Changes

The preceding [[USS Yorktown (CV-5)|''Yorktown''-class]] carriers formed the basis from which the ''Essex''-class was developed. Intended to carry a larger air group, and unencumbered by the now-obsolete naval limitations treaties, USS ''Essex'' was over sixty feet longer, nearly ten feet beamier and more than a third heavier. A longer, wider flight deck and a deck-edge elevator facilitated more efficient aviation operations, enhancing the ships' offensive and defensive air power. Machinery arrangement and armor protection was greatly improved. These features, with the provision of more anti-aircraft guns, gave the ships much-enhanced survivability. In fact, two of them, ''Franklin'' and ''Bunker Hill'', came home under their own power after being greviously damaged.

The preceding [[USS Yorktown (CV-5)|''Yorktown''-class]] carriers formed the basis from which the ''Essex''-class was developed. Intended to carry a larger air group, and unencumbered by the now-obsolete naval limitations treaties, USS ''Essex'' was over sixty feet longer, nearly ten feet beamier and more than a third heavier. A longer, wider flight deck and a deck-edge elevator facilitated more efficient aviation operations, enhancing the ships' offensive and defensive air power. Machinery arrangement and armor protection was greatly improved. These features, with the provision of more anti-aircraft guns, gave the ships much-enhanced survivability. In fact, two of them, ''Franklin'' and ''Bunker Hill'', came home under their own power after being greviously damaged.

Their construction greatly accelerated, the ''Essexes'' and the first few ''Ticonderogas'' formed the backbone of the Navy's mobile air striking power during the climactic years of the Pacific War. With their larger contemporaries of the ''Midway''-class, these carriers sustained the Navy's air power through the rest of the 1940s, during the Korean War era and beyond. Even after the arrival of the ''Forrestal''-type "super carriers", the ''Essex''-class and its sisters remained vital elements of naval strength. By the mid-1950s, fourteen of them of them had been modernized along the lines of ''Oriskany'', with all but one of those being further updated under the [[Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier|SCB-125]] program to facilitate operation of high-performance fighters and heavy attack aircraft.

Their construction greatly accelerated, the ''Essexes'' and the first few ''Ticonderogas'' formed the backbone of the Navy's mobile air striking power during the climactic years of the Pacific War. With their larger contemporaries of the ''Midway''-class, these carriers sustained the Navy's air power through the rest of the 1940s, during the Korean War era and beyond. Even after the arrival of the ''Forrestal''-type "super carriers", the ''Essex''-class and its sisters remained vital elements of naval strength. By the mid-1950s, fourteen of them had been modernized along the lines of ''Oriskany'', with all but one of those being further updated under the [[Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier|SCB-125]] program to facilitate operation of high-performance fighters and heavy attack aircraft.

[[Korean War]] and subsequent [[Cold War]] needs ensured that twenty-two of the twenty-four ships had extensive post-World War II service, all initially with attack air groups. As bigger carriers entered the fleet, seven of the ''Essex''-class and eleven ''Ticonderogas'' were reassigned to the anti-submarine warfare mission. Unmodernized ships began to leave active service in the late 1950s, but three had about a decade of additional duty as helicopter assault transports for the Marine Corps. The updated units remained active until age and budget shortfalls drove them from the high seas from the late 1960s into the middle 1970s. However, one of the very first of the type, USS ''Lexington'', ran on until 1991 as the Navy's training carrier. She then became a museum, a new role that also employs three of her siblings, ''Yorktown'' , ''Intrepid'', and ''Hornet''.

[[Korean War]] and subsequent [[Cold War]] needs ensured that twenty-two of the twenty-four ships had extensive post-World War II service, all initially with attack air groups. As bigger carriers entered the fleet, seven of the ''Essex''-class and eleven ''Ticonderogas'' were reassigned to the anti-submarine warfare mission. Unmodernized ships began to leave active service in the late 1950s, but three had about a decade of additional duty as helicopter assault transports for the Marine Corps. The updated units remained active until age and budget shortfalls drove them from the high seas from the late 1960s into the middle 1970s. However, one of the very first of the type, USS ''Lexington'', ran on until 1991 as the Navy's training carrier. She then became a museum, a new role that also employs three of her siblings, ''Yorktown'' , ''Intrepid'', and ''Hornet''.

*USS ''Essex'' (CV-9). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in April 1941; launched in July 1942; commissioned in December 1942.

*USS ''Essex'' (CV-9). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in April 1941; launched in July 1942; commissioned in December 1942.

*USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-10) (name changed from ''Bon Homme Richard'' in September 1942). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in December 1941; launched in January 1943; commissioned in April 1943.

*USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-10) (name changed from ''Bon Homme Richard'' in September 1942). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in December 1941; launched in January 1943; commissioned in April 1943.

*USS ''Intrepid'' (CV-11). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in Decenber 1941; launched in April 1943; commissioned in August 1943.

*USS ''Intrepid'' (CV-11). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in December 1941; launched in April 1943; commissioned in August 1943.

*USS ''Hornet'' (CV-12) (name changed from ''Kearsarge'' in January 1943) . Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in August 1942; launched in August 1943; commissioned in November 1943.

