Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945

Aircraft Carriers

Additional Links & Resources:

Aircraft Carrier Bibliography [Naval Historiical Center]
Evolution of Aircraft Carriers (NHC: out-of-print monograph downloadable as .pdf files)
Aircraft Carrier Historical Data
Aircraft Carriers [Dictionary of American Fighting Ships]
Aircraft Carrier Photo Index [NavSource]
Fighting Flattops: Wargaming on the Web
Carrier Warfare in the Pacific; An Oral History Collection, E.T. Woolridge, Editor (Smithsonian: 1993)

CVB -- Fleet Aircraft Carriers, Large

Click on CVB-##" for link to page with specifications, history, photographs (where available).

Midway Class:

Displacement: 55,000 tons (full load)
Length: 968'
Beam: 113' at water line
Draft: 33'
Speed 33 knots
Armament: 18 5"/54 DP, 21x4 40mm, 28 20mm, 97 F4U and 48 SB2C or 73 F4U, 27 F8F, 32 F7F
Complement: 3000+
Geared turbines, 4 screws, 212,00 h.p.

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVB-43 Coral Sea 1 Oct 1947

CVB-42 Franklin D. Roosevelt 27 Oct 1945

CVB-41 Midway 10 Sep 1945

CV -- Fleet Aircraft Carriers

Click on "CV-##" for link to page with specifications, history, photographs (where available).

Lexington Class:

Displacement: 33,000 tons
Length: 910'
Beam: 105'
Draft: 35'"
Speed 34 knots
Armament: 12 5"/38 DP, 2x2 40mm, 23x4 40mm, 16 20mm, 86 planes
Complement: 3373
Turbines with electric motor, 4 screws, 180,000 hp
Max cruising radius: 4,600 miles @ 25 knots; 9,500 miles at 15 knots
Converted from Battle Cruisers while building

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-2 Lexington 14 Dec 27 8 May 42; aerial torpedo at Battle of Coral Sea

CV-3 Saratoga 16 Nov 27

Ranger:

Displacement: 14,500 tons
Length: 769'
Beam: 80' at water line
Draft: 24'6"
Speed 30 knots
Armament: 8 5"/25 DP, 6x4 40mm, 46 20mm, 72 planes
Complement: 2461
Geared turbines with twin screws, 53,500 hp
Max cruising radius: 5,800 miles @ 25 knots; 11,500 miles @ 15 knots

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-4 Ranger 4 Jun 34

Yorktown Class:

Displacement: 19,800 tons
Length: 827'4"
Beam: 83' at water line
Draft: 31'
Speed 34 knots
Armament: 8 5"/38 DP, 8x2 40mm, 6x4 40mm, 50 20mm, 85 planes
Complement: 2919
Geared turbines with four screws, 120,000 hp

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-6 Enterprise 12 May 38

CV-5 Yorktown 30 Sep 37 7Jun 42; aerial & submarine torpedoes (I-168) at Battle of Midway

Wasp:

Displacement: 14,700 tons
Length: 739'
Beam: 80'9"
Draft: 20'
Speed 30 knots
Armament: 8 5"/38, 84 planes
Complement: 1800

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-7 Wasp 25 Apr 40 15 Sep 42; torpedo, with convoy to Guadalcanal

Hornet:

Displacement: 20,000 tons
Length: 809'6"
Beam: 83'3"
Draft: 21'8"
Speed 34 knots
Armament: 8 5"/38, 81 planes
Complement: 2072
Geared turbines with four screws

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-8 Hornet 20 Oct 41 Launched 16 B-25s on Tokyo raid, 18 Apr 42
26 Oct 42; torpedoed by IJN destroyers after damage at Battle of Santa Cruz Islands

Essex Class, Short-Hull Group:

Displacement: 27,100 tons
Length: 874'
Beam: 93' at water line
Draft: 28'
Speed 33 knots
Armament: 12 5"/38, 10-18x4 40mm, 56-62 20mm, 103 planes
Complement: 3448
Geared turbines with four screws, 150,000 hp
Max cruising radius: 10,700 miles at 25 knots; 16,900 miles @ 15 knots

