The World at War

World War II: 1941-1945

World War II saw many developments in aircraft carriers -- new technologies, new ship types and new tactics.

Prior to World War II, carriers were used as an auxiliary to the Battle Line of battleships and cruisers. They were intended primarily to provide a long-range scouting ability for the Fleet. Their aircraft would search for the enemy ships, then maintain contact while directing the fleet to an interception.

However, some naval strategists saw the possibilities of using carriers in an offensive role. In the early 30s, U. S. Navy wargames in the Pacific showed that carriers could effectively project power far beyond the range of the battleship's guns. Both the Panama Canal and Pearl Harbor fell victim to simulated attacks from carrier-borne aircraft. In fact, then-Lieutenant Commander (later Admiral) J. J. "Jocko" Clark, commanding USS Lexington's VF-2 fighter squadron during Fleet Problem XIII in 1932, staged an attack on Pearl Harbor that was almost identical to the tactics later used by the Japanese in 1941. Clark repeated his performance in 1933. Sadly, these lessons were soon forgotten.

Two events transpired to prove the effectiveness of carrier-borne aviation as an offensive weapon. On 11 November 1940, British Swordfish torpedo bombers from the carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet at anchor in the bay of Taranto, Italy. Torpedos hit the battleships Vittorio Veneto, Caio Duilio and Conte di Cavour, crippling the first two and sinking the Cavour.

Just over a year later, on 7 December 1941, the Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor taught again the lessons of the early 30s and proved that carrier-launched airborne attacks were more than a match for the heavy guns of battleships and cruisers. The U. S. Navy was forced to acknowledge this fact, given that all of the Pacific Fleet's battleships were damaged or destroyed. With the proud battleships of the Fleet sitting in the mud of Pearl Harbor, only the carriers were available to take the war to the enemy.

Beginning with the sinking of the Japanese submarine I-70 by aircraft from CV-6 USS Enterprise on 10 December 1941, the carriers showed what they were capable of. Along the way, they not only made history at places called Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa, but they also created and refined the formations and tactics that are still used by naval aviation today.

Four primary types of carriers served in the Navy during the war.

The Fleet Carrier was the heavy-hitter of the fleet. It carried nearly 100 aircraft of various types, and was able to defend itself against all but the most determined attacks.

Light Carriers were originally an interim measure. It was faster to convert currently under-construction light cruiser hulls to aircraft carriers, and carriers were needed quickly in the Pacific. They were used to provide additional air capability to the fleet carriers and the Battle Fleet, plus provide a fast airstrike capability to smaller operations that did not warrant the presence of the large (and expensive) fleet carriers.

In the Atlantic, the requirements of protecting merchant convoys brought about the development of the Escort Carrier. Escort carriers were also used to supplement fleet and light carriers in combat operations, and to transport aircraft and aircrew from rear areas to the front lines. A number of U. S.-designed and built escort carriers were provided to the British under the provisions of the Lend-Lease Act.

Training Carriers were used in protected home waters to allow the Navy to train pilots in carrier operations without removing a battle-capable carrier from the front lines.

