US Navy's latest fighter aircraft occurred when F6F-3 Hellcat fighters of VF-5 operating from the carrier USS Yorktown (Essex-class) assisted in an attack on Japanese installations on Marcus Island. This was a mere eighteen months after the prototype's first flight. Altogether some 2,545 examples of the F6F-3 aircraft were delivered during 1943. |
31 Aug 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF 15 arrived at the launching point about 128 miles from Marcus Island in the early morning, spent most of that day launching fighter and bomber strikes on Marcus Island before beginning the retirement to Hawaii that evening. |
7 Sep 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on and remained there for two days. |
9 Sep 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) stood out of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii bound for the west coast of the United States. |
13 Sep 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived San Francisco, California, United States loaded aircraft and supplies. |
15 Sep 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed San Francisco, California, United States for Hawaii. |
19 Sep 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. |
29 Sep 1943 | A fast carrier strike force built around carriers USS Essex, USS Yorktown, USS Lexington, USS Cowpens, USS Independence, and USS Belleau Wood, escorted by USS Nashville and other warships, departed US Territory of Hawaii for combat operations. |
5 Oct 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began two days of air strikes on Japanese installations on Wake Island. |
5 Oct 1943 | Task Force 19 consisting of Essex-class carriers Essex, Lexington, and Yorktown with light carriers Cowpens, Independence, and Belleau Wood escorted by cruisers New Orleans, San Francisco, Birmingham, Nashville, Santa Fe, and Mobile and destroyers Hull, Hazelwood, Bancroft, Caldwell, Coghlan, Braine, Halford, Kidd, Bullard, Chauncey, John Rodgers, Harrison, Murray, Ringgold, Sigsbee, Schroeder, Dashiell, Conner, Burns, Boyd, and Bradford began two days of strikes against Wake Island. So intense was the bombardment that island commander Rear Admiral Sakaibara Shigemitsu was convinced it was a prelude to an invasion and he ordered the execution of all 98 remaining POWs that had been there since 23 Dec 1941, many of whom had been civilian contractors at the time of their capture. |
6 Oct 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) resumed air raids against Wake Island early in the morning and continued them through most of the day. That evening, the task group began its retirement to Hawaii. |
11 Oct 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Oahu, Hawaii and for the next month conducted air training operations out of Pearl Harbor. |
2 Nov 1943 | Battleships USS Washington, USS Massachusetts, and USS South Dakota escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Fletcher, USS LaVallette, USS Jenkins, and USS Taylor rendezvoused and joined with carriers USS Essex, USS Bunker Hill, and USS Independence with battleships USS Alabama, USS Indiana, USS Tennessee, USS Maryland, and USS Colorado and cruisers USS Portland, USS Mobile, USS Santa Fe, and USS Birmingham with destroyers USS Taylor and USS Radford. Together, this task group steamed toward Nandi Bay, Fiji. |
5 Nov 1943 | USS Essex arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
5 Nov 1943 | USS Bunker Hill arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
7 Nov 1943 | Carriers USS Essex, USS Bunker Hill, and USS Independence with battleships USS Washington, USS Massachusetts, USS South Dakota, USS Alabama, USS Indiana, USS Tennessee, USS Maryland, and USS Colorado with cruisers USS Portland, USS Mobile, USS Santa Fe, and USS Birmingham escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Fletcher, USS LaVallette, USS Jenkins, USS Taylor, and USS Radford arrived at Nandi Bay, Fiji. |
10 Nov 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in company with the Fast Carrier Forces to participate in her first major assault operation, the occupation of certain of the Gilbert Islands. |
19 Nov 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at the launch point near Jaluit and Mili in the Marshall Islands early that morning and launched the first of a series of raids to suppress enemy air-power during the amphibious assaults on Tarawa, Abemama, and Makin in the Gilbert Islands. |
19 Nov 1943 | USS Nicholas screened carriers USS Yorktown, USS Lexington (both Essex-class), and USS Cowpens as they launched air strikes against Japanese positions on Makin, Mili, and Jaluit Atolls over 6 consecutive days. |
20 Nov 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) sent raids back to the airfield at Jaluit, Marshall Islands and some of her planes also supported the troops on Makin, Gilbert Islands. |
22 Nov 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) concentrated on installations and planes at Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands. |
24 Nov 1943 | USS Wasp was commissioned into service with Captain Clifton A. F. Sprague in command. |
29 Nov 1943 | USS Hornet was commissioned into service at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia with Miles Browning in command. |
4 Dec 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) made passing raids on the installations at Wotje and Kwajalein Atolls in the Marshall Islands before returning to Pearl Harbor. |
4 Dec 1943 | USS Portland and USS New Orleans (New Orleans-class), among other ships, screened carrier Lexington (Essex-class) in strikes against Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Lexington received a torpedo hit that crippled her steering. New Orleans escorted Lexington to Pearl Harbor. |
9 Dec 1943 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Taylor, USS LaVallette, USS Bullard, and USS Kidd entered Pearl Harbor where Yorktown began a month of air training operations in the Hawaiian Islands. |
22 Dec 1943 | USS Lexington (Essex-class) arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for repairs of torpedo damage. |
10 Jan 1944 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Hampton Roads off Virginia, United States. |
16 Jan 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) exited Pearl Harbor to support Operation Flintlock, the Marshall Islands operation. |
29 Jan 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and Task Group 58.1 arrived at its launching point early in the morning and its carriers (Yorktown, Lexington, and Cowpens) began air strikes on Taroa airfield on Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands. Throughout the day, aircraft hit Maloelap in preparation for the assaults on Majuro and Kwajalein scheduled for the 31 Jan 1944. |
30 Jan 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) struck targets on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands to begin softening up the island for the landings set for the next day. |
31 Jan 1944 | Fleet aircraft carrier USS Franklin was commissioned into service with Captain James M. Shoemaker in command. |
31 Jan 1944 | USS Wasp departed Hampton Roads off Virginia, United States for Trinidad. |
31 Jan 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) aviators continued their strikes on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands in support of the troops landing on that atoll. The Yorktown air group conducted similar strikes the first three days in February. |
4 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and her task group retired to the Fleet anchorage at recently secured Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. |
7 Feb 1944 | USS Ticonderoga was launched at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
12 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) sortied from Majuro, Marshall Islands to conduct air strikes on the main Japanese anchorage at Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands. |
16 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched highly successful raids occurred on Truk (Chuuk), Caroline Islands. |
17 Feb 1944 | G4M aircraft of Japanese Navy Air Group 744 damaged USS Intrepid with a torpedo hit. |
17 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched highly successful raids occurred on Truk (Chuuk), Caroline Islands. |
18 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the Caroline Islands set a course for the Mariana Islands. |
20 Feb 1944 | USS Lexington (Essex-class) departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after repairs. |
22 Feb 1944 | USS Wasp departed Trinidad. |
22 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on enemy airfields and installations on Saipan, Mariana Islands. That same day, she cleared the area on her way back to Majuro, Marshall Islands. |
24 Feb 1944 | Carrier Shangri-La was launched at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, sponsored by sponsored by Josephine Doolittle, wife of famed aviator James Doolittle. |
26 Feb 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Majuro lagoon, Marshall Islands for rest and replenishing. |
26 Feb 1944 | USS Bennington was launched, New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
27 Feb 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
8 Mar 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) stood out of Majuro, Marshall Islands for Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. |
13 Mar 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) reached Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides and remained there for 10 days before getting underway for another series of raids on the Japanese middle defense line. |
20 Mar 1944 | USS Franklin set sail for Gulf of Paria, Trinidad for her shakedown cruise. |
21 Mar 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
30 Mar 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched air strikes on enemy installations located in the Palau Islands, Caroline Islands. |
31 Mar 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched air strikes on enemy installations located in the Palau Islands, Caroline Islands. |
1 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) aviators struck the island of Woleai in the Caroline Islands. |
4 Apr 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
6 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Majuro, Marshall Islands for a week of replenishment and recreation. |
13 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Majuro, Marshall Islands for the northern coast of New Guinea. |
15 Apr 1944 | Fleet aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CV-19) was commissioned with Captain Fred C. Dickey in command. |
15 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched a raid on Chichi Jima and Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. |
16 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) holds Crossing the Line ceremonies as the ship cross the equator |
21 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids against installations in the Wakde-Sarmi area of northern New Guinea in support of General Douglas MacArthur's assault on Hollandia (Jayapura), Dutch East Indies. |
22 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids the landing areas at Hollandia (Jayapura), Dutch East Indies area of northern New Guinea in support of General Douglas MacArthur's assault on Hollandia. Cruiser USS New Orleans (New Orleans-class) was struck in the mast by a TBF Avenger just after launch from Yorktown. All 3 airmen were killed with one New Orleans sailor killed and another injured. |
23 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids the landing areas at Hollandia (Jayapura), Dutch East Indies area of northern New Guinea in support of General Douglas MacArthur's assault on Hollandia. |
29 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched a raid on Japanese forces in the Truk lagoon (Chuuk), Caroline Islands. |
30 Apr 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched a raid on Japanese forces in the Truk lagoon (Chuuk), Caroline Islands. |
4 May 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) returned to Majuro, Marshall Islands. |
5 May 1944 | USS Franklin departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
6 May 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) underway from Majuro, Marshall Islands bound for Oahu, Hawaii. |
8 May 1944 | USS Ticonderoga was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States with Dixie Kiefer in command. |
11 May 1944 | USS Franklin transited through the Panama Canal. |
11 May 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for the next 18 days conducted training operations in the Hawaiian Islands. |
14 May 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Marcus and Wake Islands. |
19 May 1944 | USS Franklin arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
