USS HORNET

USS Hornet is the name carried by several distinguished ships in U.S. Navy history, most famously the aircraft carrier CV-8. Commissioned in 1941, USS Hornet (CV-8) played a pivotal role in World War II, notably launching the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942, the first air raid to strike the Japanese home islands. The carrier also participated in the pivotal Battle of Midway, contributing to the turning of the tide in the Pacific Theater. Despite her heroic service, CV-8 was sunk during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942, but her legacy endures through subsequent ships bearing the Hornet name, including CV-12, which served in World War II and later as a recovery ship for Apollo missions.