USS Wolverine (IX-64)

History

During World War II (1939-1945), aircraft carriers established their dominance on the high seas as the capital ships of all navies near and far. As a result, the US Navy and others offered bounties to the aircraft carrier, and in 1942, after the US officially entered the war, the luxurious sidewheeler "Seeandbee", consisting of her four pipes, was acquired by the service and incorporated into the aircraft carrier USS Wolverine (IX -64) conversion.

Primarily used to train future U.S. Navy pilots and associated personnel, the ship, notably, along with the USS Sable (IX-81), became the only steam-powered paddle-wheel aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history.

The original Detroit Shipbuilding Company steamship Seeandbee of Wyandotte, Michigan was launched on November 9, 1912, and completed her maiden voyage on June 19 of the following year (just before the start of World War I). In 1939, the ship became the property of the Cleveland and Buffalo Company of Chicago, Illinois, and operated normally until 1941, the year the United States entered World War II. On March 12, 1942, the U.S. Navy called the aircraft carrier for further trainingthe call came, and the ship changed hands again.

Unlike other USN carriers of the era, the USS Wolverine did not gain the benefits of hangar decks and elevators, nor did it provide any armor protection when moving aircraft between floors.

When completed, the USS Wolverine will have a displacement of 7,300 tons, an overall length of 500 feet, a beam of 97.7 feet, and a draft of up to 15.5 feet. There are five decks in her design, borrowing heavily from her roots as a passenger ship, while propulsion comes from an inclined compound steam engine powered by a 12,000 hp coal-fired boiler unit.

The top speed under ideal conditions can reach 19 knots. The crew has a total of 270 people.

During construction, the entire superstructure of the Seeandbee was chopped down to make way for a continuous "flat-top" deck. The island superstructure is mounted along the traditional starboard side, connected to the four in-line chimneys required to discharge the engines. On top of this structure is the usual communications system, mounted on a simple tower.

This leaves the flight deck almost completely unobstructed for aircraft to take off and land.

The aircraft carrier USS Wolverine was commissioned on August 12, 1942, and overhauled on May 6 of the same year. She was brought home from Chicago, Illinois (as part of the 9th Naval District Carrier Qualification Training Unit) for her role in the war, as well as her service during the conflict, the ship was awarded the Battle of the United States Medal and 2nd World War II Victory Medal.

From launching in 1942, landing on her new deck for the first time until the end of the war in 1945, the USS Wolverine operated in training mode, graduating from thousands of war-ready USN personnel - manifested for use with war as important as any fighter jet, tank or battleship. Inevitably, she was decommissioned on November 7, 1945, and handed over to the Maritime Commission for proper disposal on November 26, 1947.

In December of the same year, she was sold for scrap, officially ending her tenure at sea.

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