19 May 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in support of the upcoming Mariana Islands invasion. |
20 May 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in support of the upcoming Mariana Islands invasion. |
21 May 1944 | USS Wasp set sail for Wake Island. |
24 May 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Wake Island. |
29 May 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for the Central Pacific. |
29 May 1944 | William Sample became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Miles Browning. |
1 Jun 1944 | USS Franklin departed San Diego, California, United States. |
3 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Majuro lagoon, Marshall Islands and began preparations for her next major amphibious support operation, the assault on the Mariana Islands. |
6 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp was assigned to US Navy Task Group 58.2. |
6 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) stood out of Majuro, Marshall Islands with Task Force 58 bound for the Mariana Islands. |
6 Jun 1944 | USS Franklin arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
11 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands. |
11 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) reached the launch point and began sending planes to soften up of targets in preparation for the invasion of Saipan, Mariana Islands. Yorktown aircrews concentrated primarily upon airfields located on Guam, Mariana Islands. Those raids continued until the 13th. |
12 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands. |
13 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands. |
16 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched a raid on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands before heading back to the Mariana Islands and joining in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. |
18 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) rejoined Task Force 58 in the Mariana Islands and waited for the approaching Japanese Fleet. |
19 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began strikes on Japanese air bases on Guam, Mariana Islands in order to deny them to their approaching carrier-based aircraft and to keep the land-based planes on the ground. During this, the first day of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Yorktown aircraft claimed 37 enemy planes destroyed and dropped 21 tons of bombs on the Guam air bases. |
20 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) steamed west while search planes groped for the fleeing enemy task force. Contact was made with the enemy late in the day and Yorktown?s planes attack the Japanese carrier Zuikaku. |
21 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp was attached to Willis Lee's battleship group, which was sent in pursuit of the retreating Japanese ships after the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The group would fail to find any targets. |
21 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and Task Force 58 chased the enemy but made no contact with the Japanese fleet. |
23 Jun 1944 | USS Franklin departed Pearl Harbor. |
23 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp set sail for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
23 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) conducts air strikes against Pagan Island in the Mariana Islands. |
24 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. |
25 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the area around Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands and laid a course for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
26 Jun 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for Trinidad. |
27 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
30 Jun 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Port of Spain, Trinidad. |
30 Jun 1944 | USS Wasp departed Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
30 Jun 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) left Eniwetok, Marshall Islands and headed back to the Mariana Islands and the Bonin Islands. |
3 Jul 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Bonin Islands. |
3 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima of the Bonin Islands. |
4 Jul 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Bonin Islands. |
4 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima of the Bonin Islands. |
4 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) continued combat operations with attacks on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands. |
5 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Guam and Rota of the Mariana Islands. |
6 Jul 1944 | USS Franklin arrived in the Mariana Islands area; she was to remain through 22 Jul 1944 to launch strikes against Japanese position on Rota and Guam islands. |
6 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched strikes in the Mariana Islands and continued them for the next 17 days. |
8 Jul 1944 | Air Group 80 and ship's crew in support of the air group aboard USS Ticonderoga were given a day's rest while off Trinidad. |
9 Jul 1944 | Torpedo Squadron 80 aboard USS Ticonderoga resumed flight training off Trinidad. |
10 Jul 1944 | The crew of USS Ticonderoga had a day of rest off the ship in Scotland Bay, Trinidad. |
13 Jul 1944 | USS Hornet spent the day conducting refueling operations. |
16 Jul 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Port of Spain, Trinidad for Norfolk, Virginia, United States. She was escorted by destroyers USS Broome, USS Simpson, and USS Winslow. |
21 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft provided aerial cover for the invasion of Guam, Mariana Islands. |
21 Jul 1944 | Air Group 80 flew off of USS Ticonderoga and landed in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
22 Jul 1944 | USS Ticonderoga began her first overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. Her flight deck was to be reconfigured to add 11 feet forward and 7 feet aft, and her anti-aircraft directors were to be repositioned. |
22 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp set sail for the Caroline Islands. |
22 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) anchors at Garapan Roads, Saipan, Mariana Islands to load bombs and ammunition. |
23 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) left the Mariana Islands area and headed off to the west. |
25 Jul 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Palau Islands, Yap Island, and Ulithi Atoll through 27 Jul 1944. |
25 Jul 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the Palau Islands. |
25 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Yap, Ulithi, and the Palaus in the Caroline Islands. |
29 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived back in the Mariana Islands area. |
31 Jul 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) left the area of the Mariana Islands headed United States. |
2 Aug 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
6 Aug 1944 | USS Bennington was commissioned, New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
9 Aug 1944 | Austin Doyle became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving William Sample. |
17 Aug 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, United States and began a two-month overhaul. |
27 Aug 1944 | USS Ticonderoga completed her first overhaul at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
28 Aug 1944 | USS Wasp departed Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
30 Aug 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States at 1407 hours for the Panama Canal. |
31 Aug 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima through 2 Sep 1944. |
1 Sep 1944 | USS Essex crossed the Equator in the Pacific Ocean on a southward course. |
4 Sep 1944 | USS Ticonderoga transited through the Panama Canal. |
6 Sep 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Yap Island and Ulithi Atoll through 8 Sep 1944. |
6 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the Palau Islands. |
7 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the Palau Islands. |
8 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the Palau Islands. |
9 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Mindanao, Philippine Islands. |
10 Sep 1944 | USS Franklin provided support for campaign in the Palau Islands through 16 Sep 1944. |
10 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Mindanao, Philippine Islands. |
12 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in central Philippine Islands. |
13 Sep 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
13 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in central Philippine Islands. |
15 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp supported the Palau Islands invasion from the position 80 kilometers off Morotai, Maluku Islands. |
15 Sep 1944 | USS Shangri-La was commissioned into service with Captain James D. Barner in command. She departed on her shakedown cruise to Trinidad later on the same date. |
18 Sep 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed San Diego, California, United States for Pearl Harbor. |
20 Sep 1944 | USS Franklin crossed the Equator. |
24 Sep 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
29 Sep 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands. |
4 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp departed Manus, Admiralty Islands. |
6 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) completed repairs at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, United States. |
7 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp made rendezvous with Task Force 38 in the Philippine Sea in the evening. |
8 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp refueled from an oiler in the Philippine Sea. |
9 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, United States. |
9 Oct 1944 | USS Randolph was commissioned into service with Captain Felix Locke Baker in command. |
10 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Okinawa. |
10 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked positions on Okinawa, Anami, and Miyaki of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. |
11 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes Aparri, Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
11 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Alameda Naval Air Station, California, United States to load planes. |
12 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Tainan, Taiwan. |
12 Oct 1944 | Aircraft from USS Wasp attacked the Okayama Airfield north of Takao (now Kaohsiung), Taiwan. Nearby targets of opportunity such as the seaplane base at Toko Bay (now Dapeng Bay), the naval port at Toshien (now Zuoying), and the Japanese Army airfield at present-day Kaohsiung International Airport were also attacked. |
12 Oct 1944 | Aircraft from USS Hancock attacked the Karenko Airfield in Karenko (now Hualien) in eastern Taiwan; nearly Japan Aluminum Company and Toho Metallury Company industrial facilities were also damaged. |
12 Oct 1944 | VT-18 squadron aircraft from USS Intrepid attacked Shinchiku Airfield in Shinchiku (now Hsinchu) in northern Taiwan. |
12 Oct 1944 | VT-18 squadron aircraft from USS Intrepid attacked the Rising Sun Petroleum Company facilities in Tamsui and the military seaplane base immediately next to Rising Sun facilities in northern Taiwan. |
12 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Bunker Hill attacked Matsuyama Airfield in Taihoku (now Taipei), Taiwan. |
12 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Lexington attacked Shoka Airfield in Shoka (now Changhua), Taiwan. |
12 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Bunker Hill attacked Shinchiku Airfield in Shinchiku (now Hsinchu), Taiwan. |
13 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Tainan, Taiwan. A Japanese special attack aircraft caused light damage to the flight deck. |
13 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Lexington attacked the rail marshaling yard at Shinei District (now Xinying District), Tainan, Taiwan. |
13 Oct 1944 | USS Hornet launched a reconnaissance mission over the Japanese Navy seaplane base at Toko Bay (now Dapeng Bay), southern Taiwan. |
13 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departs Alameda, California, United States for the western Pacific. |
14 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes against Aparri, Manila, and Legaspi in the Philippine Islands through 19 Oct 1944. |
14 Oct 1944 | Carrier aircraft from USS Intrepid attacked Shinchiku (now Hsinchu), Taiwan. At Shinchiku Airfield, one Ki-44 aircraft on the ground, five twin-engine aircraft on the ground, and 1 hangar building were destroyed. At the natural gas experimentation station about four miles east of the airfield, three hits were scored, with one hitting the lab building, another destroying the warehouse, and the last damaging the methane plant; 34 workers were killed at the station. |
