USS Yorktown (CV-10 / CVA-10 / CVS-10)

History of USS Yorktown (CV-10/CVA-10/CVS-10)

USS Yorktown (CV-10, CVA-10, CVS-10) emerged from the battles of World War II and survived some of the more important battles of the Pacific campaign. She became one of the special ships that completely emerged from combat and entered the jet age, when her deck was not equipped with technologically advanced naval fighters.

Yorktown was commissioned, decommissioned, and reclassified twice during her service at sea before being decommissioned as a museum ship off the coast of South Carolina. On December 1, 1941, the shipyard Newport News Shipyard laid the keel for Yorktown in Newport News, Virginia, a meritorious veteran of both Great American Wars.

She was launched on January 21, 1943, and officially entered service on April 15, 1943 (as Yorktown CV-10, USA).

Structure

Yorktown was designed in line with the newer aircraft carriers of the time, eliminating the "flat-top" deck method unique to pre-war designs and adding an island superstructure from the starboard side. The remainder of the design is a rectilinear deck area with associated hangar lifts allowing access below for maintenance, repairs, fuel and ammunition.

Three deck lifts were provided - two along the centerline of the ship and one along the port side - for preparation and recovery of fighter and attack types. The hull appearance is as traditional as her propulsion, which centers on 8 x boilers burning 4 x Westinghouse geared steam turbines, which drive 4 x shafts at the stern at 150,000 shp.

This gives the vessel a top speed of 33 knots in ideal conditions and allows for an operational range of around 20,000 nautical miles.

Structurally, Yorktown has a barrel length of 872 feet, a beam of 147 feet 6 inches, and a draft of 34 feet 2 inches. She displaces 27,100 tons under standard load and 36,400 tons under full combat load. Her crew strength is 2,600 officers and men, including onboard security, air squadrons and specialists. When built, their decks and hangars could accommodate up to 100 aircraft - usually fighter jets, torpedo bombers and dive bombers.

That number eventually dwindled in the postwar period, when jumbo jets on the decks of U.S. Navy carriers became the accepted standard. During World War II service, the aircraft carrier did not perform catapult-assisted launches for its aircraft.

Armed

Yorktown was built with a series of anti-aircraft guns (the main enemy would be the Imperial Japanese Navy). Dual-barreled 4 x 5" (127 mm)/38 caliber guns combined with single-barreled 4 x 5" mounts formed the main line of defense.

This was supported by quadruple mounts of 8 x 40 mm /56 caliber guns. A single-barreled 78 caliber cannon up to 46 x 20 mm provided the last line of defense. Weapons are stationed on the general periphery of the island structure and deck area.

In return, the ship received different layers of physical armor for defense against bombing and torpedo attacks. This includes up to 4 inches of armor on the belt and 1.5 inches of armor in the hangar area. Bulkheads have been increased by 4 inches, and the top and side sections of the cab are increased by 1.5 inches.

The steering section allows approximately 2.5 inches to help protect this critical area of ??the vessel.

Essex class

HMS Yorktown is one of 26 aircraft carriers known as the Essex class (led by HMS Essex CV-9). The Essex class can be further divided into two distinct hull groups, known as the "short body" and "long body" groups.

Yorktown was the second in the short group, led by Essex, followed by USS Intrepid(), USS Hornet(), USS Franklin(), USS Lexington(), USS Bunker Hill ( ), USS Wasp ( ), USS Bennington ( ) and USS Bon Homme Richard ( ). The Essex-class was intended to replace the single-ship class Wasp, and was replaced by the Midway-class in September 1945.

Mission History: World War II

The aircraft carrier USS Yorktown was dropped on December 7, 1941, days before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. At this time, militaries around the world began to accept larger program sizes and more funds to deal with the war. The Japanese began their conquest of the Pacific by invading several neighboring countries, including China, and had always viewed the mighty U.S.

Navy as their main threat to completing their Pacific kingdom. Britain, Australia and other Commonwealth allies also blocked them. Originally named USS Bon Homme Richard, Yorktown received her final name on 26 September 1942 in honor of the former York who lost to the Japanese at the Battle of Midway (4-7 June 1942).

Town No. (CV-5). CV-10 was grandly launched under the leadership of First Lady President Eleanor Roosevelt, and the first command fell to Captain Joseph J. Clark.

When Yorktown was commissioned in April 1943, the U.S. Navy was engaged in all-out war on a global scale. She departed from Norfolk Naval Base in May on a training and sea trial cruise in the Caribbean. She then landed in the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal and then reached Pearl Harbor. Their first action was an attack on Japanese positions on Marcus Island with Task Force 15 in August.

