USS SARATOGA

• The USS Saratoga was the fifth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the second ship to be named after the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War. • Construction of the USS Saratoga began in 1920, but due to budget constraints and design changes, it was not commissioned until November 1927. • During World War II, the USS Saratoga participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, where it was hit by a kamikaze attack but managed to recover and return to service. • After the war, the USS Saratoga was used as a training carrier and was involved in the development of new aircraft technologies, such as the jet-assisted takeoff system. • In 1956, the USS Saratoga was one of the first aircraft carriers to operate nuclear-powered aircraft, paving the way for the modern nuclear-powered carriers of today. • The USS Saratoga was decommissioned in 1994 after over 60 years of service, making it one of the longest-serving aircraft carriers in US naval history. • After decommissioning, the USS Saratoga was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and scheduled for scrapping, but efforts to turn it into a museum ship were unsuccessful. • In 2014, the USS Saratoga was towed to Brownsville, Texas, where it was dismantled and recycled, bringing an end to its storied career. • Several films and documentaries have featured the USS Saratoga, including "The Fighting Lady" (1944) and "Fire on the Mountain" (1996), highlighting its role in naval history. • The legacy of the USS Saratoga lives on through the sailors who served aboard it and the history it made as a symbol of American naval power and technological innovation.