15 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin was attacked by Japanese aircraft off of Luzon, Philippine Islands; 1 bomb hit and 2 near misses caused damage. |
18 Oct 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
18 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
18 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. |
19 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched an attack on the Japanese on Manila Bay, Philippine Islands sinking several ships and downing 11 aircraft. |
19 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Luzon, Philippine Islands; Manila was attacked by US aircraft for the first time. |
20 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin provided support for campaign for the invasion of Leyte, Philippine Islands. |
20 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft supported the US landings on Leyte, Philippine Islands. |
21 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp refueled off Philippine Islands. |
22 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes in the Manila Bay area at Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
22 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp set sail for Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
23 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin launched strikes in the Manila Bay area at Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
24 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
25 Oct 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
26 Oct 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Eniwetok, Marshall islands for Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
27 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin provided support for campaign at Leyte, Philippine Islands through 30 Oct 1944. |
28 Oct 1944 | USS Wasp departed waters off Philippine Islands for Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
29 Oct 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands and joined Task Force 38 of Task Group 38.3. |
30 Oct 1944 | USS Franklin was struck by a special attack aircraft, causing serious damage. |
31 Oct 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. |
1 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Eniwetok, Marshall Islands for Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
2 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
2 Nov 1944 | USS Franklin arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands for temporary repairs. |
3 Nov 1944 | William Halsey personally inspected USS Franklin at Ulithi, Caroline Islands; she was the first major American ship to be damaged by "kamikaze" special attacks. |
3 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands and joined TG 38.4. |
5 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Manila and surrounding targets on Luzon, Philippine Islands; 10 men and 5 aircraft were lost. |
5 Nov 1944 | The Aircraft Carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) was damaged by a kamikaze special attack. |
5 Nov 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
6 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Manila and surrounding targets on Luzon, Philippine Islands, destroying 35 Japanese aircraft. |
6 Nov 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
6 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) left Ulithi, Caroline Islands for the Philippines. |
7 Nov 1944 | Captain L. E. Gehres relieved Captain J. M. Shoemaker as the commanding officer of USS Franklin. |
9 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga set sail for Guam, Mariana Islands. |
10 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga reversed course and traveled for the Philippine Islands at flank speed; she had been located about 800 miles east of the Philippine Islands. |
11 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Ormoc Bay, Leyte, Philippine Islands; 3 men and 1 aircraft were lost. |
11 Nov 1944 | USS Franklin departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
11 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched air strikes on targets in the Philippines in support of the Leyte invasion for the next two weeks. |
13 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Manila and surrounding targets on Luzon, Philippine Islands; 2 men and 4 aircraft were lost. |
14 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Manila and surrounding targets on Luzon, Philippine Islands; 1 aircraft was lost. |
17 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands together with other ships of Task Group 38.3. |
21 Nov 1944 | USS Franklin arrived at Pearl Harbor. |
22 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
23 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) detached from the task force around the Philippines |
24 Nov 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
25 Nov 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands; 2 men and 2 aircraft were lost. |
25 Nov 1944 | The already badly damaged cruiser Kumano was again attacked by United States carrier aircraft in Santa Cruz Harbor, Luzon, Philippines. A well-coordinated bombing and torpedo attack by planes from USS Ticonderoga sent four 1,000lb bombs through Kumano’s deck and six well-spaced torpedoes into her port side. Within six minutes of the attack, the cruiser rolled over and sank. |
26 Nov 1944 | USS Wasp set sail for Ulithi, Caroline Islands as US Army Air Forces took over the responsibility of providing air cover for troops operating on Leyte, Philippine Islands. |
27 Nov 1944 | USS Franklin arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, United States for repairs. |
2 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
6 Dec 1944 | USS Bunker Hill arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an extensive overhaul. |
10 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departs Ulithi, Caroline Islands with Task Group 38.3. |
10 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
10 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands to rejoin the fleet east of the Philippines. |
13 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
14 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for 7 strikes against Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
14 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
14 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) rendezvoused with the other carriers and began launching air strikes on Luzon, Philippines. |
15 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for 6 strikes against Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
15 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
16 Dec 1944 | Air Group 80 aircraft from USS Ticonderoga flew 6 strikes against Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands; 1 man and 1 aircraft were lost. |
16 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese airfields on Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
16 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp transited the Luzon Strait north of the Philippine Islands. |
17 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began retirement from the Luzon, Philippines strikes for refueling. |
18 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga sailed through Typhoon Cobra without casualties. |
18 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and the rest of the fleet steamed through the center of Typhoon Cobra that sank three destroyers. Yorktown participated in some of the rescue operations for the survivors. |
18 Dec 1944 | Many ships from the United States Third Fleet, Task Force 38 sailed into Typhoon Cobra in the Philippine Sea. Three destroyers and 790 men were lost. |
21 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Taiwan and in the Ryukyu Islands. |
21 Dec 1944 | USS Bennington transited the Panama Canal. |
21 Dec 1944 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, completing her shakedown cruise. |
24 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands together with other ships of Task Group 38.3. |
24 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
26 Dec 1944 | USS Wasp arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
30 Dec 1944 | USS Ticonderoga departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
30 Dec 1944 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands to join TF 38 in strikes in the Philippines. |
3 Jan 1945 | 14 SB2C-3, 6 TBM-3, and 12 F6F-5 aircraft of Air Group 80 from USS Ticonderoga attacked Taichu Airfield in central Taiwan; six of the SB2C aircraft turned back after running into poor weather, one of the F6F aircraft became lost and joined fighters from USS Wasp in the strafing of a train, and two of the TBM-3 aircraft got lost and joined another group in the attacking of Suo (now Suao). On a separate mission later on this day, Air Group 80 conducted a fighter sweep over Koryu Airfield on Taiwan; Ensign Philip Manella's F6F fighter was shot down, forcing him to bail out, and his wingman Lieutenant (jg) R. C. Wagg reported that the parachute was strafed by Japanese fighters. |
3 Jan 1945 | 18 F6F-5 fighters of Air Group 81 from USS Wasp attacked Koryu Airfield in Taiwan with rockets, bombs, and strafing; no Japanese fighters rose to defend. These attacking fighters regrouped over Taiwan Strait after the attack, flew back over Taiwan, and attacked targets of opportunity; they sank a small fishing boat along the coast, destroying a cargo train (carrying oil) at present day Dashan Station of Houlong Township, and heavily damaging a 10-car passenger train further northeast. A separate group of 4 F6F-5 fighters of the same air group conducted a photographic reconnaissance mission over Koryu Airfield, Shinchiku Airfield, and Koko Airfield in Taiwan. |
3 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on airfields on Formosa (Taiwan). |
4 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Taiwan. |
4 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on airfields on Formosa (Taiwan). |
4 Jan 1945 | TBM-5C torpedo bombers of VT-4 squadron, escorted by F6F-5 fighters of VF-4 squadron, both from USS Essex, attacked a number of Japanese airfields in Taiwan. Rojoseki Airfield in Rojoseki District of Shoka (now Erlin District of Changhua), Hokuto (misnamed "Keishu" in US records) Airfield in Shoka, and Mato Airfield in Tainan (now Madou District of Tainan) sustained damage. |
6 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. |
6 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched planes against airfields on Luzon, Philippines and on anti-shipping strikes. |
7 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Japanese positions in northern Luzon, Philippine Islands; 4 men and 2 aircraft were lost. |
7 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched planes against airfields on Luzon, Philippines and on anti-shipping strikes. |
9 Jan 1945 | 15 SB2C, 6 TBM, and 7 F6F aircraft from USS Ticonderoga attacked their secondary target Heito Airfield in southern Taiwan (the primary target, Toyohara Arfield in the Taichu area, was covered in clouds), damaging the facilities at the loss of a SB2C aircraft of Air Group 80 crewed by Lieutenant Palmer and Aviation Radioman's Mate Third Class Adelbert Ring. |
9 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched attacks on Formosa (Taiwan) in direct support of the Lingayen landings on Luzon, Philippines. |
10 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga and the other ships of Task Force 38 entered the South China Sea via Bashi Channel. |
10 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and Task Force 38 entered the South China Sea via Bashi Channel to begin a series of raids on Japan's inner defenses. |
12 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga and other Task Force 38 carriers launched aircraft that sank 44 Japanese ships off of Indochina, totaling 130,000 tons; Ticonderoga lost 1 aircraft. Part of the pre-launch intelligence was provided by agents of Katiou Meynier, who observed a 26-ship convoy enter Cam Ranh Bay, although no such convoy was found specifically. Hoang's intelligence reached the US Navy via the Sino-American Special Technical Cooperative Organization (SACO) in China. |
12 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) planes hit the vicinity of Saigon, French Indochina (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). TF 38 aviators sunk 44 enemy ships including 15 combatants. |
