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World War II Database


US Aircraft Carrier Functions

Editor's Note: The following content is a transcription of a period document or a collection of period statistics. It may be incomplete, inaccurate, or biased. The reader may not wish to take the content as factual.



ww2dbase
 ClassCommission DateNaval BattlesInvasion SupportRaiding Enemy BasesBlockading Enemy ShippingBattling Enemy RaidersAnti-Submarine ActionCombat & Fleet EscortTransport & ReplenishmentTraining & TrialsRepatriation

Fleet (CV) and Light (CVL) Carriers
Saratoga (CV-3)Lexington16-Nov-27XXXXX
Lexington (CV-2)Lexington14-Dec-27XXXX
Ranger (CV-4)Ranger04-Jun-34XXXXX
Yorktown (CV-5)Yorktown30-Sep-37XX
Enterprise (CV-6)Yorktown12-May-38XXXX
Wasp (CV-7)Wasp25-Apr-40XXXX
Hornet (CV-8)Yorktown01-Jan-41XXX
Essex (CV-9)Essex31-Dec-42XXXX
Independence (CVL-22)Independence14-Jan-43XXXX
Lexington (CV-16)Essex17-Feb-43XXXXX
Princeton (CVL-23)Independence25-Feb-43XXX
Belleau Wood (CVL-24)Independence31-Mar-43XXXX
Yorktown (CV-10)Essex15-Apr-43XXXX
Bunker Hill (CV-17)Essex24-May-43XXXXX
Cowpens (CVL-25)Independence28-May-43XXXX
Monterey (CVL-26)Independence17-Jun-43XXXX
Cabot (CVL-28)Independence24-Jul-43XXXX
Intrepid (CV-11)Essex16-Aug-43XXX
Langley (CVL-27)Independence31-Aug-43XXXXX
San Jacinto (CVL-30)Independence15-Nov-43XXX
Bataan (CVL-29)Independence17-Nov-43XXXXX
Wasp (CV-18)Essex24-Nov-43XXXX
Hornet (CV-12)Essex29-Nov-43XXXX
Franklin (CV-13)Essex31-Jan-44XXX
Hancock (CV-19)Essex15-Apr-44XXXX
Ticonderoga (CV-14)Essex08-May-44XXX
Bennington (CV-20)Essex06-Aug-44XX
Shangri-La (CV-38)Essex15-Sep-44XX
Randolph (CV-15)Essex09-Oct-44XX
Bon Homme Richard (CV-31)Essex26-Nov-44XXX
Antietam (CV-36)Essex28-Jan-45
Boxer (CV-21)Essex16-Apr-45
Lake Champlain (CV-39)Essex03-Jun-45
Total Carriers 3324282730155115
Percent of Carriers  73%85%82%9%0%3%15%15%3%45%

Escort Carriers (CVEs)
Langley (CV-1)Langley20-Mar-22
Long Island (CVE-1)Long Islalnd02-Jun-41XXXX
Charger (CVE-30)Charger03-Mar-42XX
Copahee (CVE-12)Bogue/Attacker15-Jun-42XX
Nassau (CVE-16)Bogue/Attacker20-Aug-42XX
Santee (CVE-29)Sangamon24-Aug-42XXXXXXX
Sangamon (CVE-26)Sangamon25-Aug-42XXXXX
Altamaha (CVE-18)Bogue/Attacker15-Sep-42XX
Chenango (CVE-28)Sangamon19-Sep-42XXXXX
Suwanee (CVE-27)Sangamon24-Sep-42XXXX
Bogue (CVE-9)Bogue/Attacker26-Sep-42XXX
Card (CVE-11)Bogue/Attacker08-Nov-42XXXXX
Core (CVE-13)Bogue/Attacker10-Dec-42XXXX
Barnes (CVE-20)Bogue/Attacker20-Feb-43XXX
Block Island (CVE-21)Bogue/Attacker08-Mar-43XX
Breton (CVE-23)Bogue/Attacker12-Apr-43XX
Croatan (CVE-25)Bogue/Attacker28-Apr-43XXXX
Prince William (CVE-31)Brogue/Ruler09-Apr-43XXX
Liscome Bay (CVE-56)Casablanca07-Aug-43XXX
Casablanca (CVE-55)Casablanca08-Jul-43XXX
Coral Sea/Anzio (CVE-57)Casablanca27-Aug-43XX
Corregidor (CVE-58)Casablanca31-Aug-43XXX
Mission Bay (CVE-59)Casablanca13-Sep-43XXXX
Guadalcanal (CVE-60)Casablanca25-Sep-43XX
Manila Bay (CVE-61)Casablanca05-Oct-43XXXX
Natoma Bay (CVE-62)Casablanca14-Oct-43XXX
St. Lo/Midway (CVE-63)Casablanca23-Oct-43XXXXX
Tripoli (CVE-64)Casablanca31-Oct-43XXXX
Wake Island (CVE-65)Casablanca07-Nov-43XXXXX
White Plains (CVE-66)Casablanca15-Nov-43XXXXX
Kalinin Bay (CVE-68)Casablanca27-Nov-43XXXXX
Solomons (CVE-67)Casablanca21-Nov-43XX
Kasaan Bay (CVE-69)Casablanca04-Dec-43XXXX
Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70)Casablanca09-Dec-43XXXXXX
Kitkun Bay (CVE-71)Casablanca15-Dec-43XXXXXX
Tulagi (CVE-72)Casablanca21-Dec-43XXX
Gambier Bay (CVE-73)Casablanca28-Dec-43XXX
Nehenta Bay (CVE-74)Casablanca03-Jan-44XXXX
Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75)Casablanca11-Jan-44XXXXX
Kadashan Bay (CVE-76)Casablanca18-Jan-44XXXX
Marcus Island (CVE-77)Casablanca26-Jan-44XXXX
Salvo Island (CVE-78)Casablanca03-Feb-44XXXX
Ommaney Bay (CVE-79)Casablanca11-Feb-44XXX
Petrof Bay (CVE-80)Casablanca18-Feb-44XXXX
Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81)Casablanca25-Feb-44XXXXX
Saginaw Bay (CVE-82)Casablanca02-Mar-44XXXX
Sargent Bay (CVE-83)Casablanca09-Mar-44XXX
Shamrock Bay (CVE-84)Casablanca15-Mar-43XXX
Shipley Bay (CVE-85)Casablanca21-Mar-43XXXX
Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86)Casablanca28-Mar-43X
Steamer Bay (CVE-87)Casablanca04-Apr-43XXXX
Cape Esperance (CVE-88)Casablanca09-Apr-44XX
Takanis Bay (CVE-89)Casablanca15-Apr-44XX
Thetis Bay (CVE-90)Casablanca21-Apr-44XX
Makassar Strait (CVE-91)Casablanca27-Apr-44XXXX
Windham Bay (CVE-92)Casablanca03-May44X
Makin Island (CVE-93)Casablanca09-May-44XXXXX
Lunga Point (CVE-94)Casablanca14-May-44XXXX
Bismark Sea (CVE-95)Casablanca20-May-44XX
Salamaua (CVE-96)Casablanca26-May-44XXXX
Hollandia (CVE-97)Casablanca01-Jun-44XX
Kwajalein (CVE-98)Casablanca07-Jun-44XX
Admiralty Islands (CVE-99)Casablanca13-Jun-44XX
Bougainville (CVE-100)Casablanca18-Jun-44X
Matanikau (CVE-101)Casablanca24-Jun-44XX
Attu (CVE-102)Casablanca30-Jun-44XX
Roi (CVE-103)Casablanca06-Jul-44XX
Munda (CVE-104)Casablanca08-Jul-44XX
Commencement Bay (CVE-105)Commencement Bay27-Nov-44X
Block Island (CVE-106)Commencement Bay30-Dec-44X
Gilbert Islands (CVE-107)Commencement Bay05-Feb-45XX
Cape Gloucester (CVE-109)Commencement Bay05-Mar-45XXXX
Vella Gulf/Totem Bay (CVE-111)Commencement Bay09-Apr-45XX
Kula Gulf (CVE-108)Commencement Bay12-May-45XX
Salerno Bay (CVE-110)Commencement Bay19-May-45
Siboney/Frosty Bay (CVE-112)Commencement Bay14-May-45X
Puget Sound (CVE-113)Commencement Bay18-Jun-45
Bairoko/Portage Bay (CVE-115)Commencement Bay16-Jul-45
Total Carriers 7818418501918642638
Percent of Carriers  23%53%10%6%0%24%23%82%33%49%


