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USS Intrepidin Action with giart coiow 4-view and cutaway

Battle of Midway
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forthcoming issues of
The US PcrcrtrcCarrier Fleet l94l-5
OnJy the enormous industrial capacity of the United States
couJd have produced the canier task forces which broke the
lapanese fleet. Bythe endof the war 75 Essex'-classcarriets
were in sereice, with utother I I in consttttction. In addition
namerous light caniers (CVL) had heen built, together with
neaily 80 escort catriers (CW1. These'Jeep'caniers
provided vital anti-submarine cover, as well as afucraft
transport, convoy escorts andfleet carrier supply duringthe
advance on flapan, The table below record,s the actions of the
cawiers that sewed in the Pacific war. Those ships listed in
bold ate featured in this publication.

Aboard US^S Essexin May 1943.ltwas the advenl ofEssexandherststersftips

which finally swung the Pacificwar infavour of the United States.

CABRIEB COMMISSIONED BECORD CAB RI ER COMMISSIONED BECOBD CARRIER COMMISSIONED RECORD

AV.3 I.ANGI-EY (AVl 1937 Sunkbyb0nbingoil la\a2712142 :: Fr:s!f: ai Ja!anese s!trender ii T0kyo CVE,58 CORBEGIDOR 3'l 8.43 Gilben ls, l\y'arshall ls, New G!inea,
t)(cv 1) (cv) 1 922 9ar Sarpan, Guam
c\, i: :: :3 isl!j5 CVE.61 MANILA BAY 5.1 0.43 Ma.shall ls. Kwajalein, Eniwerok.
Kavienq, Solomons, Rabaul, Leyte,
'Lexington' class Phi ipp nes, damaged (Kam k6z€)
Linqayen 5/1/45
cv-z rtxtNGToN 14.12.21 Pacilic raids 1 942. Sunk ar Coral Sea 'lndependence'class CVE.62 NATO[,1A BAY 1 4 I0 43 i\ila6ha ls, Kav eng, New C!inea,
Bt5t47 Leyle Philippines, lwo J ma, 0kinawa
cv-3 SARAToGA 16 11 27 Torp€doed olf Hawaii 1 1/1/42, Bouga nvi le, s€ver€ damage (t0rpedo)
damaged (Kamikaze) 7/6/45
G be( 20/1 I /43, Palau, L€yre
43
Cuadalcara , lorpedoed Solomons s
cvt-53 sT. r"0 23 10 Saipan, Pa au,sunk{byJapanes€l eer
31/8/42, E S0l0mof s, B0ugainville, CVt-23 PFlNCtT0l -: - r: Eouga nvi le, Gi ben ls. Kwajalein,
ar Samar acrion) Leyle 25/1 0/44
Gilbe( ls, Kwaj€lein, Efiwer0k, Paciiic Fniwer0k, H0 andia, I\4arianas, Palau,
CVE.65 WAKE ISLANO 4 I1 43 Ph pprfes, lwoJima, damaged
ra ds 1!44. operared wirh Br rish t. sunk a1 Levre 25/l 0/44
lKamikaze) 0klnawa 3/4/45
Fleer I944 severe damaUe (Kamikazel CVL 2r ::--:r : .:: G be( ls, Kwaialein, Truk road, New
CVE 66 WHI][ PLAINS 1 5I1 43 Sa oan Rora. Trnran. Palau. damag.
lwo Jina21l2l45 Gurnea i\,4afafas, Pala!. severe dama!€
1 gunfire and Kamikaze al Samar acll0f)
lKamika?e j at Leyre 30/1 0/44. w0 J ma
tevte 29/l 0/44
'Yorktown'class CVt-25 :-,',::',, -:.:) G lbe( ls, Kwajalein, Iruk raid, New
CVT.68 KALININ BAY 27 ll j3 Severedamage(Kamikazeandg!nl real
Gr nea, Mar anas, Palau, Levte,
Samar act on) Leyte 25/1 0/44
Philippines, woJim€
cv-5 YoRKT0WN -::l CVE-69 KASAAN BAY 4 I2 13 P !r rra ninq and transpo( (all€r
30.9.3i Pacific raids
Sea. sunkar [.4idway
1 942, damag€d al C0ral
7/6/42
CVL 26 '.'.',-:r: Gi ben ls, Kwajalein, Truk raid, New
- Al antic Seruic€)
G! nea, l\.4ar anas, Palau LeIe
cv-6 CVE'70 BAY 2 .1:
ENTERPRTSE Pearl Harbor {aircralt on yl, Midway,
21 i-: :' : :l FANSHAW Sa pan. damaged (bombs) Philipp ne
1
12.5.38 (wajalein. Eniwelok, [,4ariaias,
C\| -:', Pa au, "o

Guadalcanal land ngs, Kwajalein. Truk Sea. damaged (gunlire ar Samar acli0n)
Lefle, Phtl ppifes, lwoJima
ra d, Hol andla, Saipan, Philippine Sea.
CVL 28 l::
' ,: :l leyte25l10l44
Palau, Leyle. lwoJ ma, damagedrwice
Kwalalein, Trukraid, Philippine Sea.
CVI.71 KITKUN BAY 1 5 I2 J3 Sa !an, T nrai, Guam, damaqed
6uam, Palau, Ley1e. Philipplnes, lwo
(l(amikazel ar 0kinawa Kam kaz€ -Samar action) Leyre
1 1 /4/45 and
J ima
'- 25t14t44
CV-8 HoR]'ltI
1314145
CVt 2! ::-::', t3 Hollandia. lvlarianas
CVE.72 TULAGI 21 12t3 wo Jima. 0k nawa
?0 10 41 000linle raid 1 8/4/42. lvl dway,
21 11 0 | 42
sunk al
CVL :0 ::', -: l,rlarianas, Palau, Leyrs, Philippines,
CVE 73 GAN1BIEF BAY 2812;r Sa pan Tinian, Palau, sunk (qunfir€) ar
Santa Uuz lwoJ ma
leyre 25/1 0/44
CVE 74 NENTNTA BAY ;rl: Sa par Guam, Pala!, damag€d
'Wasp'class 'Long lsland'class -
1 iyph00nsl December I 944, 0kin6wa
CVE 75 HOGGATT BA\ i:l \4ar anas. Phil ppires,0kinawa
cv-7 wAsP 25.4.40 Guadalcanal l6ndings, sunk al E. il: -. ,- .-, Aircraft transpon, 6uada canal CVE 76 KAOASHAN BAY '3 r:: Pa au Leyre. s€vere damage (Kam kaze)
Solomons 1 5/g/42 L ngay€f 8/1/45
CVE MARCUS SLql\D 2i ] 1I Palau. Leyre. Adm ra ry lslands
CVF SAVOISLAND 32J] Pelelreu. Leile drmage (Kam kaz€) ln
'Essex'class 'Bogue'class Ph I ppines5/1/45,0k nawa
c\/E.7s OMIVIANTY 8AY 'i 2 14 Palau. Levre. Phi ippines, sunk (bV own
cv-g EssEx 31.12.42 Bougainv I e, Gilbe( ls, Kwajalein, CVE.g BOGUE ASW 0perati0ns Allanric, lranspofl and s de afrer Kam kaze damaqel 4/1/45
Tr!k ra d, l\4ar anas, Palau, Leyte, lwo
'i642
supply Pacilic 1o €nd ol war CVE 80 PETFOF 8AY i8 7 44 Lele,0krnawa
Jima, damaged (Kamikaze) 25/1 1 /44 C,!., .::-:: Aitctall lransponto combat areas c\/E.82 SAGINA\,IBAY 2344 Pa au, Leyre,0k nawa
CV 10 YOBK]OWN 1 5.4.43 0ilben ls, Kwaja e n, Truk raid, 1 942-45 cvE.83 SAFGENT 8AY 9.3 44 Philipp nes, lwoJ ma,0kinawa
Hollandia, lVarianas, lwo Jima 20842 Marsh6 I lslands, 0lh€Nise aircrail CVE-84 SHAN4ROCKBAY ]5344 Philipp nes, lwo Jlma. 0kinawa
CV.lI INTBEPID 6.8.43 Kwalalein, l0rpedoed Truk raid, Palau
BAY
: taf,sp0n
1
c\/t.85 SH]PLEY 21.3 44 0kifawa
Leyre. s€vere damage {Kamikaze} 01l :,: :--:'.':_: 15942 ASW 0p€rari0ns, supply and lranspoil c\/t-86 SITKON BAY 28.3.44 Transpon and s!pply
Luzon 25/l 1 /44 and also oll 0kinawa 24243 Aircrall ranspon lo combal areas cvE-87 STEAIVER BAY 4.4 44 Transpon and supply
r 6/4/45 l,: -: :::-,', 12443 Ai.crafl Ianspoil CVE 88 CAPE ISPTRANCE 9.4 44 Transpon and supply
CV,] 2 HORNEI 25.11.43 Maranas Paiau. Leyle. lwo Jrra s443 Aircralr ranspon l1 943 and 44 in cvE,89 TAKANIS BAY .15.4.44 Trans!0il and su0plV
CV.1 3 FRANKL N 31.1.44 Guam, Pala!, Leyre, damaged Pacific) CVF.9O THITTS BAY 21.4.44 Trafspon and supply
(Kamikaze) Luzor 5/1 0/44 aid
1
CVE 91 t\ilAKAssAf STRATT 29 4 44 IransFon and supplV
30/1 0/44, severe damage (bombs i i: [\/E.g2 WINDHAI\4 BAY 3.5.44 Ianspo(
Training and
Kyushu I 9/3/45 'Sangamon'class cvE.!3 t\,lAKtN|SLANO S544 LeIe, lwoJ ma,0kinawa
CV 14 TICONDEROCA B 5.44 Pala!, LeFe sever€ damage
cvt-94 LUNGAPOINT 14 5.44 Philipp nes, damag€d {Kamikaze) al
{Kamikaze) Formosa 2l /1 /i5 cvE-26 SANGAMoITI ?5842 N. Alrica. Gilben ls. Kwaialein, lwoJima.0k nawa
CV. I 5 BANDOLPH s.1 0.44 lwoJ ma Eniwer0k, l\,4arianas, damag€d ar Leyle
cvt 95 sEA
B|SMABC( 20.5.44 Sunk (Kamikaze) wa lina 21 12l 45
CV.1 6 1 FXINGTI]N 11243 0ilbe( ls Ho andra rorpedoed cfl 25/1 0/44, damaged {Kamikaze)
CVE 96 SALA|IIAUA 26.5.44 Phi ipp nes, severe damage (Kamikaze)
l(waja e n 4ll 2/43 Mar anas Pa au 0kinawa 4/5/45
L nqayen 1 3/1 /45, 0kinawa
Leyle. (as I agslr p damage C\rt.27 SLI\{ANt: 24942 N. Ahica. Gi ben ls, Kwaialeio,
cvE.97 H0LLAN0|A 1.6.44 Transpon and supply
lKamikaze) luzon 5/l 1114 !{J ma [niwetok, New Guinea, Saipan,
CVE 98 KWAJALEIN 1.8.44 Transpon aid supply
CV.] 7 EUNKER HILL 20.5,43 Eouga nv e.6 lb€ri s. Kwara e I i'il damaged ar Leyre 26/1 0/44, 0kinawa
CVE 9g AO[/IBALTY ISLANDS 1 3,6.44 Transpoil afd s!!DlV
ra d, Ho and a, I\y'ariaias Pala! Leylg CVE.28 CNENANGO 19I42 N. Africa, Gilbeil ls, Kwajalein,
CVE,1 OO BOUGAINVILLE 1 8.6.44 Transoon and suDply
lwoJima, severe damage (Kamrkaze Enlw€rok, Saipan, 6uam, Levre, okinawa
CVE,I 01 I\iIATANIKAU 24.8.44 Transpon and supp y
0kinawa 1 1 /4/45 CVT 23 SANTEE 24.8 42 N. Africa, Guam, severe damage al
cvE 1 02 ATTU 30.6.44 Transpo( and s!pply
CV 18 WASP 24.11.43 New Guirea, [,4ar anas, Palau, LeIe, Leyre 25/l 0/44, 0kinawa cvE,l 03 fl01 6.1.44 Transpon aid s!pply
lwoJima, damaged (bomb) olf KyushL
cvt,r 04 MUN0A I 1 44 Jranspo( and supply
1 9/3/45
CV.1 9 HANCOCK 15 4.44 Phrl ippines, lwo Jima, damaged 'Gasablanca'class
(explosion) 21 /1 /45 and aqain 'Gommencement Bay' class
(Kamikare) 7/4/45 CVE.55 CASABLANCA 8.7.43 Jranspon afd [aining
CV 20 BTNNINGTON 6 8,44 lwo Jima CVE 56 LISCOI\,1E BAY 7.8.43 Sunk (submarinel 2411 1 /43 in S0l0m0ns CVE 106 BL0CKISLAN0 30 l2 44 0k nawa
cv.31 BoN Ht]lvtNlE BTCHABD 26 1 1 .44 BaidsonJapan CVI 57 ANZIO ?1843 l\y'akln, Kwajalein, New Guinea, Saipan. CVE.107 GILBIRI ISLANDS 5 2 44 0k nawa
Guam CVE.I09 CAPTGL0UCESTEF 534,J Arcove'i.,tr'l'r!Vessels
62
A,mericcrn
Aircrqrlt Carriers
of fhePacificWdr
The Pacific War was to a large extent the war of the aircraft
canier; from Pearl Earbor to Okinawa, it was the effective The full strength of the American
use of the carrier forces which proved decisive. Fot the first F ast Carrier Tas k force in the P acifi c :
the light fleet carrier Langley /eads
time, battles were fought with hundreds of miles of ocean the big carrier Ticonderoga and
between the c ombatants. three battleships.