15 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Taiwan, hitting Kaneka Soda Company chemical plant (mis-identified as a magnesium plant) in Tainan, among other targets. In a separate strike by Air Group 80, Air Group Commander Albert Vorse led 8 Hellcat fighters and 13 Helldiver bombers on a strike against shipping in the harbors of Takao-Toshien (Kaohsiung) on Formosa (Taiwan). Vorse led the fighters in a masthead attack on the destroyer Hatakaze making her way along the coast. Vorse scored a bomb hit against the ship's hull at the waterline but Hatakaze anti-aircraft fire shot away the outboard third of Vorse's starboard wing. The remaining fighters pressed home their attack and the Hatakaze exploded in a sheet of flame before sinking immediately. Barely able to control his plane after losing a large section of one wing, Vorse recovered at just 200 feet above the water. Fighting his plane to keep it in the air, Vorse flew along the wave tops at high speed toward the US fleet. Upon reaching the American destroyer screen, Vorse executed a very dangerous high-speed water landing. Within a few minutes, he was picked up by the destroyer USS Caperton with no injuries. For his actions this day, Albert Vorse was awarded the Navy Cross. Vorse's plane was the only aircraft lost by Air Group 80 this day. |
15 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Formosa (Taiwan) and Canton (Guangzhou) in China. |
16 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Hainan island in southern China; 5 men and 3 aircraft were lost. |
16 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) struck Canton (Guangzhou), China again and Hong Kong. |
17 Jan 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, United States alongside of USS Guam and USS Harry E. Hubbard. |
20 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga and other ships of Task Group 38 exited South China Sea via Balintang Channel. |
20 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and Task Force 38 exited the South China Sea via Balintang Channel. |
21 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga launched Air Group 80 aircraft for strikes on Taiwan; 1 man and 3 aircraft were lost. Later that day, Ticonderoga was struck by two special attack aircraft at about 120 miles southeast of Taiwan, killing 143 men and injuring 202 others. Commander Harmon Vedder Briner took temporary command of the carrier as Captain Dixie Kiefer was injured in the attacks. |
21 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Formosa (Taiwan). |
21 Jan 1945 | USS Bunker Hill departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after overhaul. |
22 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
23 Jan 1945 | USS Shangri-La, USS Guam, and USS Harry E. Hubbard arrived Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone. |
24 Jan 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands; Captain Kiefer, the executive officer, and others wounded during the special attack three days prior were transferred to hospital ship Samaritan. Air Group 80 transferred to USS Hancock. |
24 Jan 1945 | USS Shangri-La, USS Guam, and USS Harry E. Hubbard transited the Panama Canal. |
25 Jan 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. |
26 Jan 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF38 entered Ulithi lagoon, Caroline Islands for arming, provisioning, and upkeep. |
28 Jan 1945 | Captain Giles Elza Short was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. She then departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands for Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, United States via Pearl Harbor. |
28 Jan 1945 | Air Group 80 was transferred aboard USS Hancock. |
2 Feb 1945 | USS Franklin departed Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
4 Feb 1945 | USS Franklin arrived at San Francisco, California, United States. |
4 Feb 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
7 Feb 1945 | USS Franklin departed San Francisco, California, United States. |
7 Feb 1945 | Captain William Sinton was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
7 Feb 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed San Diego, California, United States. |
8 Feb 1945 | USS Bennington joined the US 5th Fleet at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
10 Feb 1945 | USS Hancock departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands as part of Task Group 58.2. Air Group 80, previously aboard USS Ticonderoga, now aboard. |
10 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF58 departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands for raids in support of the landings on Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. |
11 Feb 1945 | Aircraft of Air Group 80 flew training missions while Hancock sailed toward Japan. |
12 Feb 1945 | Aircraft of Air Group 80 flew training missions while its mothership USS Hancock sailed toward Japan. |
15 Feb 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, United States for extensive repairs. |
15 Feb 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
16 Feb 1945 | Air Group 80 flew 6 strikes against Tokyo, Japan as part of the first carrier-borne air attack on Japan since the Doolittle Raid 3 years earlier; 3 men and 3 aircraft from Air Group 80 were lost. |
16 Feb 1945 | USS Wasp's aircraft conducted a fighter sweep over Japan; several fighters were lost in the ensuing engagement. |
16 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF58 strike the Tokyo area of Honshu, Japan in the first carrier-borne air strikes against the Japanese home islands since the Doolittle Raid on 18 Apr 1942. |
16 Feb 1945 | USS Bennington launched her first offensive strikes of the war against targets around Tokyo and Yokosuka, Japan. |
17 Feb 1945 | Air Group 80 aircraft from USS Hancock flew 2 strikes against Tokyo, Japan; no men and no aircraft were lost. |
17 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF58 strike the Tokyo area of Honshu, Japan before heading toward the Bonin Islands. |
18 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) bombed and strafed installations on Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands |
19 Feb 1945 | Air Group 80 flew 2 strikes against Iwo Jima and fighter squadron 80 flew 1 strike against Chichi Jima and Haha Jima (both groups from USS Hancock); 1 aircraft was lost. |
19 Feb 1945 | USS Wasp's aircraft provided aerial cover for the Iwo Jima, Japan invasion. |
20 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched 3 days of support missions over Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands. |
21 Feb 1945 | Air Group 80 from USS Hancock flew one strike in support of operations on Iwo Jima; 1 aircraft was lost. |
22 Feb 1945 | Air Group 80 from USS Hancock flew one strike in support of operations on Iwo Jima; 1 aircraft was lost. |
23 Feb 1945 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked targets in the Tokyo, Japan area. |
23 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the Bonin Islands to resume strikes on Japan proper. |
24 Feb 1945 | USS Wasp's aircraft launched to attack targets in the Nagoya, Japan area, but the mission was canceled due to poor weather. |
25 Feb 1945 | Fighter quadron VF-80 from USS Hancock flew one fighter sweep against Tokyo, Japan; no aircraft were lost. |
25 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids to bomb and strafe airfields in the vicinity of Tokyo, Japan. |
26 Feb 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) forced to cancel sweeps of installations on Kyushu, Japan due to heavy seas; began retirement to Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
28 Feb 1945 | A F4U Corsair fighter of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 suffered a belly tank accidental detachment during its landing aboard USS Franklin in the Pacific Ocean between California, United States and the Territory of Hawaii. The tank flew forward into the propeller blades, and the resulting fuel spill was ignited into a fire that would burn for an hour. The pilot Ralph Husted was killed. |
1 Mar 1945 | Air Group 80 from USS Hancock flew 4 strikes and fighter sqaudron VF-80 flew 1 strike against Amami Oshima, Ryuku Islands; no aircraft were lost. |
1 Mar 1945 | USS Wasp's aircraft attacked and photographed Japanese positions in the Ryukyu Islands. |
1 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered the anchorage at Ulithi,Caroline Islands for about two weeks. |
3 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
4 Mar 1945 | USS Hancock arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands; Air Group 6 relieved Air Group 80. |
4 Mar 1945 | USS Wasp arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
6 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin crossed the International Date Line. |
11 Mar 1945 | In Operation Tan No. 2, Japanese Navy aircraft conducted a large-scale special attack operation on American warships at Ulithi atoll, Caroline Islands. Closer to the home islands, a P1Y1 Ginga aircraft of 762nd Naval Air Group based in Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan struck USS Randolph at dusk. |
13 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
14 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Langley (Independence-class), USS Flint, USS San Diego, and USS St. Louis departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands to resume raids on Japan in support of the Okinawa operations. |
18 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin arrived in position south of Japan and launched F4U Corsair fighters of US Marine Corps squadron VMF-214 against the targets in Kagoshima Prefecture. USMC pilot John Stodd was shot down over Izumi Airfield and was captured. The US airmen destroyed many Japanese aircraft on the ground at Izumi. |
18 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Langley (Independence-class), USS Flint, USS San Diego, and USS St. Louis arrived in the operating area off Japan and began launching strikes on airfields on Kyushu, Honshu, and Shikoku. The task group came under air attack almost as soon as operations began. Yorktown and Enterprise were struck by single bombs that resulted in minimal casualties and minimal damage. |
19 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin was struck by a 250-kilogram bomb by a Japanese D4Y3 or D3A aircraft, which broke through the fir planks and detonated in the hangar deck; the 22 aircraft in the hangar deck, which were in the process of arming and refueling, burst in blames. A second bomb, ignition of gasoline vapors, or ignition of ammunition destroyed a further 31 aircraft. Damage control teams were able to save the ship. 724 were killed and 265 were wounded. |
19 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Langley (Independence-class), USS Flint, USS San Diego, and USS St. Louis continued air operations against the three southernmost islands of Japan. |
23 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began softening-up strikes against Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands and continued through 28 Mar 1945. |
24 Mar 1945 | USS Franklin arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
27 Mar 1945 | USS Lexington (Essex-class) arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. |
28 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands area for Japanese waters and additional strikes on the home islands. |
29 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched two raids and one photographic reconnaissance mission over Kyushu, Japan. A single Yokosuka D4Y ?Judy? dive bomber made a diving attack on Yorktown but missed the carrier by about 60 feet. |
30 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) pounded Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands and its surrounding islets in softening-up strikes. |
31 Mar 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) pounded Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands and its surrounding islets in softening-up strikes. |
1 Apr 1945 | USS Franklin crossed the International Date Line. |
1 Apr 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began several days of direct support missions for the troops landing on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. About every three days, USS Yorktown (Essex-class) retired east for refueling, rearming, and re-provisioning. |
3 Apr 1945 | USS Franklin arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
7 Apr 1945 | When Yamato was discovered was steaming south, Air Group 9 from USS Yorktown (Essex-class) claimed several torpedo hits on Yamato herself just before the battleship exploded and sank. USS Yorktown (Essex-class)?s planes also had at least three 500-pound bombs hit light cruiser Yahagi before that ship also sank. Yorktown then resumed her strikes on Okinawa. |
10 Apr 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