The World at War World War II : 1941 - 1945
Fleet Carriers
Essex-class CV-9 USS Essex CV-10 USS Yorktown CV-11 USS Intrepid CV-12 USS Hornet CV-13 USS Franklin CV-14 USS Ticonderoga CV-15 USS Randolph CV-16 USS Lexington	CV-17 USS Bunker Hill CV-18 USS Wasp CV-19 USS Hancock CV-20 USS Bennington CV-21 USS Boxer CV-31 USS Bon Homme Richard CV-32 USS Leyte CV-33 USS Kearsarge CV-34 USS Oriskany	CV-35 Reprisal CV-36 USS Antietam CV-37 USS Princeton CV-38 USS Shangri-La CV-39 USS Lake Champlain CV-40 USS Tarawa CV-45 USS Valley Forge CV-46 Iwo Jima CV-47 USS Philippine Sea	CV-50 CV-51 CV-52 CV-53 CV-54 CV-55
Midway-class CV-41 USS Midway	CV-42 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CV-43 USS Coral Sea	CV-44 CV-56	CV-57
Light Carriers
Independence-class CVL-22 USS Independence CVL-23 USS Princeton	CVL-24 USS Belleau Wood CVL-25 USS Cowpens CVL-26 USS Monterey	CVL-27 USS Langley CVL-28 USS Cabot CVL-29 USS Bataan	CVL-30 USS San Jacinto
Saipan-class	CVL-48 USS Saipan	CVL-49 USS Wright
Escort Carriers
CVE-1 USS Long Island
CVE-30 USS Charger
Bogue-class CVE-9 USS Bogue CVE-11 USS Card	CVE-12 USS Copahee CVE-13 USS Core CVE-16 USS Nassau	CVE-18 USS Altamaha CVE-20 USS Barnes CVE-21 USS Block Island	CVE-23 USS Breton CVE-25 USS Croatan CVE-31 USS Prince William
Sangamon-class CVE-26 USS Sangamon	CVE-27 USS Suwannee CVE-28 USS Chenango	CVE-29 USS Santee
Casablanca-class CVE-55 USS Casablanca CVE-56 USS Liscombe Bay CVE-57 USS Coral Sea/Anzio CVE-58 USS Corregidor CVE-59 USS Mission Bay CVE-60 USS Guadalcanal CVE-61 USS Manila Bay CVE-62 USS Natoma Bay CVE-63 USS Midway/St. Lo CVE-64 USS Tripoli CVE-65 USS Wake Island CVE-66 USS White Plains	CVE-67 USS Solomons CVE-68 USS Kalinin Bay CVE-69 USS Kasaan Bay CVE-70 USS Fanshaw Bay CVE-71 USS Kitkun Bay CVE-72 USS Tulagi CVE-73 USS Gambier Bay CVE-74 USS Nehenta Bay CVE-75 USS Hoggatt Bay CVE-76 USS Kadashan Bay CVE-77 USS Marcus Island CVE-78 USS Savo Island CVE-79 USS Ommany Bay	CVE-80 USS Petrof Bay CVE-81 USS Rudyerd Bay CVE-82 USS Saginaw Bay CVE-83 USS Sargent Bay CVE-84 USS Shamrock Bay CVE-85 USS Shipley Bay CVE-86 USS Sitkoh Bay CVE-87 USS Steamer Bay CVE-88 USS Cape Esperance CVE-89 USS Takanis Bay CVE-90 USS Thetis Bay CVE-91 USS Makassar Straight CVE-92 USS Windham Bay	CVE-93 USS Makin Island CVE-94 USS Lunga Point CVE-95 USS Bismarck Sea CVE-96 USS Salamaua CVE-97 USS Hollandia CVE-98 USS Kwajalein CVE-99 USS Admiralty Islands CVE-100 USS Bougainville CVE-101 USS Matanikau CVE-102 USS Attu CVE-103 USS Roi CVE-104 USS Munda
Commencement Bay-class CVE-105 USS Commencement Bay CVE-106 USS Block Island CVE-107 USS Gilbert Islands CVE-108 USS Kula Gulf CVE-109 USS Cape Gloucester CVE-110 USS Salerno Bay CVE-111 USS Vella Gulf CVE-112 USS Siboney	CVE-113 USS Puget Sound CVE-114 USS Rendova CVE-115 USS Bairoko CVE-116 USS Badoeng Strait CVE-117 USS Saidor CVE-118 USS Sicily CVE-119 USS Point Cruz CVE-120 USS Mindoro CVE-121 Rabaul	CVE-122 USS Palau CVE-123 Tinian CVE-124 Bastogne CVE-125 Eniwetok CVE-126 Lingayan CVE-127 Okinawa CVE-128 CVE-129 CVE-130	CVE-131 CVE-132 CVE-133 CVE-134 CVE-135 CVE-136 CVE-137 CVE-138 CVE-139
British Lend-Lease Escort Carriers
D78 HMS Archer
Avenger-class	D14 HMS Avenger	D37 HMS Dasher	D97 HMS Biter
Attacker-class D02 HMS Attacker D12 HMS Striker	D18 HMS Battler D24 HMS Tracker D32 HMS Chaser	D40 HMS Searcher D64 HMS Fencer D70 HMS Ravager	D73 HMS Pursuer D80 HMS Hunter D91 HMS Stalker
Ameer-class D01 HMS Ameer D03 HMS Ranee D07 HMS Patroller D09 HMS Trumpeter D10 HMS Rajah	D19 HMS Queen D21 HMS Shah D23 HMS Premier D26 HMS Slinger D31 HMS Arbiter D38 HMS Begum	D42 HMS Empress D48 HMS Thane D51 HMS Atheling D55 HMS Smiter D62 HMS Khedive D72 HMS Ruler	D77 HMS Nabob D79 HMS Puncher D82 HMS Reaper D85 HMS Trouncer D90 HMS Speaker D98 HMS Emporer
Training Carriers
IX-64 USS Wolverine IX-81 USS Sable

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