From the moment that Japanese carrter aircraft struck at the US Paciflc A rash attempt by rhe Jap=-.=.= ='.' -s.a:-d brought on
Fleet's anchorage on 7 December 1941, a new era in naval wariare was the next battle in June i:-2 : *: :=:- -::eritgenCe and
born. Although naval air power had already proved its ability to strtke at much improved tactrcs r.::: :'.'.'=.- iecrsive. The
an enemy fleet sheltering in its own harbours, Pearl Harbor was the Japanese lost therr four frcr.:--::.; :..lr:ss:.r. and with
dawn of carrier warfare across the broad oceans, in a way that pre-war them the best{rained aircre'.','s -:- :-: :-:as :nal followed
theorists had never imaedned.
The reason for this Iay in the fact that the battleships with which
aircraft-carriers had been meant to fight were now sunk or disabled. For
at ieast six months the US Paclflc Fleet could only take the offensive with
rts carriers, and so the concept of the fast carrier task force was created,
using the carriers' dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers as long-range
substitutes for the 406-mm (16-rn) gnrn. Because the tactics and the
arrcraft were comparatively primitive, the flrst attempts by the US Na\,ry
to carry the war to the Japanese were barely effectrve, and there was
iittle that could be done to stop the Japanese carriers from overrunningr Japanese naval aircrews. Ti.= l::=' l.l ,: , .,
the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. The USS Homef flew off a slaughterof hundreds of ser:-:-s'--:: :.-:': ::. l
daring rard by North American B-25 Mitchell bombers against Tokyo tn the remnants of the Impena. \=.-.",'.'=:= .. ..- : .:.'
April i942, and a series of pinprlck raids was made on Wake Island and there were hardly any pilo:s .=:' ::: ':.= -- -::.=: =
other outposts, Survlvols of the once-migh:. : - : t= - - : - :i.:!.. - :- i.:t j .'. :t: j-.:.( i: -:S
The first pitched battle, in the Coral Sea, was fought in May i942 to stop moorings inJapan, unable:, :.-.= :=:: :: ,-',-.='--r.- --:.::::uel
the Japanese from gaining a foothold in Port Moresby, New Gutnea, It
cost the Americans one of their biggest carriers, the USSlexmglon, but
:he amphibious operation was called off after the smali carrier Siorlo
sunk, What distingulshed the battle was the fact that the opposing
',,ras f6FHellcatswaitingfororders tostar:e.:!-€-. i:.-;rs:r'e::eislandof the
Yorktown (C7. J 0 ). S he w as th e secon c c: :i e is.- e: :-':.-s. a:: d 'rras
fleets never came within sight of one another: it was the first carrier- commrssioned in April 1943. Only thrx ::.c::.'s .::er s.ie ;+'a s on her way to
versus-carrier battle. the Pacific.
E USA

: USS Langley American Aircraft Ca:riers of the Pacific War

The potentiai of naval aviation was so
clearly seen at the end of World War I
that the US Navy wanted to press
ahead with the construction of aircraft
carriers. But to grain practical experi-
ence before building new ships it was
essential to carry out experrments, and
the quickest and cheapest way was to
convert an existrng ship,
The biq fleet coliier/uplter (AC,3)
was taken in hand in March 1920. A
month later she was renamed USS
Langley (CV.l) and started trials in
July 1922. The ship which emerged
was flush-decked, with two hinged
funnels on the port side, The former
coal holds had been converted to
workshops, accommodation and
storerooms, while the former upper
deck was now the hangar. The biggest
drawback to the.Lang)ey was her low
speed, for the 5335-kW (7, i50-shp) tur-
bo-electric machinery was badly
underpowered, In sewice the.Langley
could only make 14 knots, whrch was
some 7 knots below the speed of the
battle fleet. However in spite of this
handicap she sewed with the fleet, gear. When she was first commis- ventional aucra.ft, and iike the arres:::
and for five years she played the role sioned she had a British system of lon- gear, this procedure is still stancia::
which was to be taken over so success- gihldinal wues, which were intended today.
fully by lhe Lexington and Saraloga to engage hooks in the landing gear of The veteran 'Covered Wagon'spen:
from I92B onwards, the aircraft, and prevent it from slew- her short war sewice as a humble au-
Although originally designed to ing ftom srde to side, However, the US craft transport. On 27 February lg42 a
operate 24 aucrafl, her capacious han- Navy added a back-up system oftrans- group of Japanese naval bombers
gar allowed a maxrmum of 33 to be verse wues, whose retarding action operating from Bali caught her en
accommodated. She did not stop oper- was achieved by hangring sand-filled route for Tjilatjap in Java, and sank her
ating aucraft until 1936, when she was shellcases on the ends. This system with five bombs,
converted to a seaplane carrier and (refined into a proper hydraulic arres-
redesignated AV.3. AJter a short refit ter system) ultimately proved better, Specification
she reappeared in April 1937 wlth a and rc the basis of all modern carrier USSlangrJey (CV.l)
short flight deck, as the forward part landings, Another innovation was a Displacement: i1,050 tons standard,
had been removed, pair of flush-mounted pneumatic cata- 14,700 tons fl:l] load
One most important contributions pults on the flight deck; intended for Dimensions: Ienqth 165.3 m (542 ft 4 in)
made to naval aviation by Ihe I'angley seaplanes, they later proved that they overall; beam 19,96m (65ft 6in); Complement: -i-- :::=-. - :
was to test various systems of arrester could speed up the launching of con- draught 7.32 m (24 ft 0 in) men

r USA

: USS Lexington hull ftom the explosions ruptured the

Under the Washingrton Treaty the US
Navy was allowed to conveil two in-
complete 33,000-ton battle-cruisers
into aucraft-carriers, The ships chosen
were the -Lexinglon and Saratoga, and
the opporrunity was taken to incorpo-
rate many ideas from a cancelled car-
rier desigm of 1919. When completed
in 1925 the USS.Lexmgrton (CV,2) was a
remarkable ship, with a massive 'is-
land' superstructure on the starboard
side, flanked by hvo twin 203-mm (8-
in) gnrn turrets forward and two alt.
At the time of Pearl Harbor the ship
was delivering aircraft to the US
Marines on Midway Island, and so
escaped the disaster. She was hurried-
ly refitted, losing her cumbersome
203-mm (B-in) guns and four l27-mm
(S-in) quns, although she received a
few single 20-mm Oerlikon guns to
supplement her meagne close-range
anti-aircraft amament.
The Lexington's fust operation was
an abortrve attempt to relieve Wake
Island immediately after Pearl Harbor,
but at the end ofJanuary 1942 she pro-
vided drstant cover for a raid on the
Marshall Islands and thereafter saw li-
mited actron in the South West Pacific,
Not until she was joined by the newer
catter Yorhown in March 1942 did
lhe Lexington really begin to flex her
muscles,
After a short refit at Pearl Harbor the
ship retwned to the Coral Sea, where
the Japanese cariers were supporting
an attack on Port Moresby, New
Guinea. On 8 May her Douglas SBD
Dauntless dive-bombers attacked the
Siokaku and Zuikaku, but wrthout
scoring any hits, Unfortunately whrle
this attack was in progness a Japanese
counter-strike succeeded in hitting the
Lexington with huo torpedoes on the
port side, and the ship also suffered
hvo bomb hits and several near mis-
ses, The whip' of the 270,7-m (888-ft)
avlation gasoline tanks, so that even
after the fires had been extinqmished
Specification
USS trexrngton (CV 2'
Displacement: :: ,-- --..
:-: -: -
the lethal vapour continued to seep 47,700 tons i:* -:=:
through the ship. About an hour after Dimensions: .=:.:-.-. --.:: - :ii
the attack a chance spark ignrted this U ln) OVeraU ::l:- :: : - -. . : . -
vapour, and the ship began to suffer over flighto::i ::,-;.-.- :.: - ._ -
a series of devastating internal ex- O in)
plosions. Six hours after the first hit the Machinery: {-s:-.::- .'
order was given to abandon ship, and electric de--','+:-:- :
after escofiing destroyers had res- (210,000 shp)
cued as many of her crewmen as Speed: 34 k-:-
possible the blazing vweck was torpe- Armour: bel: -:l:::- : --
doed. Surprisingly only 216 lives out of 25 mm (i rnl :-:,:- :=:-.' i
2,95I were lost. lower deck 2:---: :::: -',
In her short war career the lexrng- 38-76mm'-.--:.:, ::::: ::
foir had failed to inflict severe damage 152 mm (6 ;..
on the enemy, largely as a result of the Armament: --. --:i- =.;.-.'---.--' :
inexperience of her air gnoup and be- tn) AA 3C j- rj - -
Z---:::..:-!-:-.r
cause of faulty tactical US Navy doc- ple 27 94-r,-::. - -----. -:-:. :--.
trine, and the loss ofa big carrier was a Aircraft: .-:;: --:=-:'=:= :: -
heavy price to pay for the Coral Sea bombe:s a:.: -- :-::+::.::--:::-
victory,
ffi usA

USS Saratoga
=
-Lke her srster l,exrngton, the
Sarctoga (CV.3) was launched in 1925
after three years of conversion from an
rncomplete battle-cruiser hull, Like
her srster she played a major role in
developing the concept ofthe fast car-
rier task force, and from 1928 the wo
ships took part in the annual 'Fleet
Problem' or war game of the Pacific
FIeet.
At the trme of Pearl Harbor the 'Sara'
was back at San Diego on the US west
coast undergoing a short refit, but she
sailed shortiy afterwards and took part
with her sister 'l:ex' in an aborttve
attempt to relieve Wake Island. During
her reflt the four twin 203-mm (B-in)
turrets were removed, and in their
place she received four twin 127-mm
(S-in) dual-purpose mountings, She
was torpedoed by a JaPanese sub-
marine off Hawaii, on I I ianuary 1942,
and needed four months of rePairs.
The 'Sara' was used to ferry fresh
aircraft out to the Central Paciflc, and
so mrssed the Battle of Midway, but she
was a welcome reinforcement bY
June, the day after the sinkrng of the
Yorktown. Her fiqhters and dive-
bombers were given the task of soften-
ing up the defences of Guadalcanal on
7 Augrust 1942 before the big amphi-
brous landing by the US Marines, The
Japanese responded vigorously to this
challenge, and by 20 Augnrst a power-
fr:l carrier task force was nearing the
Eastern Solomons.
The Saratoga, Enterprtse and l4lasp
were heavily engaged rn the Battle cf
the Eastern Solomons, but the Sara
escaped lightly, Not untrl 3I Augnxt dLd
she sustain damage, when she was tor-
pedoed by the submarine 1-68 just af-
ter dawn, The carrier was not badlY
damaged by the hit, in spite of having
one boiler room flooded and another
partly flooded, but an electrical failure
soon put her machrnery out of action.
TWo hours later she qot back limited
USS Tlre USS Saratoga(CY.3) in March
1932 with a large part ot her air
group at the forward end of the tlight
deck. She and her sister'tought' each
other in annual manoeuvres.
power, and reached Pearl Harbor six
days later; repairs took sx weeks to
complete.
In- 1943-4 the Saratoga took part in
the great'island-hopping' drtve across
the Pacific, and in 1944 was detached
to the East Indies, where she cooper-
ated with the British and Free Prench
in attacking Japanese positions in Java
and Sumatra, On 2l February 1945 she
was hit by a kamikaze while support-
rng the landings on Iwo Jima. BY now
she was showing her aqe, and
although repaired was restricted to
traininq duties at Pearl Harbor,
On 25 July 1946 the striPPed hull of
the Saratoga was sunk in Bikini Atoll
during a series of nuclear tests,
B Specification
USS,Saratoga (CV.3)
Displacement: 36,000 tons standard,
47,700 tons tuI] ioad
Dimensions: length 270.66m (BBBft
O in) overall beam 32.2 m (105 ft 6 in)
hull; draught 9 75 m (32 ft 0 in)
Machinery: 4-shaft steam turbo-
electrlc delrverrng 156660 kW
(21C 00C snp)
Speed: 34 knots
Armow: belt 152 mm (6 in); flight deck
25 nn i- Ln). matn deck51 mm (2 in):
Ic.,';er deck 25-76 mm (1-3); barbettes
152 rr:- (t n)
Armament: (rn 1945) eighttwin 127-mm
(5-rr) dual-purpose 24 quadruple 40-
mm Bciors AA fvvo twln 40-mm AA and
1620-rur AA gutrs
Aircraft: (1945) c7 hghters and l8 tor-
nann-hnmhcr: 'Sara'rnSeptem ber 1944, painted in replaced the 9-inch guns. DesPite
At"*pi";;"ii- -91: I iz3 orficers and Camouflage Measure 32 / I I A. Twin 5' her age she was still the biggest US
enlisted men inch and lightAAgvns have carrier, if not the most capacious.

