Aircraft Carriers: Essex Class

[Brian James]

Essex Class Carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) pictured in Dry Dock No. 4 at Pearl Harbor on December 12th 1943. She was receiving emergency repairs after being struck by an aerial torpedo off Kwajalein Island in the Marshall Islands. Once the temporary repairs were complete, she left for Bremerton, where she arrived on December 22nd 1943.

[Brian James]

USS Essex pictured in Puget Sound on March 5th 1951.

[Brian James]

USS Wasp CV-18 pictured in Dry Dock at Bayonne, New Jersey post her collision with Gleaves Class Destroyer USS Hobson....On the night of April 26th 1952, U.S.S. Hobson, commanded by Lieutenant Commander William J. Tierney, collided with U.S.S. Wasp, commanded by Captain Burnham C. McCaffree. The Hobson, struck on her starboard side amidships, split in two and sank within four minutes of the collision, 176 men, including Hobson's commanding officer, died as a result. Due to speedy rescue operations by Wasp and USS Rodman, 52 men survived. The Wasp sustained a jagged 75 foot-long tear to her bow, but suffered no casualties....RIP..Lest We forget.

[Brian James]

USS Bon Homme Richard pictured off NAS Brooklyn, (aka Bennett Field), New York on January 9th 1945.

[Brian James]

Launch day pictured for USS Essex at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company on July 31st 1942.

[Brian James]

USS Kearsarge pictured on entry to San Diego on May 17th 1956.

[Brian James]

USS Hancock pictured on entry to Sydney in August 1970.

[Brian James]

Launch day pictured for Essex Class Carrier USS Shangri-La at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on February 24th 1944.

[Brian James]

USMC Vought F4U-4 Corsair from Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 311 making a barrier crash aboard Carrier USS Philippine Sea, c1948.

[Brian James]

Ordnancemen pictured aboard Carrier USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), loading rockets beneath the port wing of Fighter Squadron (VF-64) F4U-4B Corsair, during operations off the Korean coast on May 21st 1951.