13 Apr 1945 | USS Wasp (Essex-class) arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard , Bremerton, Washington, United States for a general overhaul and repairs of battle damage. |
20 Apr 1945 | USS Franklin transited through the Panama Canal. |
20 Apr 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands. |
21 Apr 1945 | USS Ticonderoga departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington, United States for Alameda, California, United States, and then on to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
21 Apr 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands. |
24 Apr 1945 | USS Shangri-La was assigned to US Navy Task Group 58.4. |
25 Apr 1945 | USS Shangri-La launched her first strike. Her aircraft attacked Okidaitojima of the Daito Islands 400 kilometers east of Okinawa Island, destroying radar and communications stations. |
26 Apr 1945 | USS Franklin arrived at New York, New York, United States. |
28 Apr 1945 | USS Franklin entered New York Navy Yard, New York, United States for repairs. |
1 May 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
2 May 1945 | Air Group 87 arrived aboard USS Ticonderoga at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
11 May 1945 | USS Bunker Hill was hit by two Japanese special attack aircraft off Okinawa, Japan, killing 373. |
11 May 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the Ruykyu Islands for Ulithi, Caroline Islands for upkeep, rest, and relaxation. |
14 May 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands on and remained there until 24 May 1945. |
14 May 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands. |
17 May 1945 | Air Group 87 aircraft from USS Ticonderoga struck Taroa, Marshall Islands. |
18 May 1945 | Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Sr. of US Navy Carrier Task Force 2 broke his flag aboard USS Shangri-La at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands. |
22 May 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Ulithi, Caroline Islands and joined Task Group 58.4. |
24 May 1945 | USS Ticonderoga, USS Yorktown, USS Shangri-La, and other ships of Task Froup 58.4 departed Ulithi, Caroline Islands. |
28 May 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) resumed air support missions over Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
28 May 1945 | Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Sr. relieved Marc Mitscher as the commanding officer of US Navy Task Force 38; USS Shangri-La remained McCain's flagship. |
29 May 1945 | USS Lexington (Essex-class) departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after overhaul. |
2 Jun 1945 | American carrier aircraft of Task Force 38 attacked airfields in southern Kyushu, Japan. Air Group 87 aircraft from USS Ticonderoga struck airfields on Kyushu, Japan in an attempt to stop special attack aircraft from taking off, while aircraft from USS Shangri-La also struck various military targets. |
2 Jun 1945 | USS Bunker Hill arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for repairs of extensive damage following being hit by two special attack aircraft off Okinawa. |
3 Jun 1945 | American carrier aircraft of Task Force 38 attacked airfields in southern Kyushu, Japan for the second day in a row. From USS Ticonderoga, Air Group 87 aircraft struck airfields on Kyushu in an attempt to stop special attack aircraft from taking off. On the same day, 7 Japanese ships were sunk or damaged by naval mines in Japanese waters. |
4 Jun 1945 | USS Shangri-La sailed in a northwestward direction to avoid a typhoon. |
4 Jun 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) returned to Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands for support missions before steaming off to evade a typhoon. |
4 Jun 1945 | Many ships from the United States Third Fleet, primarily Task Groups 38.1 and 30.8 sailed into Typhoon Connie south of Japan. No ships were lost but 7 men lost their lives. |
5 Jun 1945 | As the US 3rd Fleet steamed through a typhoon southeast of Japan, the leading 25-feet of USS Bennington's flight deck collapsed and hung drooping over her bow. |
6 Jun 1945 | Essex-class carriers USS Yorktown and USS Shangri-La launched raids on Okinawa, Japan |
7 Jun 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
8 Jun 1945 | Aircraft from Essex-class carriers USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87), USS Yorktown, and USS Shangri-La struck airfields on Kyushu, Japan in an attempt to stop special attack aircraft from taking off. |
9 Jun 1945 | Aircraft from USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87) and USS Shangri-La struck Okinawa, Japan, while aircraft from USS Yorktown attacked Minamidaitojima 400 miles to the east. |
9 Jun 1945 | USS Wasp (Essex-class) departed Puget Sound Naval Shipyard after repairs and an overhaul. |
10 Jun 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Minami Daito Shima, Ryukyu Islands and began retiring toward Leyte, Philippines. |
10 Jun 1945 | USS Shangri-La set sail toward Leyte island, Philippines. |
13 Jun 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Leyte, Philippine Islands. |
13 Jun 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, Philippines. |
13 Jun 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines. |
30 Jun 1945 | Commander H. H. Hale relieved Captain L. E. Gehres as the commanding officer of USS Franklin. |
1 Jul 1945 | USS Ticonderoga departed Leyte, Philippine Islands and was assigned to Task Group 38.3. |
1 Jul 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TG 38.4 got underway from Leyte, Philippines to join the rest of the fast carriers in the final series of raids on the Japanese home islands. |
1 Jul 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines. |
2 Jul 1945 | USS Shangri-La hosted the oath taking ceremony for the new Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air John L. Sullivan. |
3 Jul 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Guam, Mariana Islands for repairs on damaged reduction gear. |
10 Jul 1945 | The US Army Air Forces launched the first of several 1,000-bomber raids against the Japanese home islands. Meanwhile, US Navy aircraft from Essex-class carriers USS Yorktown and USS Shangri-La launched air strikes on the Tokyo area. |
12 Jul 1945 | USS Wasp departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. |
13 Jul 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched strikes on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido. |
14 Jul 1945 | American battleships USS South Dakota, USS Indiana, and USS Massachusetts and escorting destroyers bombarded Kamaishi, Honshu, Japan; the primary target was the Kamaishi Works of the Japan Iron Company, but several destroyers shells overshot the target and hit the town, killing many civilians; battleship shells were more accurate, destroying about 65% of the industrial complex, but they also killed many civilians; this was the first time the Japanese home islands were subjected to naval bombardment. To the north, the sinking of 6 warships and 37 steamers on the ferry route between Honshu and Hokkaido islands effectively cut off the latter from the rest of the home islands. At Kure in southern Japan, aircraft of US Navy TF 38 damaged carrier Amagi, carrier Katsuragi, and battleship Haruna; at Misawa in northern Japan, G4M bombers that were assigned to partake the planned Operation Ken, which sought to deliver 300 suicide commandos to the Mariana Islands, were destroyed (the American would not know of Operation Ken until after the war). The carriers were escorted by a large naval force that included battleship USS Missouri. Far to the south, the USAAF XXI Bomber Command canceled a long-range P-51 raid from Iwo Jima to attack Meiji and Kagamigahara near Nagoya due to poor weather. |
15 Jul 1945 | American battleships USS Iowa, USS Missouri, and USS Wisconsin bombarded industrial targets at Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan; the main targets were Wanishi Iron Works plants and the Muroran Works. From the air, American naval aircraft attacked northern Honshu and Hokkaido, destroying railways and coal ferries. 104 US Army P-51 fighters based in Iwo Jima Meiji, Kagamigahara, Kowa, Akenogahara, Nagoya, and Suzuko, Japan. B-24 bombers attacked Tomitaka, Usa, Kikaiga-shima, Amami Islands, Yaku-shima, Osumi Islands, and Tamega Island. After sun down, American B-29 bombers mined Japanese waters at Naoetsu and Niigata and Korean waters at Najin, Busan, and Wonsan, while other B-29 bombers attacked and seriously damaged the Nippon Oil Company facilities at Kudamatsu in southwestern Japan. |
18 Jul 1945 | American battleships USS North Carolina, USS Alabama, USS Iowa, USS Missouri, and USS Wisconsin and British battleship HMS King George V bombarded Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan with 2,000 shells; the Taga Works and Mito Works of Hitachi Manufacturing Company were moderately damaged, and the Yamate Plant and the copper refining plants of Hitachi Mine were lightly damaged; civilian housing areas were also attacked, causing many deaths. Japanese battleship Nagato was damaged in port at Yokosuka, Japan by aircraft from carrier USS Shangri-La; a Japanese destroyer, a submarine, and three smaller vessels were sunk during the attack on Yokosuka. Aircraft from USS Yorktown struck the Tokyo area. P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang aircraft of US Far East Air Forces attacked various targets on Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, focusing largely on communications lines, bridges, shipping, and population centers. |
18 Jul 1945 | USS Wasp launched Carrier Air Group Eighty Six aircraft against Wake Island. |
19 Jul 1945 | USS Ticonderoga departed Guam, Mariana Islands. |
20 Jul 1945 | USS Ticonderoga re-joined Task Group 38.3; Air Group 87 aircraft struck Nagoya, Osaka, and Miko in Japan. |
24 Jul 1945 | British TF 37 launched 416 sorties, 261 of which were sent against the Japanese home islands and 155 were for defensive patrols; escort carrier Kaiyo was damaged by British carrier planes. On the same day, American TF 38 launched 600 aircraft against Kure, Nagoya, Osaka, and Miho, sinking battleship-carrier Hyuga, heavy cruiser Tone, and target ship Settsu, and damaging carrier Ryuho, carrier Amagi, battleship-carrier Ise, battleship Haruna, heavy cruiser Aoba, light cruiser Oyodo, transport Kiyokawa Maru; the Aichi aircraft factories at Nagoya were seriously damaged. |
25 Jul 1945 | US Task Force 58 aircraft from USS Yorktown and USS Shangri-La pounded shipping and installations around the Kure naval base in Japan. Meanwhile, other US carrier aircraft attacked Japanese shipping in the Inland Sea off Osaka and Nagoya, Japan. |
27 Jul 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and TF58 pounded shipping and installations around the Kure naval base. |
28 Jul 1945 | 137 American P-47 aircraft based in Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan attacked targest in Kyushu, Japan. On the same day, 471 B-29 bombers attacked smaller Japanese cities in the home islands with incendiary bombs. Finally, from the sea, US Navy carrier aircraft struck various Inland Sea ports between Nagoya and northern Kyushu, sinking battleship Haruna, battleship-carrier Ise, heavy cruiser Aoba (in shallow water), and light cruiser Oyodo, and damaging carrier Katsuragi, carrier Hosho, and already beached battleship Settsu. |
29 Jul 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on the Tokyo area. |
30 Jul 1945 | American battleships USS South Dakota, USS Indiana, and USS Massachusetts, joined by British battleship HMS King George V (this would be her final combat action of the war) ended a two-day bombardment of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Meanwhile, carrier fighters from USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87), USS Shangri-La, and USS Yorktown attacked airfields, railroads, and tactical targets east and west of Hamamatsu, generally the larger Kyoto-Kobe-Osaka region and the Tokyo region. Destroyer Yukikaze suffered minor damage and one killed by carrier aircraft in Miyatsu Bay on the coast of the Sea of Japan. |
1 Aug 1945 | Charles Brown became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Austin Doyle. |
8 Aug 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on northern Honshu and southern Hokkaido, Japan. |
9 Aug 1945 | British (258 Avenger, Corsair, Hellcat, Firefly, and Seafire) and US carrier aircraft (USS Shangri-La, USS Yorktown, Air Group 87 from USS Ticonderoga) of Task Force 37 struck the Japanese home islands; the British aircraft alone expended more than 120 tons of bombs and cannon shells. Meanwhile, American battleships USS South Dakota, USS Indiana, and USS Massachusetts, plus their support ships, bombarded Kamaishi, Iwate, Japan; 850 16-inch shells from battleships, 1,440 8-inch shells from cruisers, and 2,500 5-inch shells from destroyers were fired. |