on the flight deck The Yorktown might have suwived

USS Yorktown
The USS Yorktown (CV.S) was the
Iead-ship of a new class of aircraJt-
carrier authorized out of President
Roosevelt's fublic Works Administra-
tion, the Federal unemployment relief
agency, She and her sisterEnterpnse
(CV,6) were authorized in 1933, and
were followed by the Hornet (CV.B)
five vears later.
The design was a develoPment of
that of the Ranqer, vnth an 'open' han-
gar rather than the 'closed' type of the
Lexington and Saraloga, to allow up to
30 aircraft to be carried, This arrange-
ment proved htghly successful, and
formed the basis for the even more
successful'Essex' class.
The ship was commissioned in
September 1937, and was hurriedlY
lFft e Yorktown (CIl.5) andiersr'sfers
were prototypes for the successful
'Essex' class. Much smaller than the
'L e x ing tons', they cou ld actu allY
carry more aircratt.
transferred to the Pacific aJter Pearl
Harbor, Under Rear Admlral Frank J.
Fletcher she was sent to the South
West Pacific in the spnnq ol 1942 and
took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea
Her Arr Group 5, comprising 20 Glum-
man F4F Wildcat fighters, 38 Douglas
SBD Dauntless dive-bombers and 13
Douglas TBD Devastator torPedo-
bombers, played a major role in the
battle, sinhng the light carrrer Sioho
in a brilliant attack lasting only I0 mi-
nutes. On the next daY, B MaY, her
dive-bombers inflicted damage on the
cafiier Zuikaku, but in return a force of
Nakajrma BSN'Kate' torpedo-bombers
and Aichi D3A 'Val' dive-bombers
penetrated a dense screen of flghters
and enrnfte to score a devastating hit
The bomb went through three
decks before exploding and numer-
ous fires were stafied The damage
control parties brought the fires under
control, and the shlp was able lo return
to Pearl Harbor for repalrs.
Working around the clock. the re-
pair teams were able Ia gel Yorktown
back in actlon in only fow days, just in
trme for the Battle of Midway ln June
1942. At a crucial point in the battle
Yorktown's dive-bombers took part ln
the attack on the Japanese carriers,
and her aircraft were the only ones
able to mount a search for the surviving
Japanese canier Hiryu. Even after the
Yorktownwashit by three 250-kg (551-
1b) bombs she was able to operate her
aircraft, and it was not until she was hit
by tvvo torpedoes that she was fu]ly out
of action.
even this heauy damage, for bY flrst
ILght on 6 June salvage pafiies had put
out the fires and had started to pump
out flooded compartments, But the
submarrne 1-168 put two more torpe-
does into her, and early next morning
she capsized and sank.
Specification
USS lorktown (CV.8)
Displacement: 19,800 tons standard,
27,500 tons tu]I load
Dimensions: length246.1m (809 ft 6 in)
overall; beam 25,3m (83ft 0in);
draught 8.53 m (28 ft)
Machinery: 4-shaft geared steam tur-
bines delivering 89520 kW
(120,000 shp)
Speed: 33 knots
Armour: belt 102 mm (4 in); main deck
76 mm (3 in); lower deck 25-76 mm (1-
3 in)
Armament: (1942) eiqht 127-mm (0,5-
in) AA, four quadruple 27,94-mm (1,1-
in) AA and 16 12.7-mm (0.S-in)
machine-guns
Aircraft: (1942) 20 flghters, 38 dive-
bombers and 13 torPedo-bombers
Complement: 2,919 officers and en-
listed men
The Bcilfle oI tlidwag
*
The attack on the Solomon Islands and New
Guinea was only a phase in the grand strategrc
design to maintain a vast defensive perlmeter
of Japanese bases across the Pacific. As the
American carriers had not been caught at
Pearl Harbor and as the wily Admiral Chester
W. Nimitz had refused to be drawn into any of
the traps laid for the Pacific Fleet, his opponent
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto determined to
force his hand,
The objectlve was to be Midway Island, half-
way across the Pacific and vital as an outpost in
the defences of Pearl Harbor, Yamamoto was
aware that rf he did not succeed in eliminating
the Pacific Fleet before the end ol 1942 the USA
would get stronger and stronger until she couid
overwhelm Japan by sheer industrial might.
Midway, he was convinced, was a prize for
which Nimitz must fight, and he planned to
draw the Americans into a cunningly baited
trap.
What Yamamoto did not reckon wrth was the
degree to which US intelligence had pene-
trated the Imperial Japanese Navy's codes,
Although the final objective was not clear until
the last minute, Nimitz had a fairly clear idea of
the nature of the operations, In contrast the
Japanese were badly inficrmed; on one pornt in
TBDs of W-6 parked aft on the flight deck of the
Enterprisg at tle start of the Battle of Midway. Only
four of these aircraft returned to the ship.
tF
&
r Above: Flight deck crew preparing for take-otf.
Their efficiency determined the number of sorties
which could be flown from each carrier.
Left:TheYoth.ownieels assle turns to port to
avoidJapanese dive-bmbers during theBatile o!
Midway. A desttoyer keeps station on her
starbardbw.
particular, they bele'.'=: :.": = s=:::-: t:::-::
at the Coral Sea ba::-e ::aj ::::- 1.";'; j=::--
aged, if not sunk, anj :.:: :.:::-: :.:: ::-'.' :,',-:
US carriers would be :=::-; ---.::.
Midway Island u'-s :*::-:: :.:: -. -:_.---_<.
able carrter' by fly.t:'; -:- :: :.:j-.'.' :-:::J ::
possible, and on 2E \1:'.' -:-- --.=='--:-:::-:i
Frank Fletcher sailec :::: i==:- li-:.:: ;,--:
Task Force 16 (En::;.:-.: -.: -:-'---=:: -.j
Task Force 17 (Ycr-<-',',:- ',',-=--. :::-_: .'.'.r
joined early on 4 lvla-,- :-:
-=!-:-:-i: p':--:ed
Midway very hari i-: :. :::-::. :.: s::re-
basedarrcraJtwere t:-: .: --' :. :'_: ::i:-aJe
Nor was any grea:-=: s-::::-r =::-:'.-=: c',- jre
first three waves c: :.=r-:: =-:-=:: :: ,'.:arch
only four planes s'-:.-'.':j :-'.-= :: jte nlne
strike squadrons -,.,'e:: -.nJrout in-
=--:--:-:-a:=j
flicting any dan:a;: ::-:: -=:::.ese
The fowth ailac-< :.:'.',-=-.-=: -<:::ked out the
.4|kagt, Kaga ani -r:--, - :. : ','.':- co-ordrnated
attack, This left --:--,:- ::l: :r.ly undamaged
but undetected=e :-=: .^rcraft foliowed the
-:
US aircraft back:: -:-:
--33'i:rktown
Thls time
the Americans ::-:-< := :ar,i knocks, but in
spite of severe i.::--=;= ':e Yorktown did not
sink, and she -,';as ai-= :: ccntinue operating
her aircraft. Bu: -r. _.:-ese had been led into
the fatai deduc::::- 'rere were now no US
--:-=:
carriers afloa: -:r :< '-r.3:- had assumed there
was only one, a: j -:-:-.- :.ai seen that one on fire An air-dropped torpedo explodes agarnsl lie
Yorktown3 srde amidsllps; ffie end for her. After
and apparen:l-,- s-:-.--lr :: was logical to de- further torpedo hits from a J apanese submarrne
duce that ther: '.'.'::: :-:ne left, Only when it shesank
The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomberwas the
decisive weapon in the Batfle of Midway.
The Grumman F4F Wildcat performed well
against the more agileJapanese opposition during
thebattle.
65
: TTqq
LJ \.' IJ Enterprise
bombers fintshed off the damaged bat- Right: The U SS Enterprise (C7.6') ttdfl
tleshrp Hiei, and next day devastated a aircratt ranged on the after partof
troop convoy of I I ships with no fewer the flight deck. N o flying operations
than 26 bomb and sx torPedo hits are in progress; the crewmen are
Enlerpnse was finally given lenelthy clearly relaxing on deck.
repairs in the United States and did not
reiurn to the Pacifrc until mid-1943. On
25 November 1943 one of her Aven-
eters achieved the world's first night
ktll at sea. She took part In the massive
strike on Truk in February 1944, and in
the famous 'Martanas Turkey Shoot'
during the Battle of the Philippine Sea
the followrng June, She continued in
action into 1945, suwivinq two kami-
kaze attacks. A thtrd kamrkaze strike
on 14 May flnally brought her career to
an end, ior she had to return to the Below: Hellcats spotted on the Port
United States for ma.lor repatrs and starboard catapults. Although
As the holder of 19 Battle Stars the aircraft could take off in the ordinary
'Big E' was a candldate for Presewa- way, catapulting them sPeeded uP
tion as a memortal but eifcns to save the launch of a large strike and
her came to nothlng and Lr: l95B she enabled more of the flightdeck to
was sold for scrap. releasing her name be used.
for the first nuclear carr.er

