CV-9 USS Essex

Highlights of Ship's Service History

Ordered.

Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company

Sponsored by the wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, Mrs. Artemus L. Gates.
Commanded by Captain D. B. Duncan.

Assigned to Pacific Fleet.
Operated against Marcus Island as part of TF 15.
Attacked Wake Island as flagship of TF 14.
As part of TG 50.3, participated in her first amphibious operation, assaulting Tarawa in the Gilberts.
Designated flagship of TG 50.3; attacked Kwajalein Island.

Joined TG 58.2 to make amphibious attack on the Marshall Islands.
TG 58.2, with task groups 58.1 and 58.3 (creating the largest carrier strike group to date), attacked Truk. The combined group sank eight Japanese ships.
While at sea, successfully defended against extended Japanese air attack.
Attacks on Saipan, Tinian and Guam.
In overhaul at San Francisco.
Formed TG 12 with carriers CV-18 USS Wasp and CVL-30 USS San Jacinto; struck Marcus Island.
TG 12 struck Wake Island.
Supported occupation of Marianas Islands with TF 58.
Led TG 38.3 in an attack on the Palau Islands.
TG 38.3 attacked Mindanao in the Philippines. The primary target for this strike was enemy shipping.
Weathered a typhoon while supporting landing operations on Peleliu.
With TF 38, sailed for her next target: the Ryukyu Islands, part of the Japanese Home Islands.
Strikes on Okinawa.
Attacks on Formosa (now Taiwan).
The Battle for Leyte Gulf
At Ulithi, Caroline Islands, for resupply.
Attacks on Manilla and the northern Philippine islands.
Hit by kamikaze on the flight deck, portside. 44 killed, 15 wounded.
With 3rd Fleet off Luzon supporting the Mindoro occupation.
After weathering a typhoon off the Philippines, Essex assisted in search for survivors from other ships.
Operations in the Lingayan Gulf and South China Sea, striking Formosa, Sakishima, Okinawa, Luzon, the China coast, Hainan, and Hong Kong.

Survived a third typhoon in four months.
Strikes against Formosa, Miyakp Shima and Okinawa.
Attacks on the Tokyo area, concentrating on aviation assets and manufacturing.
More strikes against Tokyo.
Support missions against Iwo Jima and surrounding islands.
Okinawa Campaign.
Raids on Japanese Home Islands.
Defensive air patrols off Japan.
Ordered to Bremerton, Washington for inactivation.

Decommissioned and placed in reserve status.

SCB-27A refit.

Recommissioned under the command of Captain A. W. Wheelock.
While supporting Korean War operations as flagship of Carrier Division 1 and Task Force 77, Essex was the first carrier to launch F2H Banshee twin-jet fighters on combat missions.
Returning from a combat mission, a damaged F2H Banshee crashes into aircraft on the forward flight deck, causing explosions and fire; 7 are killed. Essex moves to Yokosuka, Japan for repairs.
Essex returns to Korea duty, launching strikes on North Korea and providing close air support to allied troops.

Reclassified CVA-9.

Sails the China Sea with the Peace Patrol as her final tour of the Korean War.

Training exercises, operations with 7th Fleet, air operations and fleet maneuvers off Okinawa.

Participated in evacuation of Chinese Nationalist personnel from Tachen Island.
SCB-125 (Phase 3) modernisation at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

Operation off the west coast and six-month tour with 7th Fleet in the Far East.
transferred to Atlantic Fleet, departed San Diego headed for Mayport, Florida via Cape Horn, arriving 1 August.
Participated in NATO exercise "Strike Back" as antisubmarine carrier.

Deployed with 6th Fleet.
Operations in eastern Mediterranean.
Middle East Crisis. Essex supports the U.S. landing in Beirut, Lebanon, and flies recon and patrol missions through 20 August.
Detached from 6th Fleet, transits the Suez Canal and proceeds to Taiwan area for operations with TF 77, then rounds Cape Horn and returns to Mayport, Florida.

Atlantic exercises with 2nd Fleet and British ships, and Mediterranean exercises with NATO forces.
Rescue and support for flood victims at Frejus, France.

Converted to ASW Support Carrier. Assigned as flagship of Carrier Division 18 and Antisubmarine Carrier Group Three.
Reclassified CVS-9.
Conducted rescue/salvage operations for a downed blimp off the New Jersey coast; performed a midshipman cruise with Naval Academy cadets; operated in support of NATO and CENTO exercises.
Joined with French forces in operation "Jet Stream".

Decommissioned.

Stricken from the Navy List.
Sold and scrapped in Kearny, New Jersey.

Notes

Originally completed to "short hull" specifications.
World War II citations: Presidential Unit Citation, 13 Battle Stars
Korean War Citations: Navy Unit Commendation, 4 Battle Stars
Name continued by Wasp-class amphibious assault ship LHD-2 USS Essex

Sources
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - U. S. Naval Historical Center United States Naval Vessel Register Wikipedia Online Library of Selected Images - U. S. Naval Historical Center NavSource: Photographic History of the U.S. Navy Haze Gray & Underway	Tachen Island Evacuation History

Top of Page

Home Page

Site Index