Life Aboard An Essex Class Carrier During WWII

Daily Calisthenics on the flight deck of USS Yorktown CV-10, an Essex class carrier, during the summer of 1943. Planes are Grumman F6F-3 HELLCAT fighters.

I search YouTube for oral histories and documentaries on World War II Essex class carriers such as USS Franklin (CV-13). Last week, it was kind enough to bring the 1944 Academy Award winner for Best Feature Documentary to my attention. The Fighting Lady, an hour-long film, is one of the top documentaries about WWII produced…

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WHAT I’M READING: IMPLACABLE FOES

As I research and write my book, I intend to discuss how the US strategy in the Pacific evolved from 1942 to 1945 and the role Franklin played in it. To learn more about the way the war was being fought, both at the strategic and the operational levels, I’m reading Implacable Foes, by Waldo…

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How USS Franklin Got Its Name

Operating near the Marianas, 1 August 1944. Photographed from USS Hornet (CV-12). Franklin is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 6a. At this time, Design 6a was applied only to her starboard side. She wore Design 3a on the port side. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Catalog #: 80-G-367248

There is disagreement among historians and the public over how the USS Franklin was named. Was it named after Ben Franklin, a battle, or another ship? Let’s take a look at the naming convention for carriers to see if we can answer the question.

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19 March 1945 Timeline

Father O'Callahan tends to a wounded man on the Franklin's flight deck. Credit: Naval History and Heritage Command

Morning 18 March (19 March off the coast of Japan) is the day we remember and honor the heroism of the crew of USS Franklin. Coincidentally, it’s also the anniversary of Father O’Callahan’s passing in 1964. Using the USS Franklin CV-13 War Damage Report, I’ve created the timeline of some of the events that occurred…

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