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-20 Bennington 6 Aug 44

CV-31 Bon Homme Richard 26 Nov 44

CV-17 Bunker Hill 24 May 43

CV-9 Essex 31 Dec 42

CV-13 Franklin 31 Jan 44

CV-12 Hornet 29 Nov 43

CV-11 Intrepid 16 Aug 43

CV-16 Lexington 17 Feb 43

CV-18 Wasp 24 Nov 43

CV-10 Yorktown 15 Apr 43

Essex Class, Long-Hull Group:

Displacement: 27,100 tons
Length: 885'
Beam: 93' at water line
Draft: 28'7"
Speed 33 knots
Armament: 12 5"/38 DP, 10-18x4 40mm, 56-62 20mm, 103 planes
Complement: 3448
Geared turbines with four screws, 150,000 hp
Max cruising radius: 10,700 miles @ 25 knots; 16,900 miles @ 15 knots

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CV-36 Antietam 28 Jan 45

CV-21 Boxer 16 Apr 45

CV-19 Hancock 15 Apr 44

CV-39 Lake Champlain 3 Jun 45

CV-15 Randolph 9 Oct 44

CV-38 Shangri-La 15 Sep 44

CV-14 Ticonderoga 8 May 44

CVL -- Light Aircraft Carriers

Click on "CVL-##" for link to page with specifications, history, photographs (where available).

Independence Class:

Displacement: 11,000 tons
Length: 619'
Beam: 71' at water line
Draft: 24'
Speed: 32 knots
Armament: 10x2 40mm, 2x4 40mm, 16-20 20mm, 33 planes
Complement: 1569
Geared turbine engines with 4 screws, 103,000 hp
Max cruising radius: 5,800 miles @ 25 knots; 10,100 miles @ 15 knots
Converted from Cleveland Class cruiser hulls

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVL-29 Bataan 17 Nov 43

CVL-24 Belleau Wood 31 Mar 43

CVL-28 Cabot 24 Jul 43

CVL-25 Cowpens 28 May 43

CVL-22 Independence 14 Jan 43

CVL-27 Langley 31 Aug 43

CVL-26 Monterey 17 Jun 43

CVL-23 Princeton 25 Feb 43 24 Oct 44; bomb-fire at Leyte

CVL-30 San Jacinto 15 Dec 43

Saipan Class:

Displacement: 14,500 tons
Length: 638'7"
Beam: 76'9"
Draft: 25'
Speed: 33 knots
Armament: 10x2 40mm, 5x4 40mm, 25 20mm, 48 planes
Complement: 1500+
Adapted from Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser design, but built from keel up as Carriers

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVL-48 Saipan 1945

CVL-49 Wright 1946

CVE -- Escort Aircraft Carriers

Carried as Aircraft Carriers, Escort (AVG) until 20 Aug. 1942 and Auxiliary Aircraft Carriers (ACV) until CVE designation established 15 July 1943.

Cuts and Guts
Verse 1: Chorus:

Navy fliers fly off the big carriers Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.

Army fliers aren't seen oe'r the sea The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!

But we're in the lousy Marine Corps Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.

So we get these dang CVE's! The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 2: Verse 3:

O Midway has thousand-foot runways Our catapult shots are so hairy,

And Leyte, eight hundred and ten. Our catapult gear is red hot

We'd still not have much of a carrier It never goes off when you're ready,

With two of ours laid end to end. It always goes off when you're not!

Verse 4: Verse 5:

We envy the boys on the big ones. Some day when this fracas is over

And we'd trade in a minute or two, And back at El Toro we'll be,

'Cause we'd like to see those poor bastards We'll load up with rockets and napalm

Try doing the things we do! And we'll sink every damned CVE!

Cuts and Guts
Verse 1:	Chorus:
Navy fliers fly off the big carriers	Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
Army fliers aren't seen oe'r the sea	The guys that make carriers are nuts. Are nuts!
But we're in the lousy Marine Corps	Cuts and guts, cuts and guts.
So we get these dang CVE's!	The guys that make carriers are nuts.