::s s:andard

USA
force. Althougr: i''-::. l:1-.'.':. :: 'c'.-
Fsplrltu Specification Armament: (1942) eiqht 127 mm (S-in)
USS Hornet Santo to avc-d ::-.-.1 :-:-k
marines, she sc::-:: :i:-'.' -:, l:l:ber
sub- USS Hornet (CV.8)
Displacement: 19,000 tons standard,
AA, four quadruple 27.94-mm (1.]-in)
AA, 30 20-mm AA and nine 12 7-mm
- to attack Japa:,:s: :l:;:=:s ::.d c: 25 29,100 tons full load
Dimensions: lenglh 252,2 m (827 ft 5 in
(0. 5-in) machtne-gnrns
Aircraft: (1942) 36 fighters, 36 dive-
October me:':.=_-:: :1.=i= llIIl€rS
OnCe mOIe r-'.:.: :="-'-:::='-.:: CIUZ overall; beam 34,8 m (114 ft 2 in) over bombers and 15 torpedo-bombers
On 26 Oclob:: ='::: ::.: :"": sldes flight deck; draught 8.84 m (29 ft 0 in) Complement: 2,919 officers and en-
had locateC ::.: 1,*.:::-: : ':-e lwo Machinery: 4-shaft geared steam tur- Iisted men
American caII-::s .=-:.::.:i ar- aLr bines delrvering 89520 kW
strike (a total cl -:: :.:::a:. ',';:,-le ihe (120,000 shp)
four Japanese car:-ets ia'.:.::ei most Speed: 33 knots The new carrierHomet(CV.8) on
of their 2OZ atrcrail E-: ':::.-I='.:.e Hor' Armour: belt 64-102 mm (Zt/z-4in): trials in l94l . Shewas commissioned
net's torpedo-Lc r:.i s:-' ::. i otve- main deck 76 mm (3 in); lower deck sevenweeks before Pearl Harbor
bomberi wele - r. '.:...: ":a'1 27 25-76 mm (l-3 in) and left for the Pacific inMarch 1942.
Japanese strike atrcrail b:cke through
ifr-e fighter screen and sccred six
bomb and two torpedo :'llis :n the Hor-
nel, Although herotc eiiorts were
made to extlngnxsh the flres anci get
the carrter under way, fow hours later
another Japanese strlke scored a tor-
pedo hil and two more bomb hlts BY
now the American destroyers screen-
ing the Hornet were dangterously ex-
poled, with the Japanese searchLng for
ihem in the darkness. The dectsion
was taken to scuttle the Hornet but to
the Americans' dismay several torpe-
does failed to detonate, and a total of
430 127-mm (S-ln) shells fired at the
carrier's waterline had no appreclable
effect. The waterlogqed hulk was
abandoned, but the Japanese found it
impossible to tow her' and finally two
Tapanese destroyers gave the Hornel
her death-blow in the early hours of 27
October.
 American Aircraft Carriers of the Pacific War
USS Wasp
Under the terms of the Washingrton
Naval Treaty the US NavY was res-
tricted to 135,000 tons of aircraft-
carriers, and so could onlY build a
funher 14,?00 tons ofcarriers after the
completion of Lexington, Saratoga'
Ranger, Yorktown and EnterPrise
ThG in 1935 an improved version of
the Ranger was ordered, also with
modest speed and light armour but big
aircraft chpacity. The opportunrty was
taken to eiadrcate the worst faults of
the Ranger, and the new carrier was
given a proper island supentructure
and better compartmentatlon
The USS WasP (CY.T) was comms-
sioned in April 1941, and from the au-
h-mn of that year was in the Atlantic on
training duties. Late in March 1942 she
went tb the Mediteranean to fery
RAF SDitfues to Malta. At the begin-
ninq of July she left San Diego for the
Pacific and took part in the Guadalcan-
worthy of all American carriers, and The W asp (CY.Z ) at Pearl H ar bor on I
al landinqs, where her aircraft flew her loss provided important lessons for August 1942, a month before she was
more than 300 sorties. She mrssed the sunk
the future, A board of enquiry showed
Battle of the Eastern Solomons as she
that the majority of the damage was
had been detached to refuel and she Specification
caused by the third torpedo-hit, for the
returned to Noumea to take on board a L|asp (CV.?)
consignment of flghter aircraft for the
lrst two hits had Ieft the machinery and USS
a,.rxrlLary power undamaged. Howev- Displacement: i4,700 tons standarr
US Marines on Guadalcanal 20,500 tons tuI] load
Early in the afternoon of 15 Septem-
er the shock of the exploslons and the
'.'. hLD of the hull had knocked out elec- Dimensions: length 225.93m (74-::
ber 1942 the lzVasp flew off her fiqhters ::---al swrtchboards and the damage 3in) overall; beam 24.61 m (80 ft 9 --.
but shofily afterwards she was htt by :cntrol oretanization, Thereafter a draught 8,53 m (28 ft 0 in)
three torpedoes fired by the Japanese Machinery: 2-shaft geared stearn :-:'
senes of subsidiary explosions of
submarine 1-19. T\ivo of the torpedoes
struck her on the Port side near the
i:ombs, torpedoes, ammunttion and bines delivering 55950 k',"'
aucraft fuel tanks lwecked the ship. (75,000 shp)
aviation gasoline tanks, while the third Speed: 2972 knots
Armour: belt 102 mm (4 in): mall: :-.l
Port protile ol the WasP.I/er tal/ lower decks 38 mm (l/z in)
funiel made her unique among US Armament: (1942) eight 127-mm (!-*
carriers. Y{ AA, fow quadruple 27,94-mm (l --:.
AA and 30 20-mm AA quns
1: Aircraft: (1942) 29 fighters, 36 d:'
bombers and I5 torpedo-bombe:s
Complement: 2,367 officers a:.c =.-.
listed men

E tns Essex
,:. actlon only three units of the class
'.'.':re damaged by enemy action; apart
:::m the Franklin (CV. 13) all returned
:.
Speed: 33 knots
Almour: belt 64-i02 mr. '2 :-- ---.
fliqht deck 38mm 1l .--. .--:-;::
Aect mm (3 rn), mal:. :=:,' l:
:c-lve service after sustaintng se-
La:::::: ::.-----
ZO
The 'Essex' class can claim to be the '.':re battle damage. (l7zin); turrets and
most cost-effective and successfui air- (11/z in)
craft-carriers ever built. The specifica- Armament: (1943),2 -:--:::. :',-
tron, issued in June 1939, was for an
Specification
USS Essex (CV.9) AA, 11 quadruPle i--:,::. :-. :. -:-:-
improved 'Yorktown' class' but with Displacement: 27,100 tons standard, and 44 20-mm AI' ;-::
displacement increased by 7,000 tons
ll ,00 tons full load Aircraft: (1943 a :.;:.-::j- :: : =
to provrde stronger defensive arma- Dimensions: Iength 267.21 m (876ft bombers and .i'-::=:-': ::-:=:i
ment, thicker armour, more Power and
: -:) overall; beam 45.0 m (147 ft B in) Uomplemenl: : -:- .* --:: : - -
above all, more aviation fuel With :'.'.r flLght deck; draught 8.69 m (28 ft listed men
more than 6,300 tons of oil fuel the en-
durance was 27360 }rn (17,000 miles) : -:)
at 20 knots, while 690 tons of gasoline
Machinery: 4-shaft qeared steam tur-
i:res delivering 1 I 1900 kW U.SS Essexbem g:::e= : -' ='.
?='-:
and 220 tons of ammunitron pushed up Harbor in I942.
the number of sorties which could be -:.1 C00 shp)
flown, Above all, the same number of
aircraJt could be carried, although in
practice many more could be carried;
ihe nominal strenqth was 82 but bY
1945 IOB ofthe latest aircraft could be
embarked,
Eleven of the class were ordered in
1940 and a further i3 were burlt during
World War II. Building times were ex-
tremelv short; USS Essex (CV 9) was
built in 20 months, and the wartlme
average was cut to l77z months
The lead-shlp ofher class, theEssex
reached the Pacific in MaY 1943' bY
which time the worst was over, but she
saw considerable heavy fighting with
USS lntrepid
The USS lnlreprd (CV I l) was the third ship of
the Essex' class, not only the largest class of
major warships ever built but also the most
effectrve. She and four of her sisters were
ordered under Fiscal Year 1940 programmes,
while the remaining six were ordered under
FY 1941 A further 15 were iard down during
the war. and l7 of them entered service before
VJ-Day
The Intreptd rruas floated out of her butlding
dock on 26 AprLl 1943, and such was the speed
ol n'arirme cc:s:ruction that she was commis-
sroned cn .5 Aulsi less than four months la-
:er and :r-.; 2l :::nlhs after being laid down
Her firs: :as< ','.'as :: inish her sea trials and
allcr,-rer ra-.'.' lr=','.' :: shake down', and when
the sh:r s --:;::..-1:-:: 'r'as ready lhe ttme
came tc eni:ar< :,.r 1,r ;rrcup By late 1943 the
flyrng sc:rcc's rai :,'-c::jed enormously and
there was nc srar:lie :: '.'.-e.i-:raLned aircrew
to make Eocd ihe -:sses -: ba::le cut they still
needed a perroci :i tr:::.se :ra-nl:ig at sea
Combat expenence r:d s:r:-,"i, ::e need for
new tactics, partrcularli- -r a-r i=:erce and
these tacltcs could onl; i:e =i-er-- -= j ,','-::t an
embarked air group.
The Intrepid left for the Pac;nc ai:er a
shakedown cruise lasting barely rcur mon:hs
After passing through the Panama Canal she
headed westwards across the Paclflc, arrivtng
at Pearl Harbor on l0 January 1944. There she
;oined the lead-ship oiher class, the USSEssex
and a converted ex-light crulser, the USS
Cabot, tn Task Group 58.2, part of Task Force
58 (TF 58). Their first task was to attack
Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands, to pro-
vide support for the landrng on Kwajalern Atoll
on 3l January, and they were under a new
commander, Admiral Marc A. Mitscher' Dur-
lng these operations lhe Intrepid and TG 58.2
attacked Ror, but her air group suffered no
casualties.
On 17 February TF 58 started a more risky
operation, a three-day raid on the main enemy
base, Truk in the Caroline Islands. As before,
the purpose was to prevent the Japanese from
lnflrcting severe losses on a planned amphi-
bious landing, in this case the Eniwetok land-
ings. Despite the strong defences of Truk the
raid was a gireat success. US Navy aircraft sank
47 shrps, including a light cruiser, three des-
troyers and a large tanker, and in addition des-
troyed I25 aircraft. The cost was not excessive,
6B
in Action
25 aircraft, but during a night atiack on the task
force Nakajima B5N 'Kate' torpedc-bombers
equipped with one of the flrst Japanese radar
sets succeeded rn hitting the r;'recrd. The
shrp's own nrght-frghters were ccnple:ely out-
witted.
The torpedo hrt right aft and ',',':ecked the
rudder. Thanks to her heavy under.'.'::er pro-
tectron 1n lrepld was in no danger c: s r:.kin g but
to enable her to be steered a rna<esnli: satl'
had to be erected at the forwarc =:-i :f lhe
flight deck, The damaged carrier iinc: j s-,:-".'-
ly back to Majuro, covered by the 1Lg:r: l::r-.r
Cabot, a pair of ctuisers and four aies:r:'.':rs
There further repairs were carrted c:: -:i :le
lonq haul back to Pearl Harbor for :'x.:-:r ::-
pairs. The ship went into dry dock ": ,-:::.
Harbor on 26 I'ebruary, nine days a::=r :::
attack. A month later she was back rn :i= - -
rted States, at Hunter's Potnt in San Fr=:.:.s:'
for a three-month refit and rePair
Return to the Pacific
The opportunrty was taken to upda:= ::.:
radars and provide more anti-atrcraf: ;:::-s
\\-hen /ntreprd sarled on 9 June her fligh: :::.:
-.'.'as packed wrth vehicles and a varre:-'' ::
-S
Arm,,-and US Navy aircraft, Shipptnq'.'.'as .:,
preaLcus lo allow the vast hangar ani :-;:.:
deck space of a carrier to be wasted. a:.i .:.=
ln\eptC ''vould not become fully opera::::=.
runtrl she'was back in the Central Paciftc C:.:=
at Pearl Harbor her air group began ihe .ai:-
rious task of workrng up to full effrcrenc;'' -:-i
Tfie U.SS Intrepid(C'V.l I) trailing smoke after a
kamikazehit.ln all shewas hitthree times by
kamikazes and torpedoed once, butsuwived.
after two months the ship was ready to join her
sister Bunker Hill and the CVLs Cabol anc
Independence in TG 38.2, part of Task Force
38
On 28 Auqust 1944 the task group sailed fron
Eniwetok to start the process of softening up
Japanese delences as a prelrrde to the landings
on Morotai and Palau, and early the followinq
month Palau itself was attacked. On 12-13
September the attacks switched to the centra-
Phihpprnes, to keep the defenders guessing
The results of this strike were devastating: 59
shrps sunk and 478 aircraft destroyed, On 6
Cc:ober TG 38 2 sailed from Ulrthi to begtr-
:::acks on Formosa, rernforced by another
:sser carrier, Hancock.
cLass USS
fre fasl carners ranged far and wide in therr
:-:s: icr :argets On I0 October TG 38.2 hi:
1s:s t:: Anamr-O Shima, Okinawa anci
:-<-sr-:r-a C'ln:c' i'wo days later the target was
r::: ::- i:rnosa (Tarwan); bY lB October
:r l=:s -:. ;.1 in the Philippines were being
:... l:-:: ::r1:i encrmous nrmraa rrrac nrrrood
". damage was caused
,: :: s a::a:k cn Luzon on 21 September re-
s*-:: j .:- :re deslructton of 35 merchant ships
=:-: :-, a-rcrali The whole operation agains:
::,: F:-.rccli:es cost TF 38 a total of 54 aircraft
:.=:.-,- :: :hem tn deck accidents, but in return
- : - Jacanese ships and 1,000 aircraft were des-
:r:'_.'-i
:ti on
- :-. :,: :ask The USSIntrepid(CY.I I) trailing smoke after a
: : : ::_: ers kamikaze hit. In all she was hit three times by
r:-:: ::jar kamikazes and torpedoed once, but survived.
after two months the ship was ready to jorn her
sister Bunker Hill and the CVLs Cabol and
Independence in TG 38.2, part of Task Force
38
On 28 Augnrst 1944 the task group sailed from
Eniwetok to start the process of softening up
Japanese defences as a prelude to the landrngs
on Morotai and Palau, and early the followinet
month Palau itself was attacked, On 12-13
September the attacks switched to the central
Phrlippines, to keep the defenders guessing,
The results of this strike were devastating: 59
shrps sunk and 478 aircraft destroyed, On 6
October TG 38 2 sailed from Ulithi to beqin
attacks on Formosa, reinforced by another
'Essex' class carrier, USS Hancock.
The fast carriers ranged far and wrde in their
quest for targets, On l0 October TG 38,2 hit
bases on Anami-O-Shrma, Okinawa and
Sakishima Gunto; two days later the target was
bases on Formosa (Tarwan); by IB October
targets rn lruzon rn the Phrlippines were being
hit, Once again enormous damage was caused,
TF 38's attack on Luzon on 21 September re
sulted in the destruction of 35 merchant ships
and 300 aircraft. The whole operatton against
the Philippines cost TF 38 a total of 54 aircraft,
many of them in deck accidents, but in return
iabo- I 50 Japanese ships and 1,000 aircraft were des-
and troyed,
!E
?
-^--:+
The Intreptd played an lmportant role ln the
Battle of Leyte Guli On 23 October TG 38.2 was
posrtioned east of San Bernardrno Strait in
order to defend the landing beaches from an
assault by the powerful Japanese surface
fories approaching from the west, In fact one of
Intreptd's Curtiss SBZC Helldlvers was the flrst
to srght Admiral Kurita's Force 'A'at dawn, and
this led to the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, The
,Infreprd and the small carrier Cabot flew off the
flrst strike, which crippled the heavy cruiser
Myoko with a torpedo hit and hit the 64,000-ton
battleship Musashi wrth one torpedo and one
bomb, lnlrepid's air group also took part in the
flnal strike, together with those of the Enter-
prise, Essex, Franklin and Cabot. Their re-
peated torpedo and bomb hits finally sank the Whrle:r:-..:..= . .
Musashi, and after the loss of the battleship the struggle:,,.:
remainder of the force retired. lzaza <*::':' -
farther a: - -= -
Kamikaze went thr:-:.-. .-.=
On the next day the /nfrepid took part in the ploded r:. ::.: :: :
Battle of Cape Engano when TF 38 mrstook the truction l:: --:= -.
Japanese decoy group, the Frrst Mobile Force, was go: ..:.r=i
for the main group. However most of the re- severe:ha:::-= .:.,-
maining Japanese carriers were sunk, the to the Un:::: -:'. =.
Zuiho, Zuikaku, Chitose and Chiyoda going and 85 'r.': -.:-:= - ,
down to carrier strikes, After two days of almost returned.: _'-.'.-
contrnuous action the fast carriers were show-
ing signs of strain, but with the destruction of
the Japanese surface forces the worst seemed
to be over, But the Japanese were about to 1
2
initrate suicide or kamikaze attacks, and these
were to test the morale of the task force to the 3
utmost. Off Luzon on 29 October Ihe Inlreptd 4
was the first to be hit, when a damaged 5
6
Japanese aircraft crashed on the deck. Fortu- 7
nately damage was slight, but l0 men were
killed and six wounded. She was able to con-
tinue in action, On the next day TG 38 4 was not
so lucky, and the Franklin and Belleau Wood
were both set on flre by atrcraft deltberately
diving onto their packed decks.
The task force was pulled back to Ulithi to
rest and effect repairs, but soon after the ships
arrived on 2 November they were hurriedly
recalled to Luzon to provide support for the
troops fighting ashore. On 25 November the
Intrepid was still at sea, providing continuous
ground support and drawing fuel and stores
from the Fleet Train. Durrng a series of air
attacks a burning Japanese aircraft suddenly
plummeted into the lnlreprd's flrght deck, start- 21
ing fires amongr the planes and ordnance.
s-*
 -..= ,lntreptd played an important role in the
-. -= :: Leyte Gulf. On 23 October TG 38,2 was
.,-s-:-:ned east of San Bernardino Strait in
-: j=: :c defend the landrng beaches from an
....:.: by the powerful Japanese surface
.- ::=s approaching from the west. In fact one of
,,. Curtiss SBZC Helldivers was the first
'- --=;rds
s- lnt Admiral Kurita's Force 'A' at dawn, and
,-.,. ,ed to the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, The
:.:prd and the small carrier Cabof flew off the
.'. .