9 Aug 1945 | USS Wasp was nearly hit by a Japanese special attack aircraft off Japan. |
10 Aug 1945 | 70 US Army Air Forces B-29 bombers attacked the arsenal complex near Tokyo, Japan while US Navy carrier aircraft from USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87), USS Shangri-La, and USS Yorktown struck targets on the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. |
10 Aug 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) launched raids on Tokyo, Japan. |
13 Aug 1945 | Carrier aircraft from USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87), USS Yorktown, and USS Shangri-La struck Tokyo, Japan. |
14 Aug 1945 | Air Group 87 aircraft from USS Ticonderoga struck Tokyo, Japan. |
15 Aug 1945 | Seafire aircraft of 887 and 894 Naval Air Squadrons of the British Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm downed seven A6M5 Zero fighters at the cost of one Seafire fighter. Meanwhile, carrier aircraft from USS Ticonderoga (Air Group 87) and USS Shangri-La were launched for a strike on Tokyo, Japan, but the mission was aborted while en route due to the Japanese willingness to capitulate. USS Yorktown (Essex-class) cancelled all strikes planned for this day. |
15 Aug 1945 | USS Wasp fired her anti-aircraft guns at attacking Japanese aircraft for the final time in the war. |
23 Aug 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) received orders to operate east of Honshu, Japan and provide cover for the forces occupying Japan. |
23 Aug 1945 | USS Shangri-La began conducting missions to drop supplies to Allied prisoners of war in the Japanese home islands. |
25 Aug 1945 | USS Wasp sailed through a typhoon in the Pacific Ocean. |
25 Aug 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) began providing for the forces occupying Japan and air-dropping supplies to Allied prisoners. |
6 Sep 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at Tokyo Bay, Japan. |
16 Sep 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered Tokyo Bay with TG 38.1. |
16 Sep 1945 | USS Shangri-La entered Tokyo Bay, Japan. |
20 Sep 1945 | USS Ticonderoga departed Tokyo, Japan with American servicemen aboard for San Francisco, California, United States (as part of Operation Magic Carpet). |
1 Oct 1945 | Carriers USS Shangri-La, USS Hancock, USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Cowpens and cruisers USS Topeka, USS Duluth, and USS Oakland with a destroyer escort that included USS Nicholas departed Tokyo Bay, Japan bound for Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
1 Oct 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed Tokyo Bay, Japan. |
4 Oct 1945 | Carriers USS Shangri-La, USS Hancock, USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Cowpens and cruisers USS Topeka, USS Duluth, and USS Oakland with a destroyer escort that included USS Nicholas arrived at Buckner Bay (now Nakagusuku Wan), Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
4 Oct 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Okinawa, Japan. |
5 Oct 1945 | USS Ticonderoga arrived at San Francisco, California, United States. |
5 Oct 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) loaded US servicemen passengers at Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. |
6 Oct 1945 | Carriers USS Shangri-La, USS Hancock, USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Cowpens and cruisers USS Topeka, USS Duluth, and USS Oakland with a destroyer escort that included USS Nicholas departed Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands bound for the United States with thousands of US troops. |
6 Oct 1945 | USS Shangri-La departed Okinawa, Japan. |
20 Oct 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) entered San Francisco Bay, California, United States after a non-stop voyage from Okinawa loaded with returning US servicemen, moored at the Alameda Naval Air Station, and began discharging passengers. |
21 Oct 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at San Pedro Bay, California, United States. |
27 Oct 1945 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
30 Oct 1945 | USS Wasp arrived at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States, where she would receive minor conversion work to accommodate 400 officer and 5,000 men. |
31 Oct 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) shifted from Alameda Naval Air Station, California to Hunters Point Navy Yard in San Francisco, California, United States to complete minor repairs. |
2 Nov 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) stood out of San Francisco Bay, California, United States bound for Guam, Mariana Islands on a mission to return of American servicemen to the United States. |
5 Nov 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
15 Nov 1945 | USS Wasp departed New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
15 Nov 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in Apra Harbor, Guam, Mariana Islands. |
17 Nov 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) underway from Guam, Mariana Islands with a load of US servicemen as passengers. |
30 Nov 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in San Francisco, California, United States with a load of US servicemen. |
3 Dec 1945 | USS Lexington departed Tokyo Bay, Japan for San Francisco, California, United States with US servicemen on board. |
8 Dec 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed San Francisco, California, United States for the Far East. Initially routed to Samar in the Philippines, but en route she was diverted to Manila, Philippines. |
9 Dec 1945 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
26 Dec 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in Manila, Philippines. |
29 Dec 1945 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed Manila, Philippines with a load of US servicemen. |
13 Jan 1946 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived in San Francisco, California, United States with a load of US servicemen. |
20 Jan 1946 | Approximately on this date, USS Yorktown (Essex-class) moved to Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
14 Feb 1946 | Charles Coe became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Charles Brown. |
17 Apr 1946 | USS Wasp accidentally ran aground off New Jersey, United States. |
7 May 1946 | Commander Warren Ronald Thompson was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
14 Aug 1946 | Charles Coe stepped down as the commanding officer of USS Hornet. |
4 Nov 1946 | Lieutenant Commander William J. Pendola was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
8 Nov 1946 | USS Bennington was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
27 Dec 1946 | Commander Warren Ronald Thompson was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
9 Jan 1947 | USS Ticonderoga was placed in the Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
9 Jan 1947 | Bunker Hill was decommissioned from service. |
9 Jan 1947 | Essex was decommissioned from service. |
9 Jan 1947 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) taken out of commission and placed in the Bremerton Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
15 Jan 1947 | Hornet (Essex-class) was decommissioned from service. |
17 Feb 1947 | Franklin was decommissioned from service. |
17 Feb 1947 | USS Wasp was decommissioned from service. |
1 Mar 1947 | Intrepid was decommissioned from service. |
23 Apr 1947 | USS Lexington was decommissioned at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
9 May 1947 | Hancock was decommissioned from service. |
7 Nov 1947 | USS Shangri-La was decommissioned from service and was placed in the Reserve Fleet at San Francisco, California, United States. |
25 Feb 1948 | USS Randolph was decommissioned from service. |
20 Mar 1951 | Francis Busey became the commanding officer of USS Hornet. |
30 Apr 1951 | Gorman Merrick became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Francis Busey. |
10 May 1951 | USS Shangri-La was recommissioned into service with Captain Francis L. Busey in command. |
12 May 1951 | Gorman Merrick stepped down as the commanding officer of USS Hornet. |
28 Sep 1951 | USS Wasp was recommissioned into service. |
31 Jan 1952 | USS Ticonderoga was recommissioned for the voyage from Bremerton, Washington, United States to New York Naval Shipyard, New York, United States. Captain Paul Wesley Watson was named her commanding officer. |
2 Apr 1952 | Commander Arthur Turn Decker was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga to prepare her for decommission. |
4 Apr 1952 | Ticonderoga was decommissioned at New York Naval Shipyard, New York, United States for modernization and conversion work. |
26 Apr 1952 | USS Wasp collided with minesweeper USS Hobson in the Atlantic Ocean; 176 were killed aboard Hobson, while Wasp suffered a 75-foot rip on her bow. |
2 Jun 1952 | USS Wasp arrived at Gibraltar and joined Carrier Division 6. |
5 Sep 1952 | USS Wasp was removed from Carrier Division 6 while at Gibraltar. |
1 Oct 1952 | USS Wasp was redesignated an attack carrier, CVA. |
1 Oct 1952 | USS Shangri-La was reclassified as an attack aircraft carrier, CVA. |
13 Oct 1952 | USS Wasp arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
7 Nov 1952 | USS Wasp entered New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
13 Nov 1952 | USS Bennington was recommissioned at New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York, United States. |
14 Nov 1952 | USS Shangri-La was decommissioned from service. |
20 Feb 1953 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) placed back in full commission at Bremerton, Washington, United States, Capt. William M. Nation in command. |
27 Apr 1953 | While steaming in the Caribbean, USS Bennington suffered an explosion in her No. 1 fire room that killed 11 men. |
1 Jul 1953 | USS Randolph was commissioned into service. |
1 Sep 1953 | The conversion and modernization work on carrier Lexington began at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
11 Sep 1953 | Milton Adolphus became the commanding officer of USS Hornet. |
16 Sep 1953 | USS Wasp departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
10 Jan 1954 | USS Wasp hosted President Chiang Kaishek of the Republic of China off Taiwan. |
12 Mar 1954 | USS Wasp hosted President Ramon Magsaysay of the Republic of the Philippines off Subic Bay, Philippine Islands. |
26 May 1954 | While steaming off Rhode Island, USS Bennington's port catapult exploded releasing hydraulic oil under high pressure that instantly ignited. 103 officers and men were killed while over 200 more were badly injured, most with severe burns. |
19 Jul 1954 | Frank Brandley became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Milton Adolphus. |
11 Sep 1954 | USS Ticonderoga was recommissioned after modernization; she was now under the command of Captain William A. Schoech. |
10 Jan 1955 | USS Shangri-La was recommissioned into service with Captain Roscoe L. Newman in command. |
21 Mar 1955 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) placed in commission in reserve at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington, United States where she was to receive extensive modifications, most significantly an angled flight deck to increase her capabilities for handling jet aircraft. |
20 Jul 1955 | Norwood Campbell became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Frank Brandley. |
9 Sep 1955 | Captain Andrew McBurney Jackson, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
14 Oct 1955 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) placed back in full commission following modifications, Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
1 Dec 1955 | USS Wasp completed a seven-month overhaul at San Francisco Naval Shipyard, California, United States. |
5 Jan 1956 | USS Shangri-La was deployed to the western Pacific Ocean. |
3 Apr 1956 | USS Wasp departed San Diego, California, United States with Carrier Air Group 15 aboard. |
14 May 1956 | USS Wasp arrived at Guam. |
4 Jun 1956 | USS Wasp arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. |
18 Aug 1956 | William Hollister became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Norwood Campbell. |
24 Aug 1956 | Commander Harold Crenshaw Miller was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
8 Oct 1956 | Captain William Aurand Stuart was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
15 Oct 1956 | USS Ticonderoga began a tour in Asian waters, based out of Yokosuka, Japan. |
15 Oct 1956 | USS Wasp arrived at San Diego, California, United States. |
1 Nov 1956 | USS Wasp was redesignated an antisubmarine warfare aircraft carrier, CVS, while at San Diego, California, United States. |
31 Jan 1957 | USS Wasp departed San Diego, California, United States. |
