Yorktown Class Carriers

The Yorktown class carriers were the three American aircraft carriers that took part in the Battle of Midway in early June 1942, during World War II. They were the USS Yorktown (CV-5), the lead ship of the class, the USS Enterprise (CV-7), and the USS Hornet (CV-8). The first one was struck and sunk by a Japanese submarine on June 7, 1942, the last day of the Battle of Midway, while Hornet was sunk on October 27, 1942, during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. Meanwhile, Enterprise was the only one that survived World War II, being decommissioned in 1947 and scrapped in 1958. This class was succeeded by the Essex class.

Preceded by the USS Ranger (CV-4), which was the only one of its class, the Yorktown class aircraft carriers were the best of the US Navy's pre-war carrier designs. Thus, they were larger and better protected. One curious feature of these new carriers was that the ship was designed to operate almost as fast astern as ahead, and there were sets of arrester wires at both end of the flight deck. The USS Yorktown was commissioned in 1937, followed by Enterprise in 1938, and Hornet in 1941. All three had three catapults, two on the flight deck, and one on the hangar deck. Their flight deck was part of the superstructure rather than integral with the hull, with three centerline elevators. Their armor belt and deck were twice as thick as the Ranger's, with a number of water-tight compartments greatly increased.

Following the construction of Yorktown and Enterprise, the next carrier, the USS Wasp (CV-7),  was constrained by the Washington Naval Treaty tonnage limits. Thus, it was smaller. Then, in 1938, when another carrier was required quickly, it was decided to save time by returning to the five year old Yorktown design to produce a third one, the USS Hornet, which would have a wider flight deck. Their wooden flight deck was a distinct liability against attack by dive-bombers. Nevertheless, all three ships had an exceptionally tight turning circle maneuver, which often enabled them to avoid being hit.

Above, the bow of the USS Enterprise, at Puget Sound Navy Yard.

In April 1942, USS Hornet, which was escorted by USS Enterprise, carried the B-25 bombers for the famed Doolittle Raid that bombed Tokyo. In May 1942, the USS Yorktown was damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea, but she was repaired and able to take part in the Battle of Midway, during which it was sunk by the Japanese submarine I-168 on June 7, 1942. Meanwhile, the Hornet was so heavily damaged on October 26, 1942, during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands that she had to be abandoned and she was sunk the following day by the Japanese on October 27. The USS Enterprise took part in most of the major naval actions in the Pacific Theater and survived the war; she would be scrapped in 1958.

Specifications

Type: aircraft carrier

Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding

Displacement: 19,875 tons (standard); 25,484 tons (full load)

Length: 251.4 m (825 feet)

Beam: 33.4 m (109 feet)

Draft: 7.9 m (26 feet)

Propulsion: 4 shafts, Parsons geared turbines, 9 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, generating 120,000 HP.

Maximum Speed: 32.5 knots

Range: 12,500 nautical miles (23,200 km)

Armament: eight 127-mm and sixteen 28-mm AA guns.

Compliment: 2,175 sailors and officers.

Above, the USS Yorktown at Naval Air Station (NAS), San Diego, California, on March 29, 1940.

This photo was taken from the rear seat of a SBD Dauntless dive-bomber as it took off the flight deck of the Enterprise.

The flight deck of the Enterprise in August 1944. You can see Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters.

The USS Yorktown (CV-5) in late July 1937, prior to being commissioned, moored at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock.

The Yorktown just after bombs hit the flight deck, during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. She would be repaired, but she would be sunk the following month during the Battle of Midway on June 7.

Air view of the Enterprise in 1945, at the end of the war.