About this Unit
USS Essex (CVS-9) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1942, serving as the lead ship of the Essex-class carriers for the United States Navy. During World War II, Essex participated in major Pacific Theater operations, including strikes against the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and attacks on the Japanese home islands. After the war, she underwent modernization and was redesignated as an anti-submarine warfare carrier (CVS) in 1959. Essex continued to serve through the Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and early Vietnam War before being decommissioned in 1969.
Historical Facts
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Namesake Legacy: USS Essex (CVS-9) was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name "Essex," named after Essex County, Massachusetts, and following a lineage of distinguished ships.
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Lead Ship of Her Class: Essex was the lead ship of the famous Essex-class aircraft carriers, the most numerous class of fleet carriers ever built, with 24 completed during and after World War II.
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World War II Service: Commissioned in December 1942, Essex participated in pivotal Pacific Theater operations, including raids on Marcus and Wake Islands, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and strikes against the Japanese home islands.
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Kamikaze Attack Survivor: On 25 November 1944, Essex was struck by a kamikaze aircraft, resulting in 15 deaths and 44 wounded, but the ship returned to action within weeks.
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Recommissioned for Korea: After World War II, Essex was decommissioned but brought back and modernized for service in the Korean War, providing air support for United Nations forces.
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Anti-Submarine Warfare Role: In 1957, Essex was redesignated CVS-9, reflecting her new primary mission as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) carrier during the Cold War.
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Apollo 7 Recovery: Essex played a key role in the space race by recovering the crew of Apollo 7, the first manned mission in the Apollo program, in October 1968.
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Film Feature: The carrier appeared as the fictional USS Princeton in the 1954 film "The Bridges at Toko-Ri," starring William Holden and Grace Kelly.
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Record-Breaking Deployments: Over her long career, Essex earned 13 battle stars for World War II service and four for the Korean War, making her one of the most decorated carriers of her era.
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Decommissioning and Fate: Essex was decommissioned for the final time in 1969 and sold for scrap in 1975, ending a remarkable 30-year career spanning three major conflicts and the dawn of the space age.