21 Mar 1957 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
6 Apr 1957 | USS Wasp arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
12 Aug 1957 | Thomas Connolly became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving William Hollister. |
16 Aug 1957 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
3 Sep 1957 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Scotland, United Kingdom to participated in NATO Operations Seaspray and Strikeback. |
4 Oct 1957 | Captain Irwin Chase Jr. (Ticonderoga WWII Navigator) was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
23 Oct 1957 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States for a major overhaul. |
10 Mar 1958 | USS Wasp completed a major overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States. |
25 Apr 1958 | USS Ticonderoga ended a tour in Asian waters. |
29 Apr 1958 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
12 May 1958 | USS Wasp was assigned to Task Force 66 of US Navy 6th Fleet and departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
21 May 1958 | USS Wasp arrived at Gibraltar. |
15 Jul 1958 | USS Wasp set sail for waters off Lebanon. |
20 Jul 1958 | USS Wasp launched US Marine transport helicopters while off Lebanon; the helicopter brought US Marines to Beirut International Airport. |
25 Aug 1958 | Marshall White became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Thomas Connolly. |
17 Sep 1958 | USS Wasp departed Beirut, Lebanon. |
20 Sep 1958 | Captain Wilson McConnell Coleman was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
7 Oct 1958 | USS Wasp arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
11 Oct 1958 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
15 Oct 1958 | USS Wasp became flagship of Task Group Bravo of US Navy Atlantic Fleet while at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
26 Oct 1958 | Sir Winston Churchill visited USS Randolph at Cannes, France. This was Churchill's first visit to a warship since World War II. |
26 Nov 1958 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
13 Dec 1958 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
18 Aug 1959 | An accidental explosion and fire aboard USS Wasp briefly threatened the nuclear weapons aboard the carrier while she was sailing 250 miles east of Norfolk, Virginia, United States; the fires were eventually contained and extinquished. |
5 Sep 1959 | Captain Turner Foster Caldwell was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
20 Nov 1959 | Ernest Christensen became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Marshall White. |
27 Feb 1960 | USS Wasp entered Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States for overhaul. |
16 Mar 1960 | USS Shangri-La departed San Diego, California, United States. |
11 Aug 1960 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
24 Aug 1960 | Captain Robert Faulkner Farrington was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
2 Nov 1960 | David Richardson became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Ernest Christensen. |
25 Nov 1960 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Mayport, Florida, United States. |
10 Dec 1960 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
9 Jan 1961 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for the Virginia Capes to the south. |
9 Jun 1961 | USS Wasp departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for the Mediterranean Sea. |
25 Aug 1961 | Captain Eugene George Fairfax was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
1 Sep 1961 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
18 Oct 1961 | Hoyt Mann became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving David Richardson. |
6 Nov 1961 | USS Wasp completed overhaul at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States. |
11 Jan 1962 | USS Wasp began a period of anti-submarine warfare exercises off the east coast of the United States. |
18 Jan 1962 | USS Wasp completed a period of anti-submarine warfare exercises off the east coast of the United States. |
24 Jan 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at waters off Bermuda. |
31 Jan 1962 | USS Wasp departed from waters off Bermuda for Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
7 Feb 1962 | USS Shangri-La departed Mayport, Florida, United States. |
18 Feb 1962 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
1 Mar 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom. |
16 Mar 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Rotterdam, the Netherlands. |
22 Mar 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Greenock, Scotland, United Kingdom. |
30 Mar 1962 | USS Wasp departed Greenock, Scotland, United Kingdom. |
17 Apr 1962 | Captain W. F. Brewer of USS Wasp presented Lord Mayor Alderman A. Goldberg of Plymouth, England, United Kingdom a large picture of Mayflower II from the people of Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. |
5 May 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Kiel, West Germany; she became the first carrier to visit Kiel. |
16 Jun 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
7 Jul 1962 | Captain James G. Daniels III was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
28 Aug 1962 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Mayport, Florida, United States. |
24 Sep 1962 | Ellis Fisher became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Hoyt Mann. |
1 Nov 1962 | USS Wasp was ordered to participate in the blockade of Cuba. |
14 Nov 1962 | Carrier USS Wasp and destroyer USS Holder collided while refueling off Cuba. |
22 Nov 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
21 Dec 1962 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Bermuda with 18 midshipmen from Boston area universities. |
29 Dec 1962 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
4 Apr 1963 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States after participating in fleet exercises off Puerto Rico. |
11 May 1963 | USS Wasp arrived off Bermuda to serve as a backup recovery ship for the Mercury space capsule recovery. |
18 May 1963 | USS Wasp departed waters off Bermuda. |
20 Jul 1963 | Captain John Philip Weinel was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
25 Sep 1963 | John Hardy became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Ellis Fisher. |
1 Oct 1963 | USS Shangri-La was assigned to the US Navy 6th Fleet. |
4 May 1964 | USS Ticonderoga began a tour in Asian waters. |
4 May 1964 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
14 May 1964 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for waters between Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Kingston, Jamaica for a refresher training cruise. |
3 Jun 1964 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
3 Jul 1964 | Captain Damon Warren Cooper was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
15 Jul 1964 | Mayo Hadden, Jr. became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving John Hardy. |
21 Jul 1964 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Norfolk, Virginia, United States. |
7 Aug 1964 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
8 Sep 1964 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Virginia, United States, where she would set sail for Valencia, Spain to start a tour in the Mediterranean Sea. |
18 Dec 1964 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
8 Feb 1965 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for fleet exercises in the Caribbean Sea. |
15 Feb 1965 | USS Shangri-La began a deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. |
14 May 1965 | Captain Robert Nicholas Miller was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
7 Jun 1965 | USS Wasp recovered Gemini IV astronauts and their spacecraft off the east coast of the United States. |
1 Jul 1965 | William Pardee became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Mayo Hadden, Jr. |
20 Aug 1965 | USS Wasp hosted 12 United States Congressmen. |
21 Aug 1965 | USS Wasp hosted 12 United States Congressmen. |
20 Sep 1965 | USS Shangri-La completed deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. |
28 Sep 1965 | USS Ticonderoga began a tour in Asian waters. |
5 Nov 1965 | USS Ticonderoga reached Dixie Station off the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam and began operations against North Vietnamese forces. |
5 Dec 1965 | An A-4 Skyhawk aircraft from USS Ticonderoga was lost over the side off Okinawa. The pilot, the aircraft, and the B43 nuclear bomb it carried wer never found. |
16 Dec 1965 | USS Wasp began a mission to recover astronauts of Gemini VI and VII. |
18 Dec 1965 | USS Wasp completed a mission to recover astronauts of Gemini VI and VII. |
22 Dec 1965 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
24 Jan 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for exercises off Puerto Rico. |
27 Jan 1966 | USS Wasp suffered structural damage during a storm in the Caribbean Sea. |
1 Feb 1966 | USS Wasp entered Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico to evaluate damages caused by a storm. |
6 Feb 1966 | USS Wasp began a period of anti-submarine operations off Puerto Rico. |
8 Feb 1966 | USS Wasp began a period of anti-submarine operations off Puerto Rico. |
18 Feb 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States to receive repairs for damages caused by a storm in late Jan 1966. |
7 Mar 1966 | USS Wasp's repairs of storm damage were completed at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
21 Mar 1966 | USS Wasp embarked a television film crew from the National Broadcasting Company. |
24 Mar 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
27 Mar 1966 | USS Wasp hosted Austrian Ambassador to the United States Doctor Ernst Lemberger. |
1 Apr 1966 | Van Eason, Jr. became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving William Pardee. |
18 Apr 1966 | USS Wasp embarked US Secretary of the Navy Paul Nitze and departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. |
6 May 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
1 Jun 1966 | Captain Martin G. "Butch" O'Neill was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
6 Jun 1966 | USS Wasp recovered Gemini IX astronauts Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Stafford and Lieutenant Commander Eugene Cernan in the Atlantic Ocean. |
20 Jun 1966 | USS Wasp participated in the ASWEX III anti-submarine exercise in the Atlantic Ocean. |
1 Jul 1966 | USS Wasp completed the ASWEX III anti-submarine exercise and returned to Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
25 Jul 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for ASWEX IV anti-submarine exercise. |
5 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp completed the ASWEX IV anti-submarine exercise in the Atlantic Ocean. |
8 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States on a Dependents' Day Cruise for the family of the servicemen. |
9 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States, completing a Dependents' Day Cruise for the family of the servicemen. |
10 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp conducted a orientation cruise out of Boston Massachusetts, United States. |
11 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp conducted a orientation cruise out of Boston Massachusetts, United States. |
22 Aug 1966 | USS Wasp conducted a orientation cruise out of Boston Massachusetts, United States. |
1 Sep 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
19 Sep 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for a joint hunter-killer operation exercise with aircraft of Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean. |
4 Oct 1966 | USS Wasp completed a joint hunter-killer operation exercise with aircraft of Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic Ocean. |
4 Nov 1966 | Captain James Bernice Cain was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
5 Nov 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for the Gemini XII recovery operation. |
10 Nov 1966 | Captain Ward Scott Miller was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
15 Nov 1966 | USS Wasp recovered astronauts Captain James Lovell and Major Edwin Aldrin of the Gemini XII space program in the Atlantic Ocean. |
18 Nov 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States, ending the Gemini XII recovery operation. |
28 Nov 1966 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for the Lantflex-66 fleet exercise. |
16 Dec 1966 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
24 Jan 1967 | USS Wasp began serving as a carrier qualification duty ship for the Naval Air Training Command in the Gulf of Mexico and off the east coast of Florida, United States. |
4 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. |
8 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp departed New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. |
