The Aircraft Carriers
|
A Place Called
YORKSHIP The Aircraft Carriers |
| Last Update: 31 October 2018 |
One of New York Ship's most significant contributions to the war effort in the Pacific came in the form of the "Sun Setter" light carriers, an entire class of 11,000-ton aircraft carriers based on Cleveland-class cruisers. Yorkship also built one of the Navy's first carriers, the Saratoga (itself a conversion from a cancelled class of battle cruisers), and one of its last conventionally-powered supercarriers, the Kitty Hawk.
| Designation | C# | Name(s)
(links are to photos) |
Keel Laid | Ways | Launched | Delivered | Description | Notes |
| CV-3 | 199 | Saratoga
(laid down as Battle Cruiser #3) |
Sep 25, 1920 | O | Apr 07, 1925 | Nov 16, 1927 |
 U.S. Navy photo 888ft, 33000dp, 8x8" 12x5" |
First fast carrier in USN. During Fleet Problem XIX in 1938, launched simulated surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Received 7 Battle Stars for WWII service. Declared surplus and assigned to Operation Crossroads (Bikini Atoll atomic tests). Survived air burst 1 July, sunk in lagoon by underwater test 25 July. Struck 1 Aug 1946. DANFS History |
| CVL-22 | 427 | Independence (laid down as CL-59 Amsterdam) | May 1, 1941 | T | Aug 22, 1942 | Jan 14, 1943 |
 U.S. Navy photo Independence class light carrier, aka "Sun Setter"; 622ft, 11000dp |
Seriously damaged by aerial torpedo Nov 1943 near Tarawa. Repaired, took part in Battle of Leyte Gulf, Oct 1944, invasion of Okinawa, Mar 1945. Assigned to Operation Crossroads, badly damaged in 2nd A-bomb test. Decommissioned Aug 1946, sunk in weapons tests off California coast 29 January 1951. DANFS History |
| CVL-23 | 429 | Princeton
(laid down as CL-61 Tallahassee) |
Jun 02, 1941 | U | Oct 18, 1942 | Feb 25, 1943 |  U.S. Navy photo |
Earned 9 Battle Stars in WWII. Struck by dive bomber in Battle of Leyte Gulf, torpedoed and sunk by destroyer Irwin and cruiser Reno when fires could not be contained. DANFS History |
| CVL-24
R97 |
431 | Belleau Wood
(laid down as CL-76 New Haven); Bois Belleau |
Aug 11, 1941 | U | Dec 06, 1942 | Mar 31, 1943 |
 U.S. Navy photo |
Damaged by kamikaze 30 October 1944 near Leyte, 92 killed. Decommissioned and placed in reserve 1947; transferred to France 1951 under MDAP and commissioned 1953 as Bois Belleau. Returned Sep 1960, stricken Oct 1960, scrapped 1962. |
| CVL-25 | 432 | Cowpens
(laid down as CL-77 Huntington) |
Nov 17, 1941 | U | Jan 17, 1943 | May 28, 1943 |  U.S. Navy photo |
Stricken Nov 1959. Scrapped. DANFS History Web site. |
| CVL-26 | 433 | Monterey
(laid down as CL-78 Dayton) |
Dec 29, 1941 | U | Feb 28, 1943 | Jun 17, 1943 |
 U.S. Navy photo |
Stricken Jun 1970. Scrapped. DANFS History |
| CVL-27 | 443 | Langley
(laid down as CL-85 Fargo) |
Apr 11, 1942 | J | May 22, 1943 | Aug 31, 1943 |
 U.S. Navy photo |
Transferred to France 1951-1963. Sold for scrap, Feb 1964. DANFS History |
| CVL-28 | 434 | Cabot
(laid down as CL-79 Wilmington) |
Mar 16, 1942 | M | Apr 04, 1943 | Jul 24, 1943 | Independence class | Transferred to Spain Aug 1967, returned to US 1989 (private museum endeavor). Auctioned to salvors 10 September 1999. Preservation effort failed; scrapped at Metro Marine in Brownsville. DANFS History |
| CVL-29 | 441 | Bataan
(ordered as CL-99 Buffalo) |
Aug 31, 1942 | T | Aug 01, 1943 | Nov 17, 1943 |  U.S. Navy photo |
Stricken Sep 1959. Scrapped. |
| CVL-30 | 442 | San Jacinto
(ordered as CL-100 Newark) |
Oct 26, 1942 | U | Sep 26, 1943 | Dec 15, 1943 |
 U.S. Navy photo |
Stricken Jun 1970. Scrapped. DANFS History |
| CVL-48
AGMR-2 |
469 | Saipan
Arlington |
Jul 10, 1944 | O | Jul 08, 1945 | Jul 10, 1946 |  U.S. Navy photo Saipan class light fleet carrier, 664ft, 19000dp (based on Baltimore class heavy cruiser) |
Converted to communications relay ship, 1965. Decommissioned Jan 1970, with Inactive Fleet, San Diego. Sold for scrap Jun 1976. DANFS History |
| CVL-49
CC-2 |
470 | Wright | Aug 21, 1944 | M | Sep 01, 1945 | Feb 07, 1947 |  U.S. Navy photo Saipan class |
Decommissioned, 1956, and placed in Bremerton Reserve. Recommissioned as command ship (CC), 1963. Decommissioned, May 1970, and placed in Philadelphia Reserve. Sold for scrap, Aug 1980. |
| CVA- 63 | 514 | Kitty Hawk | Dec 27, 1956 | Drydock | May 21, 1960 | Apr 25, 1961 |  U.S. Navy photo Kitty Hawk class, 1047ft, 60000dp |
Was last conventionally powered multi-mission carrier in the USN. Until 2008 was forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. Decommissioned 2009 and placed in Bremerton reserve fleet. Status changed to non-retention in Oct 2017, condemning her to the torch. |
C# = New York Shipbuilding contract number
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your Yorkship memories to Michael Kube-McDowell, Class of '68