Verse 2:	Verse 3:
O Midway has thousand-foot runways	Our catapult shots are so hairy,
And Leyte, eight hundred and ten.	Our catapult gear is red hot
We'd still not have much of a carrier	It never goes off when you're ready,
With two of ours laid end to end.	It always goes off when you're not!

Verse 4:	Verse 5:
We envy the boys on the big ones.	Some day when this fracas is over
And we'd trade in a minute or two,	And back at El Toro we'll be,
'Cause we'd like to see those poor bastards	We'll load up with rockets and napalm
Try doing the things we do!	And we'll sink every damned CVE!

Click on "CVE-##" for link to page with specifications, history, photographs (where available).

Long Island Class:

Displacement: 14,055 tons (full load)
Length: 492'
Beam: 69' at water line
Draft: 25'6"
Speed: 17 knots
Armament 1 5"/51, 2 3"/50 DP, 10-20 20mm, 21 planes
Complement: 1970
Sun-Doxford diesel engines, 1 screw, 9,000 h.p.
Maritime Commission hull

The first vessels designated as escort carriers to be added to the U.S. Navy. Their general scheme of conversion followed that of the former naval collier Jupiter, which became America's 1st carrier, the old Langley (CV-1 -- then AV-3).

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVE-30 Charger 3 Mar 42 Used in a training capacity

CVE-1 Long Island 2 Jun 41

Bogue Class:

Displacement: 15,200 tons (full load)
Length: 495'8"
Beam: 69' at water line
Draft: 26'
Speed: 17 knots
Armament 2 5"/38 DP, 10x2 40mm, 27 20mm, 28 planes
Complement: 890-1205
Geared turbines, 1 screw, 8,500 h.p.
Max cruising radius: 22,500 miles @ 17 knots; 26,300 @ 15 knots
Seattle-Tacoma built C3-S-A1 type hulls

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVE-18 Altamaha 15 Sep 42

CVE-20 Barnes 20 Feb 43

CVE-21 Block Island 8 Mar 43 29 May 44; torpedo in N. Atlantic

CVE-9 Bogue 26 Sep 42

CVE-23 Breton 12 Apr 43

CVE-11 Card 8 Nov 42

CVE-12 Copahee 15 Jun 43

CVE-13 Core 10 Dec 42

CVE-25 Croatan 28 Apr 43

CVE-16 Nassau 20 Aug 42

CVE-31 Prince William 9 Apr 43 Prince William class -- CVE-32-54 transferred to UK

Sangamon Class:

Displacement: 23,350 tons (full load)
Length: 553'
Beam: 75' at water line
Draft: 32'
Speed: 17 knots
Armament 2 5"/38, 7x2 40mm, 2x4 40mm, 21 20mm, 30 planes
Complement: 1080
Geared turbines, twin screws, 13,500 h.p.
Max cruising radius: 20,000 miles @ 17 knots; 23,900 miles @ 15 knots
Converted Cimarron class Fleet Oilers

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

Sangamon Class

CVE-28 Chenango 19 Sep 42

CVE-26 Sangamon 25 Aug 42

CVE-29 Santee 24 Aug 42

CVE-27 Suwanee 24 Sep 42

No.	Name	Comm.	Notes (: Lost)
	Sangamon Class
CVE-28	Chenango	19 Sep 42
CVE-26	Sangamon	25 Aug 42
CVE-29	Santee	24 Aug 42
CVE-27	Suwanee	24 Sep 42

Casablanca Class:

First Escort Carriers designed and built from the keel up as such.

Displacement: 10,982 tons (full load)
Length: 512'3"
Beam: 65' at water line
Draft: 22'4"
Speed: 19 knots
Armament 1 5"/38 DP, 8x2 40mm, 20 20mm, 28 planes
Complement: 860
Skinner Unaflow reciprocating engines, twin screws, 11,200 h.p.
Max cruising radius: 10,200 miles @ 15 knots; 7,200 miles @ 19 knots

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVE-99 Admiralty Islands 13 Jun 44

CVE-55 Alazon Bay
Casablanca 8 Jul 43
3 Apr 45
(renamed)