-:s: strrke, which crippled the heavy cruiser

.'..'.':<o with a torpedo hrt and hit the 64,000-ton
: =::Leship Musasht with one torpedo and one
..::D. Intrepid's air group also took part in the
--:-al strrke, together with those of the Enler-
Frankltn and Cabof, Their re-
_:.'.-.e, Essex,
:=a:ed torpedo and bomb hits flnally sank the Whiie fireflghters and damage control parties ATBF Avenger torpedo-bomber leaves the
,'.,'--sasir, and after the loss of the battleshrp the struggled to contarn ihe fires a second kaml- Intrepid'sport catapult, while two more wait with
kaze smashed into the cleck about 23 m (75 ft) wingsfolded.
::narnder of the force retired.
farther aft. The bomb carrred by the aircraft
Kamikaze went through the wooden flL-qht deck and ex- fore starting the long haul back to Pearl Harbor
On the next day the lnlreprd took part in the ploded in the hangar. caustng even more des- and San Francisco, arriving on the US west
iattle of Cape Engano when TF 38 mrstook the tructron, The fire raged ior iwo hours before rt coast in January 1945,
_iapanese decoy group, the Frrst Mobile Force, was got under control and damage was so Such was the efficrency of the navy yard
::r the main group. However most of the re- sevbre that the shrp r.r'culd ha,.'e to be sent back organization that the Intreptd sailed from Hun-
narninq Japanese carriers were sunk, the to the United States In a-l 69 men were killed ter's Point on 20 February, bound for the war
Zuiho, Zuikaku, Chitose and Ciiyoda going and 85 wounded. The screll wounded carrier zone once more, and she arrived at U1ithi on 13
jown to carrier strikes. After two days of almost returned to Ulithi for e:i-etgency repairs be- March, She now formed part of TG 58.4 wrth the
continuous action the fast carriers were show-
rng siqns of strain, but with the destruction of 65 Detentioncells t0l
rhe Japanese surface forces the worst seemed USS rnfrepidcutaway drawing key 66 Aviation lubricating oil tank
Plottrng room
102 Air f lask stowage
io be over, But the Japanese were about to 1 YE antenna r, C'ane j b pump room 103 Torpedo stowage
2 SG surfacewarn ng radar r- l.la n ifr hook 67 40-mm and 20-mm M 104 Gas trunk
rnrtrate suicide or kamikaze attacks, and these antenna i: L ie rafts ammunrtron stowage 105 Pump rooms
were to test the morale of the task force to the 3 SKarrwarn ng radar : i : fe net rack 68 Bombstowage 106 Fru t and vegetable
antcnna :r Artennadown leads 69 Bombvanesstowage stowage
utmost. Off Luzon on 29 October the Inlreptd 4 Reparrpatform :areen 70 Rol ercurtainopeningsrn 107 26Jt molorwhaleboal
was the first to be hit, when a damaged 5 SM radarantenna ra !\ reessmast hangar sides 108 40-mm Bofors gun
6 Mastheadplatforrn :e ilig rangewrreless ng 71 Avration ubricatingoil mount ng sponson
Japanese aircraft crashed on the deck. Fortu- 7 MK4frrecontrolradar : - L.rdder (inside mast) 72 40-mm AA ammun tron 109 40-nrm Bofors gun
nately damage was shght, but l0 men were antcnna :: F!esnge20mm stowage mounting sponson
B MK3Tdirectorfor5-. Oer Kon mountings 73 Rocketmotorstowaqe TTO Blue uniform and coat
krlled and six wounded. She was able to con- guns r-l: ghtdeck
ji C. ley deck
74 Crew's berthing stowage
tinue in action. On the next day TG.38.4 was not 9 Targctdeslgnator pot i-l 75 DamagecontrolHO 111 Motorconlrolroom
starboard l- Fctrrdquadruple40-mm 76 Crew s mess 112 Steeringgearroom
so lucky, and the Franklin and Belleau Wood 1 0 40-mm Bof ors mounr".l i ou nli ng 77 CIC (Combat lnformation 1 1 3
Aviation eng ne stowage
were both set on fire by aircraft deltberately 11 MK51 director l2 Foiecast edeck Ccnt re) I I 4
Foulblade screws and
12 Navgatrngbridge jl Afchor:30.000-lb 78 Pottrnqroom prope ler shaft
drving onto therr packed decks. 13 Flagbrdge -ilock ess bower anchor 79 Bombiuzemagazrne 115 Rudder
16 Slern40-mmquadruple
The task force was pulled back to Ulithi to 14 s-inhandllng roomand
readyscrviceammuf i:
-- " Jrn oecK
:'i Second deck
B0 FoMard
toom
auxrlrary machrne 1
mou nti ng
rest and effect repairs, but soon after the ships l5 5-in/38twrn DPgun .:6 rh rd deck B1 Generalorpatform 117 Wakwav
l- 82 Medicalstores 'l
8
Two s ngle 20 mm
arrived on 2 November they were hurriedly mountrng
16 MK5l director i3
f:ounh deck
Frrstplatform 83 No 1 boilerroom
1

Oerlikon AA gun
recalled to Luzon to provide support for the 11 Six s nglc 20-mm Oe' . : - :3 Secondplatform 84 Bo ier uptake space mo u nlrngs
troops fighting ashore. On 25 November the M gun mountings aC Hold 85 No 2boilerroom Two sing e 20 mm
t8 Three 40-mm Bofors ai Siore 86 No.1 machineryroom Oerlikon M gun
lntrepid was still at sea, provrdtng continuous quadruple mount nqs :: Charn Jocker 87 No.3boilerroom mount ngs
qrround support and drawrng fuei and stores (three alt) ,3 Sump tank BB Clothesand sma lstores 120 10 slngle 20 mm Oerlikon
19 36-in searchlrght al Wdtcrtight rrunk 89 Firebrickstowage AA gun mountrngs
from the Fleet Train. During a sertes of air 20 Sing c 20 mm Oerl Lc- .:,- a5 Pumproom 90 Barbers shop 121 5-in/3Btwin MK32DP
attacks a burning Japanese aircraft suddenly gun a6 lrcendiary bombs Stowage 9T Ath eticgearstowage mou nti ng
21 Three single 20 nrnl tl Pyrotechnlcsstowage 92 Genera workshop 122 5-ln/32 DP mounting
plummeted into thelntreprd's flrght deck, start- Oerlikon AA gun 58 Torpedo exercrse heads 93 Crew's toilet 123 40-mm Bofors mountlng
ing fires among the planes and ordnance. mountings stowage 94 Crew'swashroomand 124 40 mm Bofors mounting
22 Trash burnersmoke D c: 5-o Br ge water machinery and showers 125 Ensign staff
23 Stack hood pump room 95 No.4boierroom 126 MK4 radarantenna
24 24 in scarch ight 60 Alcoho stowage 96 No.2 machineryroom 121 SC anlenna
25 Trunnion 6 l!rilammable liquid store
1 97 Aftauxilarymachnery 128 Ma st
26 Mount captain's blast h:: I 62 Gasol nc tank roonl 129 Vedical ladder
27 Trainer's lelescope 63 5 rn hand ing and projectile 98 Bomb stowage 130 Radar p atform
2A Side access door stowagc 99 Rocket motor stowage T3l Banle gaff
29 Barbettc (fixed to sh pt 6,1 Snrallarms magazine 100 Aviatron stores 132 YJ antenna

36

47
48
49
50

69
 USS /ntrepid in Action
Yorktown, Langley and lndependence. Next
day they sailed to begin operations against the
Japanese home islands, the final phase of the
Pacific war. Now Ihe kamikaze aircraft were
the only serious threat from the Japanese, for
the once-mighty fleet of submarines and sur-
face ships was largely immobilized by lack of
tuel.
On 18 March the ship suffered sllght damaqe
when a kamikaze exploded only 15 m (50 ft)
away showering her with burnlng debris,
However on 16 Aprrl she was not so lucky: two
kamikaze aircraft chose her as their target, and
atthough one missed by a few feet the second
crashed into her flight deck, The engtne
plunged through the planking tnto the hangar,
causing a big fire and puttrng her out of action
once more. This tlme, however, casualties
were lighter: 10 men killed and 87 wounded
It was the end of the war for the 1n freprd. She
returned to San Francisco and was back wrth
TF 38 in July in time for the Japanese surrender
on 15 Augnrst.

.&.:.
+':
:r lF.
lr t.

Iu -:
,,:1,
-it
i-i,
LL
iriil
!,

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tli,

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.tl
^ r* 1.. ^0r*' :r I
*4-.W r }cP'
o

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it {
 Ar
Left: Smoke pours from tlre Intrepid
during heavy air raids on Kyushu in
theJapanese home islands. A
burningJapanese bomber burst into
flame 50Ieet away Irom thecarrier,
showering her with fuel and debris.
From the light crur'ser Santa Fe jl
Iooked as if the carrier had blown up,
but her damage control parties dealt
swiftlywith the fires.

Below and right: Starboard profiIe

( and bow and stern views of the USS
Intrepid. .Sft e ls painted in
Camouflage Measure 32/3A, which
she carried from J une ) 944, when she
returned to the Pacific after repairs.
D uring her th ree mon f/rs ln dock sle
received three additional quad 40-
mm Bofors gunmountings below the
island, and twomorewere resitedto
improve sky arcs.

