Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

USS Intrepid, USS Saratoga, USS Independence pictured as they celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation.

Grumman F9F Panther pictured being fueled by crewmen on the flight deck of USS Boxer, during Korean War operations in July 1951.

USS Lexington pictured in 1955.

HANCOCK in 1944 and 1968. Like most of the ESSEX class the USN got tremendous use out of this carrier and the design! DFO

Grumman F9F-2 Panther pictured on the elevator of Carrier USS Bon Homme Richard prior to a strike launch to Korea on November 27th 1952.

USS Antietam pictured as she takes aboard a Douglas F3D Skyknight during testing of the Bell Automatic Landing System, in 1957. An F3D Skynight, command pilot Lt Cdr Don Walker, landed aboard the Antietam hands-off on August 12th 1957. This landing was the first shipboard test of an automatic landing system designed to recover aircraft in all weather conditions.

Launch day for Essex Class Carrier USS Hancock at Bethlehem Steel Co. Yard, Quincy, Massachusetts, on January 24th 1944.

USS Bon Homme Richard pictured at San Diego on January 21st 1952.

Essex Class Carrier USS Wasp pictured c1952.

Essex Class Carrier USS Valley Forge CVA-45 pictured in the Pedro Miguel Locks, Panama Canal on November 15th 1954.