Aircraft Carriers (up to 1945) - USA: Books - History (2/4)

USS Lexington (CV-2): From the 1920s to the Battle of Coral Sea in WWII

When commissioned on December 14, 1927, USS Lexington and her sister ship, USS Saratoga, were the world's largest aircraft carriers. The Lexington-class carriers, as the ships were known, were the results of an effort akin to making lemonade from lemons.
Both vessels were begun in 1920-21 as Lexington-class battle cruisers. Lexington, originally designated CC-1 (indicating battle cruiser), would have been a formidable warship armed with eight 16-inch guns in four turrets.

The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 banned the constructions of such ships but permitted the conversion of such hulls into aircraft carriers.
Accordingly, the "Lady Lex," as she became known to her crew, was finished as a massive 888-foot-long aircraft carrier and retained the originally planned revolutionary turboelectric drive. From the outset, Lexington, initially carrying fabric-covered biplanes, was assigned to the Pacific Fleet. In the years leading up to WWII, both the ship and her aircraft were modernized.

This profusely illustrated book, an expanded and updated version of the author's earlier work, puts the reader on the deck of Lexington through her construction, evolution, and ultimate May 8, 1942, sinking at the Battle of Coral Sea and finishes with the discovery of her wreck on March 4, 2018.
Over 200 photos, numerous line drawings, and color renderings illustrate this new entry in the Legends of Warfare series.

USS Saratoga (CV-3) : From the 1920s-30s and WWII Combat to Operation Crossroads

USS Saratoga and her sister ship, USS Lexington, held the title of the world's largest aircraft carriers until 1944. The keel of USS Saratoga (CC-3) was laid by New York Shipbuilding in Camden, New Jersey, on September 25, 1920, initially intended as a battle cruiser.
However, due to naval treaties, construction was halted in February 1922, and she was converted into an aircraft carrier, like her sister ship. Launched on April 7, 1925, she became the largest carrier afloat, featuring a revolutionary turboelectric drive allowing her to reach speeds of 33 knots in both forward and backward motion.

Despite facing multiple damages during World War II, Saratoga earned eight battle stars and continued to serve until the war's end. However, due to her age and previous damages, she was sunk as a target during the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests in 1946.
This detailed 144-page volume delves into the construction, operations, refits, and repairs of the ship through over 350 photos and illustrations, expanding on the author's previous work.

USS Yorktown (CV-5) : From Design and Construction to the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway

USS Yorktown (CV-5) was the US Navys first battle-worthy, purpose-built aircraft carrier. Her crew, already accustomed to wartime conditions by maintaining Neutrality Patrols during 1941 in the Atlantic, quickly adapted to the Pacific Theater, having been dispatched there immediately after Pearl Harbor.
First at Coral Sea, then at Midway, Yorktowns flyers blunted the sword of Japanese aggression. The men flying from her decks were instrumental in turning the tide of WWII in the Pacific.

This volume explores Yorktowns construction, prewar and wartime activities through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, which are reproduced in remarkable clarity.
This clarity, and the large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, puts the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout her history.

USS Enterprise (CV-6) : The 'Big E' from the Doolittle Raid, Midway, and Santa Cruz to Guadalcanal and Leyte

Though it barely missed being caught and destroyed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the US Navy's USS Enterprise (CV-6) aircraft carrier took part in every major action of the Pacific War, from the Doolittle Raid to the battles of Midway, Santa Cruz, and Guadalcanal to the Philippine Sea and Leyte.
Affectionately known as the "Big E," as well as as the "fightingest ship in the Navy," the Enterprise racked up one of the most impressive tallies of damage to the enemy of any Allied warship during WWII.

This book explores Enterprise's design and construction, wartime activities, and ultimate postwar decommissioning and scrapping through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published.
The clarity and large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout its famed history.

USS Hornet (CV-8) - From the Doolittle Raid and Midway to Santa Cruz

USS Hornet (CV-8), made famous through its launching of the 16 US Army B-25 Mitchell bombers flown by Jimmy Doolittle's raiders in the first US strike on Japan in May 1942, was the third and last Yorktown-class aircraft carrier completed. Serving the US Navy for just over one year, the warship had a brief yet heroic life.

This volume explores Hornet's construction, wartime activities (including the Battle of Midway), and ultimate sinking during the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942, through carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, which are reproduced in remarkable clarity.
This clarity and the large size of many of the photos, coupled with descriptive and informative captions, put the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout its short history. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.