:j lt il- rli- t
l,il
iil
llii iil
i'i
ilj
iiir ili
Il
iil::l
ir -:-- i;!
iii
"tf'r
ill jii
I

il' ii

i
i
'--- '
 American Aircraft Carriers of the Pacific War
rL:i it'
L eft : S m oke pour s from
Intrepid
fft e
-f
'I

--'t
-r'
:

| '
during heavy air raids on Kyushu in
the Japanese home is/ands. A
burning J apanese bomber burst into
flame 50 feet away from the carrier,
showering her with fuel and debris.
F rom the light cruiser Santa Fe jf
looked as if the carrier had blown up,
but her damage control parties dealt
swittly with the fires.

Below and right: Starboard profile

and bow and stern views of the USS
Intrepid. Sft e r's p ainted in
Camouflage Measure 32/34, which
she carried trom J une I 944, when she
returned to the Pacific after repairs.
During her three months in dock she
r eceiv ed three ad ditional qu ad 40 -
mm Botors gun mountings below the
island, and two more were resited to
unprove slq arcs.

-_lI
li

iili ti

llli
li
ilii I

il
ili, ii
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illi !" il'
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a-
 USA
EI
: USS Franklin
The flfth unit of the 'Essex' class was
authorized in 1940 but was not started
until a year after Pearl Harbor as there
were no shpways of the right lengrth
available. However, her builders,
Newport News Shipbuilding Com-
pany, made up for the delay by com-
pleting her in less than 14 months.
The USS Franklh (CV, 13) was com-
missioned at the end of January 1944
and joined Task Group 58,2 exactly sx
months later for an attack on the Bonu:r
Islands, From then on she was con-
stantly in action: during an attack on
Formosa and the Ryukyus in October
she was hit by a bomber which
crashed on deck, and hvo days later
her deck-edge lift was hit by a bomb
which killed three men,
During the Battle of Surigao Strait on
24 October 1944 the Franklin's aircraft
sank a destroyer, and then attacked
the giant battleship Musas}j in the
Sibuyan Sea, On the next day, during
the Battle of Cape Engano, they crip-
USA
USS Princeton
To meet the acute shortage of carriers
after Pearl Harbor the US Navy de-
ctded to complete nine 'Cleveland'
class light cruisers as carriers. The
Amsterdam (CL.59) Tallahassee
(CL.61), New Haven (CL.76), Hunting-
ton (CL.77), Dayton (CI',78), Fargo
(CL.B5), Wilminston (CL.79), Buffalo
(CL.99) and lVewark (CL.100) thus be-
came the USS lndependence
(CVL.22), Princeton (CVL.23), Belleau
Wood (CYL.24), Cowpens (CVL.25),
M onterey (CYL,26), Langley (CYL,27),
Cabot (CVL.28), Bataan (CVL.29) and
San Jacinto (CVL.30). Although rt was
an ingenious conversion, the results
were disappointing, for the small han-
qar (65.5 m/215 ft by 17.7 ftt/58 ft) could
accommodate fewer aircraft than that
of the 'Sangamon' class CVEs, 33 in-
stead of the 45 planned, However, this
T h e P rinceton ( CYL. 2 3 ) w a s
converted on the stocks from the hull
of the light cruiser Tallalassee.
Although cramped, the CVLs were
fast and could keep up with the Fast
Carrier Groups. Later they operated
nightfighters.
pled the light carrier Chiyoda and
flnished off the Zwkaku. The Franklin's
run ofgood luck ended on 30 October,
While defending the Leyte Gulf land-
ing area she and the light carrier were
attacked by five kamikaze aircraft
which had broken through the flghter
screen: she lost 56 dead and 60 wound-
ed, while 33 aircraft were destroyed
by the fue which followed. She had to
return to Bremerton Navy Yard for ma-
jor repairs, and did not renrn ro active
service untrl February 1945
As part of TF 58 the .FranlJrn attack-
ed Kyushu in the Japanese home is-
lands on 18 March. On the next day two
Yokosuka D4Y'Judy bombers made a
daring low-level attack and hit the
Franklin with two 25C-kg (551-lb)
bombs just as she u'as prepanng her
Tfie Franllin (C7. 13) was wtted by
fire alter being hitby bombs off
Kyushu on I 9 March I 945, but still got
home.
second strike. At first the damage did
not seem serious for the bombs had not
penetrated below the hangar deck,
but as the aircraft caught fire their
bombs and rockets, as well as the
spare ordnance in the hangar, started
to explode. Toxic smoke was drawn
through the ship's ventilation system,
with the result that many of the 724
dead were suffocated (another 265
were wounded). The ship lay dead in
the water for three hous as the engine
rooms and boiier rooms could not be
manned,
Finally the fires were put out and on
the next day the Frankljn was able to
get up steam once agarn, She limped
back to Pearl Harbor and then across
the Pacific to New York Navy Yard for
Iengthy repairs, She did not reappear
until after the end of the war, and never
returned to full commission, being laid
up permanently in resewe in Febru-
ary 1947.
the Prrncelon, The bombs oassed
through three decks before exploding,
and the blast started fierce fires in the
hangar. Sx armed Avengers caught
fire, and their torpedoes exploded,
adding to the carnage, At 10.10, about
halfan hour after the attack, other ships
were ordered alongside to take off all
but essential fireflgrhters and damage
control personnel.
The light cruisers Birmingham and
Reno lay alongside, pumping water
and providing power for pumps, and
all the while ships and friendly aucraft
fought off Japanese air attacks, At 14.45
it appeared that all flres were out, but
at 15.23 lhe Princeton blew up rn a
huge explosion. The blast swept the
crowded decks of lhe Birmingham,
killing 229 men and wounding another
420; the carrier herself had over I00
men killed and 190 injured. Surprising-
ly the shattered hulk of the Princeton
was still alloat, but wrecked beyond
any hope ofsalvage. At 16,00 she was
abandoned and the crurser Reno was
ordered to sink her with two torpe-
Specification
USS Franklrn (CV.13)
D-isplacement: 27, 100 tons standard,
36,500 tons tull load
Dimensions: length 267.21 m (867 ft
Bin); beam 45.0m (147ft 8in)'over
fllght deck; drausht 9.40 m (30 ft l0 in)
Machinery: 4-shaft geared steam tur-
bines delivering I I 1900 kW
(I50,000 shp)
Speed: 33 knots
Armour: belt 64-102 mm (2t/z-3in);
flight deck 38mm (l/zin); hangar
deck 76 mm (3 in); main deck 38 mm
(ltlzin); turrets and barbettes 38mm
(IVzin)
Aircraft: (1945) 74 fighters, 15 dive-
bombers and 30 torpedo-bombers.
Complement: 3,240 oftcers and en-
listed men
Although cleaned up, tfte Franklin
still shows her battle scars on her
return to the USA. Shewas never
recommissioned.
does, after the destroyer lrwin had
missed her with four.
Specification
USS Pnnceton (CVL.23)
Displacement: 11,000 tons standard,
14,300 tors full load
Dimensions: length 189.74 m (622f|
6 in) overall; beam 33,3 in (109 ft 3 in)
over flight deck; draught 7.92m (26ft
0 in)
Machinery: 4-shaft geared steam tur-
brnes delivering 74600 kW
(100,000 shp)
Speed: 3172 knots
Armour: belt 38-127mm (l/z-S-in):
main deck 76 mm (3 in); lower deck
51 mm (2 in)
Armament: (1943) hvo 127-mm (S-in)
AA, hvo quadruple 40-mm Bofors AA,
nine twin 40-mm Bofors AA and 12 20-
mm AA gmns
Aircraft: (1943) 24 Grumman F4F Wrld-
cat fighters and nine Grumman TBF
Avenger torpedo-bombers
Complement: 1,569 officers and en-
listed men E
n
The Bqtfle of legfe Gulf
The so-called Battle of Leyte Gulf was in fact a torpedoed three heavy cruisers, Admiral Kun-
series ofair-sea battles spread over a vast area, ta's ships came under heavy air attack as they
it was not only the climax of the war in the passed through the Sibuyan Sea, and eventual-
Pacific but also the greatest naval battle of ly the mighty Musashi succumbed to an esti-
history. All the classic warship types were en- mated total oi 19 torpedo hits. However, her
gaged, from battleships and carriers down to sister )zamalo and the smaller battleships
destroyer escorts, all fulfillinq their designed Nagato, Kongo and Haruna survived and con-
roles. tinued to plough towards San Bernardino Strait.
Once the Marianas had fallen in Augmst 1944 Thanks to a mix-up in communications, the
the Japanese high command knew that deieat US fast carriers left the small escort carriers off
stared the country in the face, A1l that could be Samar to face a ferocious bombardment from
hoped for was a gambler's throw, an all-out Kurita's ships while they chased after Ozawa's
offensive by the remaining capital ships and empty carriers, Fortunately for the Americans
carriers agalnst the next big amphibious land- therr Jeep carriers', destroyers and destroyer-
rng, As soon, therefore, as Aliied forces were escorts put up such a stout resistance that Kuri- A signalman on the tlight deck of a carrier of the
reported moving into Leyte Gulf in the Phrlip- ta eventually withdrew and missed the chance Fast Carrier Group, with a 'Washington'-class
pines, Plan 'Sho-l'was put into action. It called to destroy the vulnerable invaston force. battleship in the background.
for the Japanese forces in North Borneo and The Americans now took a terrible revenqe
eisewhere to divide into three forces. From on the Japanese Ozawa's carriers were hunted ans of Pearl Harbor, andwere all butwiped out.
Borneo, Force 'A', a portion of the First Strike down off Cape Engano the Chjtose, Chiyoda, Leyte was the end of the Imperial Japanese
Force under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, was to Zuikaku andZuiho w-ere all sunk. While trying Navy as an effective force, With no fuel for
pass through the San Bernardino Strait to attack to force their way through Surigao Stralt Nishi- operations and no aircrew to man new aircraft,
the US landing forces from the north off Samar; mura's and Shrma s forces came under a with- the remaining carriers were reduced to swing-
a Second Strike Force, commanded by Vice enng nlght attack frcm Admiral Oldendorls ing idly at thelr moorings, waiting for the inevit-
Admiral Kiyohide Shima, was to join with Force oid battleships, some ci :nem salvaged veter- able air attacks which would sink them.
'C' (also from Borneo and part of the First Strike
Force) under Vice Admiral Shaji Nishimura) to
pass through Surigao Strait to attack the land-
ings from the south, finally the main carrier
force, the First Mobile Fleet from Japan under
Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa (whose carriers
had hardlv anv aircraft) was to lure the Amer-
ican carriers iway from the Phihppines while
the First and Second Strike Forces dealt with
the landings and their warship support before
dealing with the returning US carriers with the
460-mm (18. I-1n) guns of the super-battleships
Yamato and Musashl, part of Force 'A',
Like other complex Japanese battle plans, it
went wrong almost from the beginning. Off
Palawan Force 'A' was ambushed by two US
submarines, which radioed the news and also

Right: A blazing kamikaze plane hurtles towards

the flight deck of ffte Essex assfi e vainly tries to
alter course.