In October, her plane took part in a similar operation on Wake Island. In November 1943, Yorktown participated in the landings of Abbemama, Makin and Tarawa through air cover.

In January 1944, her squadron again supported the amphibious landings and launched attacks wherever possible - including the enemy-held Truk Atoll and later Saipan. By June, she had participated with sister units in the naval battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19-20), which proved to be a decisive American victory at sea.

The battle marked the end of Japanese carrier dominance in the Pacific, with five fleets and four light enemy aircraft carriers killed in the battle.

In 1945, the final year of the war, Yorktown continued to support the amphibious landings and engage Japanese warships wherever possible. Eventually, the ring around the Japanese mainland had shrunk enough for Yorktown and others to launch planes against enemy airfields. Her own signal bridge was hit directly, killing five soldiers, but continued to operate at full capacity. In March, she conducted air strikes as needed to assist in preparations for the Okinawa invasion. In July, Yorktown joined others in ongoing raids on mainland Japan, including Tokyo.

On August 15, Imperial Japan announced its surrender and suspended all further operations. For the rest of the month, their planes were used to support the incoming crew.

Yorktown was part of the Allied "show of strength" that entered Tokyo Bay on September 16, as Japan signed the official surrender document on the deck of the battleship Missouri on September 2. She left the bay on October 1 for Buckner Bay, where she picked up passengers and was taken home on October 6. USS Yorktown was placed in reserve status in January 1946, but continued to serve until her final decommissioning on January 9, 1947.

Mission History: Cold War

During Yorktown's absence, North Korea's communist north invaded the democratic south, beginning the Korean War (1950-1953). Yorktown was reopened again in June 1952 and opened on 15 December.

At this point, the ship was modernized with new equipment and weapons and aircraft to become the "CVA" attack carrier (USS Yorktown CVA-10). Despite her return, the ship did not take part in combat duty during the Korean War, as an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, ending direct armed conflict between the two countries. Despite this, Yorktown continues to operate service and is used in various deployments in the waters of the Asia-Pacific region.

On March 21, 1955, she was again placed at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. During this time at the dock, the ship will undergo a major modernization, which will include the installation of a sloping launch/recovery deck. On October 14, 1955, the work was completed and Yorktown's status was elevated to Active Duty Commission.

In September 1957, the ship was reclassified again, this time as a dedicated anti-submarine (ASW) carrier as USS Yorktown (CVS-10). As such, she was equipped with various submarine tracking and engagement facilities, and added support for anti-submarine aircraft.

In 1964, Yorktown was officially called up to fight in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) to stop communist expansion. Yorktown provided extensive anti-submarine operations and general support there, and was also involved in the rescue of downed pilots. In February 1967, she retired for a seven-month overhaul.

She returned to service during the Vietnam War in January 1968. Her final tour in Conflict was on June 16, before departing for Japan for the United States.

From there, USS Yorktown assisted with the Hollywood movie Tora! Torah! Torah! " in November and December 1968. Also in December, Yorktown was used as a recovery ship for the Apollo 8 capsule and its three crew members (Borman, Lovell, and Anders).

After a six-day mission to Earth, the capsule landed in the North Pacific on December 27, 1968. Since then, Yorktown has sailed to the East American coast, bypassing Argentina and entering in Norfolk, Virginia U.S.

She was then sent to Europe, making a stopover at several U.S. allies before returning to Norfolk in December 1969.

USS Yorktown finally retired

Yorktown (CVS-10) was last decommissioned on June 27, 1970. Her name was officially removed from the U.S. Navy list on June 1, 1973.

She was then donated to the Patriots Point Development Authority in Charleston, South Carolina, where she was relocated and used as a floating museum on October 13, 1975. In 1986, it received National Historic Landmark status.

Yorktown Modernization Plan

During her service, Yorktown underwent two major refit programs, named SCB27A and SCB125. Each project increases the vessel's working displacement from 36,400 to 40,600 and finally to 41,200. The first procedure increased her length to 898 feet and the second to 890 feet. Defensive weapons shrunk down to 8 x 5" single and 14 x 3" double, then 7 x 5" single, plus 4 x 3" double.

She flew 70 fighter jets during her jet era, tapering to 50 during her CVS era. H8 series hydraulic catapults were added during SCB27A.

Yorktown Service Award

While serving at sea, USS Yorktown received 11 Battle Stars and a Presidential Unit Commendation for her service during World War II. In addition, the ship received an additional 5 Battle Stars for her active participation in the Vietnam War. Her extensive career spanning decades in two major conflicts has made her one of the most famous surface ships in the modern U.S.

Navy. She remains one of America's most important surviving ships of World War II.

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