11 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp arrived at Pensacola, Florida, United States. |
12 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp departed Pensacola, Florida, United States. |
19 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp arrived at Mayport, Florida, United States. |
20 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp departed Mayport, Florida, United States. |
26 Feb 1967 | USS Wasp arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
27 Feb 1967 | Gordon Robertson became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Van Eason, Jr. |
19 Mar 1967 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Springboard operations in the Caribbean Sea. |
24 Mar 1967 | While refueling, carrier USS Wasp collided with oiler USS Salamonie in the Atlantic Ocean; Wasp would set sail for Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico for repairs. |
29 Mar 1967 | USS Wasp completed her repairs at Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico. |
30 Mar 1967 | USS Wasp arrived at the US Virgin Islands. |
2 Apr 1967 | USS Wasp departed the US Virgin Islands. |
7 Apr 1967 | USS Wasp arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
11 Apr 1967 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, United States. |
21 Apr 1967 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States for a scheduled overhaul. |
10 Sep 1967 | USS Wasp suffered a small fire in the combat information center while in drydock at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States. |
3 Nov 1967 | Captain Norman Kenneth McInnis was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
28 Jan 1968 | USS Wasp arrived at Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States for post-overhaul repairs. |
31 Jan 1968 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) joined the force US Navy ships providing search and rescue support in response to the North Korean seizure of USS Pueblo. |
23 Feb 1968 | Jackson Stockton became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Gordon Robertson. |
28 Feb 1968 | USS Wasp's crew began a five-week period of refresher training. |
1 Mar 1968 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) released from duty related to the USS Pueblo incident. |
30 Mar 1968 | USS Wasp set sail for Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
6 Apr 1968 | USS Wasp arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, United States for minor repairs. |
29 Apr 1968 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for the Fixwex C exercise in the Bahamas. |
20 May 1968 | USS Wasp departed the Bahamas for Jacksonville, Florida, United States. |
12 Jun 1968 | While refueling, carrier USS Wasp collided with oiler USS Truckee in the Atlantic Ocean; Wasp would set sail for Norfolk, Virignia, United States for evaluation and repairs. |
20 Jun 1968 | USS Wasp departed Norfolk, Virignia, United States for Boston, Massachusetts, United States. |
9 Jul 1968 | USS Ticonderoga's air group scored its first kill against a MiG aircraft. |
3 Aug 1968 | USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Norfolk, Virignia, United States. |
10 Aug 1968 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
20 Aug 1968 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for Silvertower NATO exercise in European waters. |
25 Oct 1968 | USS Wasp entered the Mediterranean Sea. |
26 Oct 1968 | USS Wasp was assigned to US Navy Task Group 67.6 while in the Mediterranean Sea. |
7 Nov 1968 | USS Wasp departed Naples, Italy. |
19 Dec 1968 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
23 Dec 1968 | Captain Richard E. Fowler, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
27 Dec 1968 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) served as the primary recovery ship for the Apollo 8 space mission, the first astronauts to orbit the moon. |
13 Feb 1969 | USS Randolph was decommissioned from service. |
6 Mar 1969 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
1 Apr 1969 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
16 Apr 1969 | USS Wasp arrived at Lisbon, Portugal. |
21 Apr 1969 | USS Wasp began her participation in Trilant exercise with Spanish and Portuguese navies. |
26 Apr 1969 | USS Wasp completed her participation in Trilant exercise with Spanish and Portuguese navies. |
15 May 1969 | USS Wasp arrived at Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom and participated in a NATO naval review presided by Queen Elizabeth and her consort Prince Philip. |
23 May 1969 | Carl Seiberlich became the commanding officer of USS Hornet, relieving Jackson Stockton. |
30 Jun 1969 | USS Wasp departed Europe for the United States. |
30 Jun 1969 | USS Shangri-La was reclassified as an antisubmarine warfare support aircraft carrier, CVS. |
12 Aug 1969 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for an one-day United Fund cruise. |
24 Aug 1969 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
29 Aug 1969 | USS Wasp began a period of carrier qualifications and basic qualifications off Corpus Christi, Texas, United States and Pensacola, Florida, United States. |
4 Sep 1969 | USS Ticonderoga completed her final tour in the Vietnam War. |
21 Sep 1969 | USS Ticonderoga was reclassified anti-submarine warfare carrier CVS-14. |
6 Oct 1969 | USS Wasp completed a period of carrier qualifications and basic qualifications off Corpus Christi, Texas, United States and Pensacola, Florida, United States. |
10 Oct 1969 | USS Wasp began a period of limited availability. |
24 Oct 1969 | Captain William Henry McLaughlin, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
22 Nov 1969 | USS Wasp departed the Virginia Capes area on the east coast of the United States. |
10 Dec 1969 | USS Wasp completed a period of carrier qualifications off Jacksonville, Florida, United States. |
13 Dec 1969 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
4 Jan 1970 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, United States. |
9 Jan 1970 | USS Wasp entered Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States for a scheduled overhaul. |
15 Jan 1970 | USS Bennington was placed out of commission for the last time at Bremerton, Washington, United States. |
5 Mar 1970 | USS Shangri-La departed Mayport, Florida, United States. |
13 Mar 1970 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
16 Mar 1970 | USS Wasp began a post-overhaul shakedown cruise. |
16 Mar 1970 | USS Shangri-La departed Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
3 Apr 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
4 Apr 1970 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines. |
7 May 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Lisbon, Portugal for NATO exercise Night Patrol. |
8 Jun 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Rota, Spain. |
26 Jun 1970 | USS Wasp departed Copenhagen, Denmark. |
26 Jun 1970 | USS Hornet was decommissioned from service. |
27 Jun 1970 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and was put in the Philadelphia Group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. |
30 Jun 1970 | USS Wasp crossed the Arctic Circle in the Norwegian Sea. |
13 Jul 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Hamburg, Germany, welcomed by a gathering of 15,000 Germans. |
10 Aug 1970 | USS Wasp departed Britain for the Norwegian Sea. |
28 Aug 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Plymouth, England, United Kingdom. |
30 Aug 1970 | USS Wasp departed Plymouth, England, United Kingdom. |
8 Sep 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
11 Oct 1970 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey, United States. |
15 Oct 1970 | USS Wasp entered Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States. |
9 Nov 1970 | USS Shangri-La departed Subic Bay, Philippines. |
14 Dec 1970 | Captain Edward Ayes Boyd was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
14 Dec 1970 | USS Wasp exited Boston Naval Shipyard, Massachusetts, United States. |
16 Dec 1970 | USS Shangri-La arrived at Mayport, Florida, United States. |
19 Dec 1970 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
14 Jan 1971 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
20 Jan 1971 | Carrier USS Wasp and oiler USS Chukawan collided while refueling southwest of Bermuda. |
12 Feb 1971 | USS Wasp hosted Secretary of the Navy John Chafee and Vice Admiral Isaac C. Kidd, Jr. |
15 Feb 1971 | USS Wasp set sail for Gibraltar. |
24 Feb 1971 | USS Wasp set sail for the United States. |
3 Mar 1971 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
27 Apr 1971 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
3 May 1971 | USS Wasp began her participation of exercise Exotic Dancer. |
8 May 1971 | USS Wasp embarked a television crew from the American Broadcasting Company. |
15 May 1971 | USS Wasp conducted a Dependents' Day Cruise for the family of the servicemen. |
2 Jul 1971 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
30 Jul 1971 | USS Shangri-La was decommissioned from service for the final time and was placed in the Atlantic Reserved Fleet at Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania, United States. |
26 Aug 1971 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
23 Sep 1971 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for exercise Lantcortex 1-72. |
6 Oct 1971 | USS Wasp completed her participation in exercise Lantcortex 1-72. |
4 Nov 1971 | USS Wasp arrived at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. |
8 Nov 1971 | USS Wasp departed Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States for Newport News Building and Drydock Company drydock facilities in Virginia, United States. |
22 Nov 1971 | USS Wasp exited from the drydock facilities of Newport News Building and Drydock Company in Virginia, United States. |
1 Mar 1972 | It was announced that USS Wasp would be decommissioned in the near future. |
27 Apr 1972 | USS Ticonderoga recovers Apollo 16 astronauts 220 miles southeast of Kiritimati Island in the Gilbert Islands. |
14 May 1972 | Captain Frank T. Hemler was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
1 Jul 1972 | USS Wasp was decommissioned from service and was struck from the US Naval Register. |
6 Oct 1972 | Captain Norman Kenneth Green was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
19 Dec 1972 | USS Ticonderoga recovers Apollo 17 astronauts 450 miles southeast of Samoa. |
21 May 1973 | USS Wasp was sold to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation of New York, New York, United States for scrapping. |
1 Jun 1973 | USS Yorktown (Essex-class) was struck from the Navy list. |
22 Jun 1973 | USS Ticonderoga recovers Skylab II astronauts 800 miles southwest of San Diego, California, United States. |
14 Aug 1973 | Captain George W. Bruce, Jr. was named the commanding officer of USS Ticonderoga. |
1 Sep 1973 | USS Ticonderoga was decommissioned from service at San Diego, California, United States. |
16 Nov 1973 | Ticonderoga was struck from the US Naval Vessel Register. |
1 Sep 1975 | Ticonderoga was sold for scrap. |
13 Oct 1975 | On the 200th anniversary of the US Navy, ex-USS Yorktown (Essex-class) was formally dedicated as a memorial and museum ship at Patriot's Point, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, United States. |
15 Jul 1982 | USS Shangri-La was struck from the US Navy list. |
9 Aug 1988 | Carrier Shangri-La was sold for scrap. |
25 Jul 1989 | USS Hornet was struck from the US Naval Vessel Register. |
8 Nov 1991 | USS Lexington was decommissioned from service for the last time, the last of the Essex-class to be taken out of service. Lexington had more time in commission than any other aircraft carrier in the world, a record she still holds. At the time of her retirement, Lexington also held the world record for the carrier with the most arrested "trap" aircraft landings at almost 500,000. |
12 Jan 1994 | The ex-USS Bennington was sold for scrap. |
26 May 1998 | USS Hornet was donated to the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation. |
17 Oct 1998 | USS Hornet was opened to the public as USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, California, United States. |
6 Sep 2017 | The bell from carrier Shangri-La was placed on display at the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Building in Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida, United States. |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
18 Jun 2024 07:03:53 AM
To anonymous of 16 Jun 2024, thanks for spotting that error, the timeline entry has been updated to "Mount Pleasant, South Carolina".
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Thomas Dodd, late 1945

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16 Jun 2024 11:13:10 PM
The Yorktown is in Charleston, SC, not Charlotte