Aircraft Carriers: Yorktown Class

[Brian James]

Ice cream had a special significance in US Naval Aviation. In the days before the introduction of helicopters, a Destroyer operated near Carriers during flight operations to serve as a Plane Guard. In the event an aircraft had to make a forced landing in the water, the ship was in position to rescue the airmen on board. When operations permitted, the Destroyer steamed alongside the Carrier and the downed aviator, seated in a bosun's chair, was winched along a high line connecting the two ships. The return of the pilot did not come without a price, as recorded in the war diary of the destroyer USS Melvin (DD 680). "The Melvin prided herself in her treatment of these air going sailors," it read. "When it came time to transfer the pilots to their carrier it was the custom to receive 20 gallons of ice cream in return...for to Destroyers, ice cream is a hard to get luxury at sea....Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) is pictured being assisted into a breeches bouy for transfer from USS Monaghan (DD-354) to USS Enterprise (CV-6) on May 31st 1942, while the ships were en route to the Midway area. He had been picked up by the Destroyer on May 28th, after his TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber had crashed attempting to land on the Carrier. Aviation Radioman First Class Charles T. Granat is partially visible behind Lindsey, waiting his turn on the high line. The other member of the plane's crew, Chief Aviation Pilot Thomas E. Schaeffer is standing with hands in pockets, just to left of the transfer group. Lindsey and Granat were killed in action attacking the Japanese fleet on June 4th 1942. ...RIP..Lest We Forget.

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured arriving at Southampton during Operation Magic Carpet, in November 1945. Whilst there she was awarded the highest honour by the Royal Navy, the British Admiralty Pennant. She was the only warship outside the Royal Navy to receive their highest honour..... Restored to peak condition, Enterprise voyaged to Pearl Harbor, returning to the States with some 1,141 servicemen due for discharge, including hospital patients and former POWs, then sailed on to New York on September 25th 1945 via the Panama Canal arriving on October 17th 1945. Two weeks later, she proceeded to Boston for installation of additional berthing facilities, then began a series of three Operation Magic Carpet voyages to Europe, bringing home more than 10,000 veterans in her final service to her country...The first European voyage returned 4,668 servicemen from Southampton in November 1945. On the second trip to Europe, she was boarded by the British First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Albert Alexander in Southampton, who presented Enterprise with the British Admiralty Pennant that was hoisted when a majority of the Admiralty Board members were present. The pennant was given to Enterprise as a token of respect from several high-ranking officers of an ally. She returned to New York on December 25th 1945 with 4,413 servicemen.

[designeraccd]

Two views of the repaired ENTERPRISE in the Puget Sound, Sept., '45........ DFO

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured post the kamikaze attack at the Battle of Okinawa..May 14th 1945.

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured entering Pearl Harbor on December 11th 1943, after participating in operations in the Marshall Islands.

[Brian James]

Yorktown Class Fleet Carrier USS Hornet pictured fitting out at Newport News Shipbuilding Company Shipyards in October 1941...During World War II in the Pacific Theater, she launched the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and participated in the Battle of Midway and the Buin-Faisi-Tonolai raid. In the Solomon Islands campaign, she was involved in the capture and defense of Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, where she was irreparably damaged by enemy torpedo and dive bombers. Faced with an approaching Japanese surface force, Hornet was abandoned and later torpedoed and sunk by approaching Japanese Destroyers. Hornet was in service for a year and six days, and was the last US Fleet Carrier ever sunk by enemy fire. Her wreck was located in late January 2019 near the Solomon Islands.

[Brian James]

Julien Lepelletier's painting of USS Enterprise departing Pearl Harbor in the early hours of December 9th 1941,after a short pit stop.

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured at Pearl Harbor in March 1942.

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured at Pearl Harbor in March 1942.

[Brian James]

USS Enterprise pictured at Guantanamo Bay in 1938.