Below:Japanese shells falling arnong the escort --

carrieis of Carrier Division 25 during the battle off
Samar. On tfie riglt St 1,6 ca n be seen burning.
 USA
ffi-= USS Bogue
The urgent need for air cover for con-
voys in the Battle of the Atlantic was
met by converting mercantile hulls
rnto small aircraft-carriers. In the sum-
mer of 1941 both the British and the
Americans converted merchantmen
into the flrst experimental 'escort car-
rrers or CVEs, and when these Proved
t.lreir worth orders went out for the fllst
oroduction class of 21 CVEs from US
.:hLpyards. Of these I I went straight to
::re Royal Navy as the 'Attacke/ class,
'.','hile ihe rematnder became the US
lrlavy s 'Bogme' class, Being conver-
sioni of partially completed hulls' the
Boqrue' class was a great improvement
:n the prototypes, and had a full-lenqth
:anoai. with tvvo centreline lifts The
USS-8ogue (CVE.9) and her sisters
lard (CVE, 11) and Core (CVE 13)
:','en had tv\ro catapults, They carried
:3 aircraft, and the Bogue was laun-
:red tn January 1942.
Wrth a good outfit of air-warning
::dar and more space than the des-
': -'lers and frtgates, the escort carrlers
:.ade giood flagships for'hunter-killer'
:: antt-submartne suPPort groups,
'.',:rch were betng established rn the
1-rrlrr1r of 1942. The Boque and her
USA
::' :;
USS Sangamon
- : .-"'::sLon of escort carrters was
- :- -: -:.=se:rtorlty in 1942, but the rate
: ...:.-. useful utility carriers
::'. ar:rght Lnto service was li-
-:
- . - r : :-:: ,-.':mber of hulls available
: :.-'.'.',-, r':rlt US Narry oilers, the
--: - - :: --.: -:.3 2B), Santee (AO 29)
, . . ,; - -:-l 3l) and Suwannee
'
- :: commssion
:1?:l oul of
r ] '- -:- " ::5sl>J
--- r-\ dlrl
^-'l were im-
:-- -:i -f cilnerstructures
-' - .. .-:. :::.','elsLonlastingsx
support grroup sank no fewer than 13
U-boats, while planes from her sisters
Card, Core, B\ock Island andCroatan
helped to sink another 20.
The USS Bogue joined the Atlantic
Fleet in February 1943 as the Battle of
the Atlantic reached crisis point. On
her fourth crossing of the Atlantic her
aircraft sank their first U-boat; two
more followed on her next trip. On the
seventh crulse, lale in July 1943, her
aircraft sank one U-Boat, and one ofher
escorting destroyers sank another,
The worst point of the battle was
now over, and the tide had turned
against the U-boats. The hunter-killer
gioups could not take the offensive
against U-boats farther out in the Atlan-
tic, and in November-December 1943
the Bogue and her qEoup accounted
for three U-boats, After a short break
early in 1944 to ferry aircraft to the UK
she returned to submarlne-hunting,
and in March helPed to sink U-575
Three more U-boats were sunk bY
September 1944, when the Bogue re-
tumed to the United States for a period
on traintng duties, Her last hunter-
killer mission in April 1945 accounted
for the Iast of 13 U-Boats, U-546, when
iir
I i
t clearly. Despite lft eriaustere desr'gn
R.; r -..
L
-J/
Iess interference wlth flying opera-
tions. Provision was made ior two cata-
pults, although the second unit was not
installed untll 1944, and a number of
Iarge openings in the sides provided
good ventilation for the hangtar'
- The Sanlee (AVG.29, later CVE29)
was the first to be commissioned, on 24
Auenrst 1942, followed a day later by
the USS Sangamon (CVE.26); the
Suwannee (CVE.27) was commls-
sioned on 24 September, five daYs af-
ter the Ciena.nEro (CVE.2B), The acute
shortage of cairiers in late 1942 and
earlv 1943. combined wlth their good
turn of speed and aircraft capacity
meant that these new carliers were
used with the main fleet more than
other CVEs, and frequently operated
together. AII four supported the land-
!i
1,,
she was operatrng as part of Captarn G.
Barrier Force.
J. Dufek's Second
In the closinq months of the war the
Bogrue was sent to the Paciflc, ferrytng
arrcraft and slores to oullylng garri-
sons, but wrth the collapse of Japan she
was re-assrgned to the 'Magrrc Carpet'
operations, ferryrng PoWs and ser-
vicemen back to the United States,
Specification
USS 8osrue (CVE.9)
Displacement: I1,000 tons standard,
Port profile of the 'Bogae' class,
showing the ex-mercantile hull
they were agreal success,
p ar ticularly in a n ti- s u bm arine
warfare in the Atlantic.
ings in North Afrrca in October and
November 1942, and then transferred
to the Pacific, where they operated
with CarDiv 22 in the South Pacific,
Sanlee returned to the Atlantic in
March 1943, operating south of the
Azores and off the coast of Brazil with a
hunter-killer gEoup, but rejoined her
sisters in the Pacific in February 1944,
as the great 'island-hopping' drive
across the Pacific got under waY.
All four took part in the Battle of
Leyte Gulf, forming'Taffy One' (under
Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague) as
part ofTask Group 77.4. On 25 October
the .Santee was badly damaqed bY a
kamikaze attack, and shortly after-
wards by a torpedo hit from the sub-
marrne ,l-56, but managed to survive,
Then a kamikaze hit the Suwannee,
having missed the Sangramon, In spite
ofthese hits all three were operational
by the spring of 1945. The Sangamon
was badly damaged by a kamikaze hit
off Okinawa on 4 May i945, and lost I l
dead, 2l serrously wounded and 25
missing, but like her sisters, proved
The escort carrier Bogne (CVE.9)
with Grumman Avenger TBFs on her
wooden flight deck.
l5 400 tons full load
Dimensions: Iength 151. I m (495 ft B rn)
overall; beam 34.0 m (l 1 1 ft 6 in) over
fliqht deck; draught 7.92 m (26 ft 0 tn)
Machinery: l-shaft geared steam tur-
brne delivering 6340 kW (8,500 shP)
Speed: iB knots
Armoru: none
Armament: two 127-mm (S-rn) AA, four
twin 40-mm Bofors AA and 12 2O-mm
AA gnrns
Aircraft: (1943) 12 Grumman F4F Wtld-
cat frghters and 12 Grumman TBF
Avenger torpedo-bombers
Complement: 890 officers and enlisted
men
rugqed enough to be returned to ser-
vlce.
The
Specification
USS Sangamon (CVE.26)
Displacement: 10,500 tons standard,
23,875 tons fuI] load
Dimensions: lenqth 168,71 m (553 ft
6 in) overall; beam 34,82 m (l14 ft 3 in)
over fligiht deck; draught 9.32 m (30 ft
7 in)
Machinery: 2-shaft gteared steam tur-
bines delivering 10070 kW
(13 500 shp)
Speed: IB knots
Armour: none
Amament: two l27-mm (S-in) AA, 1wo
quadruple 40-mm Bofors AA, seven
tu/1n 40-mm Bofors AA and 21 20-mm
AA gnrns
Aircraft: (1942) i2 Grumman F4F Wild-
cat fighters, nine Douglas SBD Daunt-
Iess dive-bombers and nine Grumman
TBF Avenger torpedo-bombers
Complement: 1,100 officers and en-
Iisted men
{f*
 USA
uss st Lo
The success of the converted CVEs
.:d to a fresh destgn being prepared
lom the keel up', using a mercantile
iesign as a basrs but tailorinq it to meet
IVE needs, rather than adapting a hull
:r the slipway, These adaptations
'.','ere more concerned with ease of
:rnstruction than any radtcal improve-
:.ent in operational capability. In all, 50
::rts of the 'Casablanca' class (CVE.55-
. 14) were authorized late in 1942.
-:-lihough the flight deck was short
r00 fV152,4 m by 108 fV32,9 m), two
-is and a catapult were provided, and
-
rs there were two propeller shafts
.:.ere was qreater manoeuvrability
::.an with one shaft. To speed up manu-
:acture, triple-expansion steam
:-achinery was chosen, but in other
::spects the'Casablanca' design took
:.e best of the'Sanqamon', 'Bogue'and
?rLnce Wrlliam' classes, and was a
::nsiderable success,
The USS Sf ,6
(CVE,63) was laid
j:wn as the Chaptn Bay (AVG,63) at
:enry Kaiser's Vancouver shrpyard in
-:nuary but in April she was re-
1943,
:zmedMidway in honow of the recent
:attle and entered sewice under that
.=.ame in October 1943, The name was
.:.:n allocated to a much bigger car-
:-er as it was considered too important
::rsuch a minor warship, and on 15
September 1944 CVE,63 became the
ISS StI6. The little carrier had already
:ade two ferry tdps out to the Pacific
American Aircraft Carriers of the Pacific f/u
and had supported the amphibious
landings in Sarpan, Eniwetok, Tinian
and Morotai. In October 1944 she
formed part of 'Taffy Three', part of the
vast armada which fought the Battle of
Leyte Gulf, 'Taffy Three', the most
northern group of escort carriers
covering the amphibious landing, had
already suffered a qrmellinq bombard-
men from Japanese surface warships
for the best part of 3 hours durinq the
morning of 25 October i944, After a Iull
ofabout t hour thekamrkazes made a
low-level attack, flve Zeros comtng in
at low level before climbing rapidly to
I525 m (5,000 ft) and then drving
straight onto the flight deck. One of a
parr attacking the Fanshaw Bay sud-
denlv switched to the Sf 16, strikrng
her ilioht deck aft. The two bombs
slung u"nderneath the Zero set offgaso-
line, bombs and ammunitron in the
hangar, and wrecked the ship, Specification The new escort carrier-!,7tara':
The kamikaze hil at 10.53, and five uss sr 16 (cvE.63) (CVE.63), which was subseq;.:'-t
minutes later a hugte explosion devas- Displacement: 7,800 tons standard, renamedSt L6 to release tie.::-:e
tated the carrier. She sank about I hour 10,400 tons full load {or a bigger carrier.
later, with 100 dead and many injured, Dimensions: length 156. 13 m (512 ft
the first American shrp sunk by kamt' 3 tn) overall; beam 39,92 m (108 ft 0 in) Armament: one ----::.:
kaze attack. over flight deck; draught 6,BO m (22 ft erght twin 40-mm B::::: -:-:. ,:-
6 in) 20-mm AA guns
Machinery: 2-shaft vertical triple- Aircraft: (October 19;; .- l:* .: :
TJ" expansion delivering 6715 kW F4F Wrldcat fighters ar.: - l: --:..- '-
.
(9,000 ihp) TBF Avenger torpedc-: :: :.:,
Speed: 19 knots Complement: 860 ofhcc:-: ::.r :- .
Armour: none men
Below: The port profile of the
'C asablanca' class,' fhese shrps were B ottom : The Sl L6 blow s u p af t e :
an improved version of fhe Bogn:e being set on fire byJapanese v:::::
design, tailored for faster during the battle off Samar n
construction. October 1944.
'i
Baffle ol the Philippine Secl
::r, i-!tl,.
":,:

q
I ,!"1,:n:*:' :'i I ''

:t .:r:rii.il-. l.i:r -

.1.i.', J -"-

Itr'.
;;#r"
rt@!P.iz:rya:.'.,rt;..
.f;,:- *&
r!4.$ik

stead the Amerrcan Admiral Raymond A Japanese aircraft plummets into the sea over the
Spruance had launched heavy attacks on the sinall carrierKitkun Bay (CIIE.71) during the
invasion of S aipan in J une I 9 44.
Japanese arrfields, wiprng out the aircraft on
Guam and Rota, What remains unexplained to
thrs day is the fact that Kakuta failed to warn
Ozawa of this failure rn the plan, and continued
to reassure him that the Americanswere suffer-
ing a heavy rate of attrition. Nor were the
Americans short of intelltgence about Ozawa's
movements, for their submarines had spotted
the carriers moving through the Phtlipptnes,
The Japanese carrier force was out in
strength: the light carriers Zuiho, Chttose,
Chiyoda, Hiyo, Junyo andRyuho and the fleet
carners Tatho, Shokaku and Zuikaku, as well as
frve battleshrps, 12 crutsers and 27 destroyers,
and 24 submarines. But this force was dwarfed
by Task Force 58: the light carriers Langley,
Cowpens, San Jacinto, Pnnceton, Monterey,
Cabot, Belleau Wood andBataan, the fleet car-
riers Hornet, Yorktown, Bunker Hill, Wasp, En-
terpnse, Lexington andEssex, as well as seve!
battleshrps, 21 cruisers, 62 destroyers and 25
submarrnes. Even these heavy odds were
lengthened by the superior trainrng of the The Japanese carrier Zuho under attack from the
American aircrews, for the Japanese ptlot- air group of the Enterprise durin g the Batt]e of the
- i -- --'-i-r tralning progrramme had totally failed to keep Philippine Sea. Note the unusual camouflage and
:-::la:: ir- up wrth wartime attntion, and many of Ozawa's deckmarkings.

