Animated U. S. flagThe Carrier ProjectAnimated Navy flag

Milestones in U. S. Naval Aviation

1921 - 1940




Year Ships & Aircraft Events
 [ explosion icon ] Battle [ quill pen icon ] Political/Administrative action

1921  [ keel laid icon ]
8 January: CC-1 Lexington keel laid

1922  [ bunting icon ]
20 March: CV-1 USS Langley commissioned

 [ quill pen icon ]
1 July: CC-3 Saratoga reordered as aircraft carrier
 [ quill pen icon ]
8 July: CC-1 Lexington reordered as aircraft carrier

 [ Flag of Japan - WWII ]
December: HIJMS Hosho, Japan's first aircraft carrier, completed

1923

1924

1925  [ champagne bottle icon ]
7 April: CV-3 Saratoga launched

 [ champagne bottle icon ]
3 October: CV-2 Lexington launched

1926

1927  [ bunting icon ]
16 November: CV-3 USS Saratoga commissioned

 [ bunting icon ]
14 December: CV-2 USS Lexington commissioned

1928

1929



Year Ships & Aircraft Events
 [ explosion icon ] Battle [ quill pen icon ] Political/Administrative action

1930

1931  [ keel laid icon ]
26 September: CV-4 Ranger keel laid

1932

1933  [ champagne bottle icon ]
25 February: CV-4 Ranger launched

 [ quill pen icon ]
3 August: CV-6 Enterprise ordered

1934  [ quill pen icon ]
27 March: CV-7 Wasp authorised as replacement for CV-1 USS Langley

 [ keel laid icon ]
21 May: CV-5 Yorktown keel laid

 [ bunting icon ]
4 June: CV-4 USS Ranger commissioned

 [ keel laid icon ]
16 July: CV-6 Enterprise keel laid

1935

1936  [ keel laid icon ]
1 April: CV-7 USS Wasp keel laid
 [ champagne bottle icon ]
4 April: CV-5 Yorktown launched

 [ champagne bottle icon ]
3 October: CV-6 Enterprise launched
 [ refit icon ]
25 October: CV-1 USS Langley begins conversion to seaplane tender

1937  [ bunting icon ]
26 February: AV-3 USS Langley commissioned

 [ bunting icon ]
30 September: CV-5 USS Yorktown commissioned

1938  [ bunting icon ]
12 May: CV-6 USS Enterprise commissioned
 [ quill pen icon ]
17 May: CV-8 Hornet authorised by the Naval Expansion Act

World War II begins 1 September 1939


1939  [ quill pen icon ]
30 March: CV-8 Hornet authorised

 [ champagne bottle icon ]
1 April: CV-7 Wasp launched

 [ keel laid icon ]
25 September: CV-8 Hornet keel laid
 [ explosion icon ]  [ Flag of Britain ] /  [ Flag of Germany - WWII ]
3 September: Civilian liner SS Athenia is sunk by U-30, becoming the first ship sunk in WWII.

1940  [ bunting icon ]
25 April: CV-7 USS Wasp commissioned

 [ quill pen icon ]
3 July: CV-9 Essex ordered
 [ champagne bottle icon ]
14 December: CV-8 Hornet launched