Notes

This table includes only ships that operated between July 1937 and August 1945 and that had flight decks for both launching and recovering aircraft at sea.

USS Langley was the first US aircraft carrier. Before the war began, she was reclassified as a seaplane tender. She was used during the early months of war to ferry aircraft and conduct anti-submarine patrols, just as an escort carrier would do. Because she could still transport, launch and retrieve aircraft, Langley is included here as an escort carrier rather than a seaplane tender.

"Naval Battles" involve ship-to-ship combat with exchanges of munitions via aircraft and/or gunfire.

"Invasion Support" includes close air support for invasion troops, cover for warships at or in transit to invasion area, and support during an amphibious assault, including both Combat Air Patrol and anti-submarine patrols. This does not include only replenishment of aircraft. It must involve combat actions of Air Squadrons.

"Raiding Enemy Bases" includes raiding, related support, and anti-shipping sweeps. This does not include raids immediately prior to or during "Invasion Support."

"Blockading Enemy Shipping" involves sinking enemy merchant shipping and mine laying by aircraft but not routine patrolling.

"Battling Enemy Raiders" involves search and destroy action against enemy surface raiders.

"Anti-Submarine Action" involves specialized action against submarines, such as being deployed in a hunter-killer group. It does not involve only convoy escort or Combat Air Patrol as part of invasion support.

"Convoy & Fleet Escort" involves Combat Air Patrols for transports and warships, including self (in transit or minesweeping) If no Air Squadron embarked, assume CVE is only ferrying aircraft, not providing convoy defense. Does NOT include air cover for warships enroute to invasions or following invasions, which is included with "invasion support".

"Transportation & Replenishment" involves transport of personnel and/or aircraft. It includes transporting CVEs on their initial voyage from US to UK and launching aircraft for Malta.

"Training and Trials" involves training pilots for other carriers, not just training their own air squadrons.

"Repatriation" involves returning troops and/or POWs to home ports, including formal opeations such as the US Navy's operation MAGIC CARPET.

An "X" in a column indicates that the carrier performed in the capacity named in the column heading sometime during the war.? ww2dbase

Source(s):
Richard Frank (1990). Guadalcanal-The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle.
Evan Mawdsley (2019). The War For The Seas- A Maritime History of World War II.
Jonathan Parshall & Anthony Tully (2005). Shattered Sword- The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway.
Francis Pike (2019). Hirohito's War- The Pacific War 1941-1945.
Craig Symonds (2018). World War II At Sea.
William Y'Blood (1983). Hunter-Killer US Escort Carriers in the Battle of the Atlantic.
William Y'Blood (1987). The Little Giants- U.S. Escort Carriers Against Japan.
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Imperial Japanese Navy Page
Naval War In The Pacific, 1941-1945
Royal and Dominion Navy Warships
Wikipedia

Added By:
Bob Bryant





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