!ilots were barely capable of landing on board
-_rerr carrlers.
Spruance divided his force into four task
jrroups (TGs 58.I, 58.2, 58.3 and 58.4) and a
tsattle Line (TG 58.7) under Admiral Willis A'
air-
-ee, To attack the carriers the Japanese
:raft would first have to fly through a barrage of
::rti-aircraft fire ftom the Battle Line, and then
ight off each carrier task group's combat air
catrol and face the fire from their escorts. The
-and attacks had done nothing to weaken this
lefence in depth, but Ozawa had no idea of
-,vhat sort of opposition his pilots would be fac-
ng.
On 18 June the main Japanese force moved
:rto position to the west of the Marianas, and
cetached the van force of three ligtht carriers
':nder Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, with the in-
:ention of launching the first strikes next morn-
ng. When the Van Force launched its strike of
16 fighters and 53 bombers it was detected by
jre Battle Line on radar, givlng time for the US
carriers to launch every available fighter. They
:nflicted grievous losses on the Japanese (42
aircraft) and the only damage achieved was a
bomb hit on the battleship South Dakota.
The Marianas Turkey Shoot
A second strike was launched from the six
carriers of the Main Body: 48 fighters and 62
bombers, but 10 minutes after the launch-
seguence had begnrn, the US submatrne Alba-
core torpedoed the carrier Tarho. Once again
ihe massed anti-aircraft fire of the Battle Line
slaughtered the air strike, shooting dovm 79 out
of the tIO aircrafl and all that was achieved
was a near-miss. A third strike of 47 aircraft
managed to avoid the Battle i:ine but found
very few targets, and lost only seven planes. A
fourth strike launched from 11,30 also lost its
way; only 33 out of82 aircraft iound TG 58.2, and
sulfered heavy losses,
The Japanese carriers had made the
strongest possibie effort and had failed to inilict
more than trifling damage on TF 58. Al 12.22
Ozawa suffered a further setback when the
submarine USS Cavalla put four torpedoes into
the Sfiokaku, She blew up and sank at 15.10,
foilowed shortly afterwards by the Talho. But
Ozawa had no intention of giving up, for he still
believed that Kakuta's land-based forces had
inilicted heavy casualties, and he therefore felt
that his 102 remaining aircraft could turn the
tables on Spruance. In addition Kakuta had told
him that many of the survivors of the carrier
strikes had landed safely on Guam.
Next day the two opposing fleets were mov-
ing to the north west on roughly parallel
coruses. When Spruance learned of Ozawa's
position it was late in the afternoon, and he was
faced with a difficult choice. A strike against
the Japanese carriers would be at maximum
distance, and the return flight to the carriers
would have to be made in darkness. Neverthe-
less at 16.20 he ordered an all-out strike by 85
fighters, 77 dive-bombers and 54 torpedo-
bombers,
The Japanese could oniy launch 80 aircraft
bef,ore TF 58's tempest overwhelmed them,
The light cawier Hiyo was sunk by two torpe-
does; the Zuikaku, Junyo and Chiyoda were
badly damaged, and other ships were dam-
aged. Ozawa managed to extricate the rem-
nants of his forces without further loss, but he
had lost what he knew to be the iast chance ofa
decisive victory. His inexperienced pilots had
been shot down in such numbers that the
American pilots had called the air battle on 19
American Aircraft Carriers of the Pacific War
June the 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot'. Even
when stretched to the limit, the US Navy's pilots
were more skilled: after the strike on 20 June
the aircraft returned to their carriers al 22.45,
many of them virtually out of fuel. In a ciassic
siqnal Vice-Admiral Mitscher ordered the car-
riers to turn on their landing iights, to make
swe that the pilots could find a friendly deck in
the darkness. Losses were heavy, but 116 air-
craft landed safely. The remaining 80 crash-
landed or 'ditched' nearby, allowing des-
troyers to pick up the majority of the aircrew.
Double talk, double think Curtiss SB2C H elldiver dive- bombr.
In retrospect it is difficult to criticize Ozawa's
handling of the battle. The major tactical error,
attacking the Battle Line, was the result of the
naval pilots' Iack of experience. The extraor-
dinary lies told by Kakuta led Ozawa to believe
that his four strikes would have much more
effect than they did, and he was even misled
into believing that his aircraft were safe in
Guam, whereas in fact they had been des-
troyed, Given those circumstances, and the
fact that he was vastly outnumbered it would
have been difficult to do better,
Even iJ Ozawa had been biessed with better
Iuck and a more capabie subordinate he would Yokosuka D4Y I J udy' dive - bom ber.
have needed a miracle to give him victory
against TF 58. The best that could have hap-
pened would have been a few US carriers
badly damaged ot even sunk, That would have
resulted in a short respite, but the Japanese
were now being overwhelmed by sheer num-
bers. Not only were trained pilots in short supp-
Iy; even the raw materiais and oil for which
Japan had gone to war were difficult to trans-
port to Japan, because of the lack of shipping. It
was now impossible for Japanese shipyards to
maintain shipping at pre-war levels. The fleet
could not get sufficient refined oil, and was MitsubishiAiM3 'Zero', based in the Philippines.
forced to use volatile oil from Borneo - a major
cause of the explosions which destroyed the
Talho and Sho.kaku,
On the American side there were bitter re-
criminations against Spruance, particularly by
Adiniral William Halsey and his supporters.
They felt that the caution of Spruance had lost
TF 58 the opportr:nity to sink all Ozawa's car-
riers, and thus eliminate the ImperialJapanese
Navy, What the critics cotild not accept was
that Spruance's dispositions at all times took
account ofthe overriding need to prevent Oza-
wa from evading his task erroups and getting at
the vulnerable amphibious forces off Saipan, Abomberloses awing after being stilckby a
No mercy would have been shovrn to Spruance S-inch shell from lIe carrierYorktown of tie
il his carriers had lost Ozawa, and massive Island otKwaialein.
Dicrg of the I'larionas Turkeg Shoot
The lapanese paid dearly for thefu attempt to ofuttzd the invasion of the
Maianas. T ask F oree 5 8 utder Admiral Sptaance held off and then stttck 2, Aftertwo days ofaerial essault US naval
back at Ozawa's Fitst Mobile Fleet. While the Anterj,can viclory may not tnits clqsed into bombardJapanese grotnd
have seemed decisive in view of the fact that the lapanese managedto defences. Seven battleships and more than 20
cruisers pounded the enemy positions
exticate most of their fotce, the fact that the maiortty of Eained Japanese for 48 hours prior to the assault.
aituew lay with thefu aircraft wrder the Philippine Sea meant that the
Imperdlal Narry would never again he able to wage effective canier wat.

?x

L At ftust light on I I June 1944

TaskForce 58 under Admtal
Spnance unJeashed an aerial
bomb atdment against the ^& G\, iil,i:*,,tj$"i'::ili::'i'r'L,1,,,.:,,".
Japanese air forces onthe
Marianas. Hellcats, Avengers and
Helldivers shot up the enemy
warphnes and completely
neutrclized any aerialthreat to
the US invasion force kom the
J ap anes e - he ld islands.

ii
].'rl:-1.

lSJune l944Japanese ia,...,

l. '.',. I ,
lstMobileFleet riil;: rl{i:}r-
sails fromPhilippines
*t
'a ,:
. :ja.

500miles
,.*"
west. Tj 15.32hours l9June
Taihosinks
+4
" 15.24hours
i'
'*.,rl.i".,tili,l.-'i
f;-'ir: : J9June
SftokakusirJcs
Y{'.'.-'
F\ -.; )
a(
:F.i+j n-''

)>:?!&r =

S.Coming
witfinrangeof
the UStask forcethe
app r o ac hing Jap anes e Ile et
Iiunchedmissiveairshkesagar'nst \- X \<
.\1 '+:,:>;!\.-
the Americans at 08.30 (5A), 09.00 (58) ---=::- :
, KtS---. 6. Unseen by the Japanese, two US su.bmafines
and 14.00 (5C) on 19 June. They had hoped to
catch the tls fleet unawares, but they met with had been shadowing the opposing fleet
a mutderous cuttain of anti-aircraft fte. Those that
At on 19 June the submarines torpedoed
09.00
got thrcugh then contended with US Helhcats. Japanese air the cafii$ Taiho (6A) and at 12.18 a similarfate
Iosses were 253 against 30 Ameilcan, befel Shokaku (68). Both sank by mid-afternoon.
7B
 \t'
:\
3, Alertedbythe
A 4, uS Marines stormed ashore on Saipan on the morning of l5 June.
stufircd afidpunjshed N Despitethefow.daysofsoftening'up,welldug'
forces onthe
Maianas, a counter
force ofJapanese
ships sailed east
ftomthe
Phiippines on 15
Jwetobattlewith
Task Force 58.

?2a4
34i44+ .

-:.-

G
l7.00hours
19June
llJune 1944
Task Force 58 spearheads
US inv asion o f Marianas.

?F-:-i5
,: '-.,-.aircraft
theretwningus
:.!--'; had to find their
-. sluPsand landinthedatk.
;.,-
'...:. Risking torpedo attack by
il.1{1 Japanese subs, Admiral
; :';< '::
.:: Mitscherorderedlandingt
',. ights to be switched onto recover
the bulk of his strike force. 80 aircraft
ran out of fuel and crashed, but I 16 got safely home.
ao
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 Armed Forces of the World

Theancient kingdom ofJordan has possessed

an established army from the time when most
European nations were still throwing shar-
pened stones at one another, and over the
centuries the kingdom has remained a remark-
able bastion of stability in a turbulent region.
Today the Jordanian 'armed forces are"still
manned on an all-volunteer basis for well
trained units that are now in a state of transi-
tion from what was once a British-orientated
establishment into a more outwardJooking
formation using equipment from the USSR on
one side and from the USA and UK on the
other side of the superpower divide.

The Jordanian army

ln terms of equipment ihe Jordanian army
one of the most powerful in the Middle East,
and is mechanized to a high degree. lt has
recently undergone a major re-equipment
programme with new American M60 MBTs,
and with new 155-mm and 203-mm self-
propelled artillery, and still has some M60
MBTs to be delivered. However, the main tank
force still consists of M47 , M48 and Centurion
MBTs, though these are currently being re-
placed by the British RoF Khalid MBT, an ex-
port model of the Chieftain MBT. These tanks
are backed up by Ferret scout cars, a large
force of about 850 M113 tracked APCs and-a
small remaining batch of Saracen wheeled
APCs. Some towed artillery still remains, as do
large numbers of heavy mortars and recoilless
rif les, but air def ence depends on a mix of 'l 00
Vulcan 20-mm cannon, M42 40-mm self-
propelled Bofors guns, Redeye and SA-7
'Grail' man-portable missiles, and a force of
lmproved HAWK, 54-6 'Gainful' and SA-9
'Gaskin' batteries. Anti-tank defence is pro-
vided by TOW and Dragon ant -tank missiles.
The primary striking forces using these
weapons are organized mainly at brigade
strengths. One of these brigades is an lnde-
pendent Royal Guards Brigade, whrle the bulk
of the armour is centred in the f ive arnro;red
and six mechanized briqades. n receri Vears
the army has been mucli concerned w tn .ter-
nal security, chiefly concern'rg t^e aci \ r es
of the PLO, and recently sorie 3,OOO ar--1
volunteers have been involved on the lrac
side in the lran-lraq conflict. lnternally the
army can call upon some 65,000 regular per-
sonnel, 3,550 wellarmed and comprehens ve-
ly organized Mobile Police Force personnel
and a further 7,500 Civil Militia.
is
'Gaskin' missile sites are being established to The CASA C-2I2 Aviocar provides thelight
defend the airfields alongside lmproved tansport element of ]ordan's single air transport
HAWK missiles and gun installations A single squadron. The aircraft is well suited to 'hot and
transport squadron uses an unusual mix-of high' operations in the Middle East.
aircraft including Lockheed C-130 Hercrles,
CASA C-212 Aviocars and Rockwel Sabrel ner Order of Battle
75As. The Royal Flrght has a Boerng 727 ae,d a Army
Riley Dove for King Hussein's use. A /arge One independent Foyal Guards Brigade
helrcopter squadron is based on rre Aerosoa- Five armoured brigades
tiale Alouette lll, Siko's<y S-76s ano a nrrmber Six mechanized brigades
of Hughes 500D trainers Helrcopters on order Two infantry brigades
include 24 Bell AH-'l S Cobras to be f itted with 16 artillery battalions
TOW anti-tank missiles Training aircraft n- Two anti-aircraft defence brigades
clude Cessna T-37C let rra rers, a number of Three airborne battalions
BAe Bulldogs and six Pitts S-2s; Jordan has Air Force
one of the few air forces to operate this last Three interceptor squadrons (F-5, Miraqe F.1
type, a highly aerobar c tra ner.
)
One strike squadron (F-5)
The f ull combat aircraft strength of the One OCU (F-5)
Jordanian air force ls 94 aircraft. As far as is One transport squadron
known none of tl-,ese are used in lraq, but One helicopter squadron
some transport aircraft have been operated in One Royal Flight
sLpport of Jorda^ a^ troops with the lraqi
'o'ces Vo'e l-proreo Hawk missiles have Jordanian Khaltd fanks are som e of the most
powerful armoured tighting vehicles in the Middle
been offered bV tre U.ited States for airfield East. Essentially a late model Chieftain modified to
defence to oJSt tne ex-Soviet missiles now in suitJordanian requirements, the Khalid has the
serv ce. /aleslandmost accurate of fire control systems.

The Jordanian navv

The naval element of the Jordanian forces is
small (300 personnel) and based at the south-
ern port of Aqaba. lt has nine small patrol craft
with a further three about to be delivered.
The Jordanian air force
The Jordanian air force has some 7,500 per-
sonnel, and is currently in the process of con-
verting its three interceptor squadrons to a
mix of Dassault-Breguet Mirage F.1s and
Northrop F-5Es and F-SFs, and the last few
Northrop F-5As are about to be retired. A furth-
er F-SE squadron is devoted to the ground-
attack role. At the same time all air force bases
are being 'hardened'and extra dispersal fields
are being constructed. 54-6'Gainful'and SA-9