Independence
| Country | United States |
| Ship Class | Independence-class Light Carrier |
| Builder Name | New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, United States |
| Laid Down | 1 May 1941 |
| Launched | 22 Aug 1942 |
| Commissioned | 14 Jan 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 28 Aug 1946 |
| Sunk | 26 Jan 1951 |
| Displacement | 11,000 tons full |
| Length | 623 feet |
| Beam | 72 feet |
| Draft | 26 feet |
| Machinery | General Electric geared turbines with four screws |
| Power Output | 100,000 SHP |
| Speed | 31 knots |
| Crew | 1569 |
| Armament | 24x40mm, 22x20mm anti-aircraft |
| Armor | 5 |
| Aircraft | 30 |
ww2dbaseUSS Independence (CVL-22) was the lead ship of her class of nine light carriers. She was originally laid down as the light cruiser Amsterdam, but was converted before launching. After her shakedown cruise in the Caribbean, she sailed to the Pacific and participated in operations against operations at Marcus, Wake, Rabaul, and the landing at the Gilbert Islands. At the Gilberts she was damaged by a torpedo on 20 Nov 1943 and returned to the US for repairs. In Jul 1944 she returned to active rosters and participated in the actions at Palau in Sep 1944. She later saw actions off Philippines and Okinawa, including participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in Oct 1944. After a brief period of refitting, she took part in the aerial bombardment of the Japanese home islands.
ww2dbaseAfter the war, she helped transporting American troops back to the United States. On Jul 1946 she was badly damaged as a target in atomic bomb tests at Bikini Islands. Her radioactive hull became a subject of radiological research and was scuttled off California, United States in Jan 1951. Her wreck was found in 2015.
ww2dbaseSource: Naval Historical Center.
Last Major Revision: Jan 2006
Light Carrier Independence Interactive Map
Independence Operational Timeline
| 14 Jan 1943 | Independence was commissioned into service. |
| 5 Nov 1943 | USS Independence arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 28 Aug 1946 | Independence was decommissioned from service. |
| 26 Jan 1951 | USS Independence was scuttled about 30 miles (about 50 kilometers) off Half Moon Bay, California, United States. The wreck would be discovered by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2015. |
Photographs
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James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, 23 Feb 1945
7 Apr 2013 09:02:46 AM
For more detailed information, link to a Non-fiction book on the ship is: http://www.ussindependencecvl22.com/