USS Yorktown (CV-10)
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| USS Yorktown (CV-10) | |
|---|---|
| Ship caption | USS Yorktown (CV-10) underway in 1943. |
| Ship country | United States |
| Ship name | USS Yorktown |
| Ship namesake | Battle of Yorktown (1781) |
| Ship ordered | 9 September 1940 |
| Ship builder | Newport News Shipbuilding |
| Ship laid down | 1 December 1941 |
| Ship launched | 21 January 1943 |
| Ship commissioned | 15 April 1943 |
| Ship decommissioned | 9 January 1947 |
| Ship recommissioned | 2 January 1953 |
| Ship decommissioned | 27 June 1970 |
| Ship struck | 1 June 1973 |
| Ship identification | Hull symbol: CV-10, CVA-10, CVS-10 |
| Ship fate | Museum ship at Patriots Point, Charleston, South Carolina |
| Ship honors | 11 battle stars for World War II, 5 battle stars for Vietnam War |
| Ship class | Essex, aircraft carrier |
| Ship displacement | 27,100 tons standard |
| Ship length | 872 ft (266 m) |
| Ship beam | 93 ft (28 m) |
| Ship draft | 28 ft 5 in (8.66 m) |
| Ship propulsion | 8 × boilers, 4 × Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 4 × shafts |
| Ship speed | 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) |
| Ship complement | 2,600 officers and enlisted |
| Ship armament | 4 × twin 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber guns, 4 × single 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber guns, 8 × quadruple 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns, 46 × single 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons |
| Ship aircraft | 90–100 aircraft |
USS Yorktown (CV-10) was an of the United States Navy and the fourth ship to bear the name, honoring the pivotal Battle of Yorktown (1781). Commissioned in 1943, she served with great distinction in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, earning 11 battle stars. Following modernization, she later served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War before being decommissioned in 1970 and preserved as a museum ship.
Construction and commissioning
The ship's construction was authorized as part of the Naval Expansion Act of 1940 and her keel was laid down on 1 December 1941 at the Newport News Shipbuilding yard in Virginia. Originally intended to be named USS Bon Homme Richard, she was renamed Yorktown on 26 September 1942 to honor the namesake carrier USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-5), which was lost at the Battle of Midway. Sponsored by Eleanor Roosevelt, the ship was launched on 21 January 1943 and commissioned into the United States Navy on 15 April 1943 under the command of Captain Joseph J. Clark.
Service history
Following a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea, Yorktown transited the Panama Canal to join the Pacific Fleet in August 1943. She became a flagship for Task Force 58 under Admiral Marc Mitscher and participated in nearly every major naval campaign in the Central Pacific. Her air groups struck targets during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, supported the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and provided crucial air cover for the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. Her aircraft were instrumental in sinking the Japanese battleship ''Yamato'' during Operation Ten-Go. After Victory over Japan Day, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, returning American servicemen to the United States.
Design and description
As a member of the ''Essex''-class, Yorktown represented a significant evolution in United States naval ship classes design. She was a "long-hull" variant, with a length of 872 feet and a standard displacement of 27,100 tons. Her Westinghouse geared turbines and eight boilers propelled her at over 33 knots. Her armament evolved throughout her career, initially featuring a battery of 5-inch, 40 mm Bofors, and 20 mm Oerlikon guns for anti-aircraft defense. Her flight deck and hangar deck could accommodate an air wing of 90-100 aircraft, including F6F Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, and SBD Dauntless dive bombers.
Post-war service and museum
Decommissioned in 1947, Yorktown underwent the SCB-27 and SCB-125 modernizations, which added an angled flight deck, a steam catapult, and a reinforced hull, reclassifying her as an attack aircraft carrier (CVA-10) and later an anti-submarine warfare carrier (CVS-10). Recommissioned in 1953, she served in the Korean War, operated in the Western Pacific, and recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts. During the Vietnam War, she conducted combat operations in the Gulf of Tonkin. After final decommissioning in 1970, she was donated in 1975 to become a museum ship. She is now the centerpiece of the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, alongside the destroyer USS ''Laffey'' and the submarine USS ''Clamagore''.
Awards and legacy
Yorktown earned a total of 11 battle stars for her World War II service and 5 battle stars for the Vietnam War, alongside the Navy Unit Commendation and other service awards. Her legacy is preserved not only as a museum but also in popular culture, having been featured in the film The Philadelphia Experiment and serving as a filming location for scenes depicting the USS ''Enterprise'' in the movie Tora! Tora! Tora!. She stands as a memorial to the sailors, naval aviators, and United States Marine Corps personnel who served aboard her across three major conflicts.
Category:Essex-class aircraft carriers of the United States Navy Category:Museum ships in South Carolina Category:Ships built in Virginia Category:World War II aircraft carriers of the United States Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United States Category:Korean War aircraft carriers of the United States Category:Vietnam War aircraft carriers of the United States