*USS ''Hornet'' (CV-12) (name changed from ''Kearsarge'' in January 1943) . Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in August 1942; launched in August 1943; commissioned in November 1943.

*USS ''Franklin'' (CV-13). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in December 1942; launched in October 1943; commissioned in January 1944.

*USS ''Franklin'' (CV-13). Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in December 1942; launched in October 1943; commissioned in January 1944.

====USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-10)====

====USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-10)====

[[Image:H97457.jpg|right|200px|thumb|USS ''Yorktown'' arriving in Japan, with her crew formed on deck in the Japanese characters for greeting.  Note her hurricane bow and angled flight deck, added to the ''Essex''-class during the major modifications of the 1950s]]

[[Image:H97457.jpg|right|200px|thumb|USS ''Yorktown'' arriving in Japan, with her crew formed on deck in the Japanese characters for greeting.  Note her hurricane bow and angled flight deck, added to the ''Essex''-class during the major modifications of the 1950s]]

''Yorktown'' was commissioned in April 1943, and named for a previous carrier lost in the [[Battle of Midway]]. After shakedown, she passed throught the Panam Canal in July to join the war against Japan. Yorktown's first combat operation was a strike against Marcus Island at the end of August. During the rest of 1943, she took part in a raid on [[Wake Island]] and in the Gilberts operation. From late January into May 1944, ''Yorktown'' was one of the carriers that covered landings in the Marshall Islands and western [[New Guinea]] and generally battered Japanese forces throughout the central Pacific. In June 1944, her planes attacked [[Saipan]] and [[Guam]] and hit the carrier ''Zuikaku'' during the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. For the rest of that month and in July, ''Yorktown'' struck other targets in the Marianas, the Bonins and Volcano Islands.

''Yorktown'' was commissioned in April 1943, and named for a previous carrier lost in the [[Battle of Midway]]. After shakedown, she passed through the Panam Canal in July to join the war against Japan. Yorktown's first combat operation was a strike against Marcus Island at the end of August. During the rest of 1943, she took part in a raid on [[Wake Island]] and in the Gilberts operation. From late January into May 1944, ''Yorktown'' was one of the carriers that covered landings in the Marshall Islands and western [[New Guinea]] and generally battered Japanese forces throughout the central Pacific. In June 1944, her planes attacked [[Saipan]] and [[Guam]] and hit the carrier ''Zuikaku'' during the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. For the rest of that month and in July, ''Yorktown'' struck other targets in the Marianas, the Bonins and Volcano Islands.

Following a overhaul, ''Yorktown'' rejoined the fighting fleet in November 1944, participating in attacks on Japanese positions in the [[Philippines]], Formosa, [[Indochina]] and on the China coast from then into January 1945. In February and March, she supported the landings on Iwo Jima and conducted air strikes against the Japanese Home Islands. Though damaged by an enemy bomb on 18 March, she was able to remain in action. From late March until June 1945, ''Yorktown'' took part in the Okinawa campaign. On 7 April, her planes helped sink the huge Japanese battleship [[Yamato (battleship)|''Yamato'']] and some of her consorts. The remaining months of the Pacific war were mainly spent on raids on the Japanese Home Islands. Following Japan's capitulation in August, ''Yorktown'' helped cover occupation efforts and brought servicemen home from the western Pacific. Generally inactive from early 1946, the carrier was decommissioned in January 1947.

Following an overhaul, ''Yorktown'' rejoined the fighting fleet in November 1944, participating in attacks on Japanese positions in the [[Philippines]], Formosa, [[Indochina]] and on the China coast from then into January 1945. In February and March, she supported the landings on Iwo Jima and conducted air strikes against the Japanese Home Islands. Though damaged by an enemy bomb on 18 March, she was able to remain in action. From late March until June 1945, ''Yorktown'' took part in the Okinawa campaign. On 7 April, her planes helped sink the huge Japanese battleship [[Yamato (battleship)|''Yamato'']] and some of her consorts. The remaining months of the Pacific war were mainly spent on raids on the Japanese Home Islands. Following Japan's capitulation in August, ''Yorktown'' helped cover occupation efforts and brought servicemen home from the western Pacific. Generally inactive from early 1946, the carrier was decommissioned in January 1947.

''Yorktown'' began a major modernization in 1951. Now capable of operating heavier aircraft and redesignated CVA-10, she reentered active service in February 1953. In August, she departed for the Far East to begin the first of eleven Seventh Fleet cruises. In early 1955, during her second deployment, ''Yorktown'' supported the Tachin Islands evacuation. Later in that year, she was further modernized, receiving an angled flight deck and enclosed bow. After two more western Pacific tours as an attack carrier, in 1957-58 she became an antisubmarine warfare support aircraft carrier, with the new designation CVS-10.

''Yorktown'' began a major modernization in 1951. Now capable of operating heavier aircraft and redesignated CVA-10, she reentered active service in February 1953. In August, she departed for the Far East to begin the first of eleven Seventh Fleet cruises. In early 1955, during her second deployment, ''Yorktown'' supported the Tachin Islands evacuation. Later in that year, she was further modernized, receiving an angled flight deck and enclosed bow. After two more western Pacific tours as an attack carrier, in 1957-58 she became an antisubmarine warfare support aircraft carrier, with the new designation CVS-10.