CVE-102 Attu 30 Jun 44

CVE-95 Bismarck Sea 20 May 44 21 Feb 45; bomb at Iwo Jima

CVE-100 Bouganville 18 Jun 44

CVE-88 Cape Esperance 9 Apr 44

CVE-57 Coral Sea
Anzio 27 Aug 43
15 Sep 44
(renamed)

CVE-58 Corregidor 31 Aug 43

CVE-70 Fanshaw Bay 9 Dec 43

CVE-73 Gambier Bay 28 Dec 43 25 Oct 44; gunfire at Leyte Gulf

CVE-60 Guadalcanal 18 Sep 43

CVE-75 Hoggatt Bay 11 Jan 44

CVE-97 Hollandia 1 Jun 44

CVE-69 Kasaan Bay 4 Dec 43

CVE-76 Kadashan Bay 18 Jan 44

CVE-68 Kalinin Bay 27 Nov 43

CVE-71 Kitkun Bay 15 Dec 43

CVE-98 Kwajalein 7 Jun 44

CVE-56 Liscome Bay 7 Aug 43 24 Nov 43; torpedo off Tarawa

CVE-94 Lunga Point 14 May 44

CVE-91 Makassar Strait 27 Apr 44

CVE-93 Makin Island 9 May 44

CVE-61 Manila Bay 5 Oct 43

CVE-77 Marcus Island 26 Jan 44

CVE-101 Matanikau 24 Jun 44

CVE-63 Midway
St. Lo 23 Oct 43
15 Sep 44

(renamed)
25 Oct 44; bomb at Leyte Gulf

CVE-59 Mission Bay 13 Sep 43

CVE-104 Munda 8 Jul 44

CVE-62 Natoma Bay 14 Oct 43

CVE-74 Nehenta Bay 3 Jan 44

CVE-79 Ommaney Bay 11 Feb 44 4 Jan 45; bomb at Lingayen Gulf

CVE-80 Petrof Bay 18 Feb 44

CVE-103 Roi 6 Jul 44

CVE-81 Rudyerd Bay 25 Feb 44

CVE-82 Saginaw Bay 2 Mar 44

CVE-96 Salamaua 26 May 44

CVE-83 Sargent Bay 9 Mar 44

CVE-78 Savo Island 3 Feb 44

CVE-84 Shamrock Bay 15 Mar 44

CVE-85 Shipley Bay 21 Mar 44

CVE-86 Sitkoh Bay 28 Mar 44

CVE-67 Solomons 21 Nov 43

CVE-87 Steamer Bay 4 Apr 44

CVE-89 Takanis Bay 15 Apr 44

CVE-90 Thetis Bay 21 Apr 44

CVE-64 Tripoli 31 Oct 43

CVE-72 Tulagi 21 Dec 43

CVE-65 Wake Island 7 Nov 43

CVE-66 White Plains 15 Nov 43

CVE-92 Windham Bay 3 May 44

Commencement Bay Class:

Displacement: 24,100 tons (full load)
Length: 557'1"
Beam: 75' at water line
Draft: 32'
Speed: 19 knots
Armament 2 5"/38, 3x4 40mm, 12x2 40mm, 20 20mm, 30 planes
Complement: 1066
Geared turbine engines with 2 screws, 16,000 hp

No. Name Comm. Notes (: Lost)

CVE-116 BadoengStrait 1945

CVE-115 Bairoko 16 Jul 45

CVE-106 Block Island 30 Dec 44

CVE-109 Cape Gloucester 5 Mar 45

CVE-105 Commencement Bay 27 Nov 44

CVE-107 Gilbert Islands 5 Feb 45

CVE-108 Kula Gulf 12 May 45

CVE-120 Mindoro 1945

CVE-122 Palau 1946

CVE-119 Point Cruz 1945

CVE-113 Puget Sound 18 Jun 45

CVE-121 Rabaul 1946

CVE-114 Rendova 1945

CVE-117 Saidor 4 Sep 1945

CVE-110 Salerno Bay 19 May 45

CVE-112 Siboney 14 May 45

CVE-118 Sicily 1945

CVE-123 Tinian 1946

CVE-111 Vela Gulf 9 Apr 45

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