Photos

A circa 1942 photograph taken at the Consolidated Aircraft Plant at San Diego. The presidential party during a presidential tour moves under the huge wings of the Navy's PB2Y patrol bombers.

View of fantail and stern, January 1943. Note Vought OS2U Kingfisher on catapult; gun director radar in foreground (center); all guns appear to be trained to starboard. Also note 26' motor W.B.s on deck aft.

USS Alaska (CB-1) One of the ship's Curtiss SC-1 floatplanes taxiing up to the landing mat streamed alongside, to be picked up by the aircraft crane. Photographed on 6 March 1945 during the Iwo Jima operation. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collecti

USS Belleau Wood (CV-24)

Flies a long Homeward Bound pennant as she departs the Western Pacific for overhaul in San Francisco, California, 13 April 1945. She had been operating in the combat zone since January 1944. View looks aft from the ship's island, with her SK-1 radar antennna a

USS Cowpens (CVL-25) Crewmen on the flight deck, looking aft toward the carrier's island during raids on the Marshall Islands, November-December 1943. Note crane and other features on and around the island. Radar antennas atop the foremast include SC (larger a

With TBD-1s of VT-6 and F4Fs of VF-6 spotted on flight deck, 11 April 1942.

At NAS San Diego, California 24 June 1940, with 65 planes on deck, including: 16 F3F fighters; 18 SBC; 15 BT; and 16 TBD.

Turns in formation with other Task Force 58 ships, 27 May 1944, during maneuvers prior to the Marianas operation. Note her deck load of Curtiss SB2C-1C "Helldiver" bombers and Grumman TBF " Avenger" torpedo planes. Turning astern are USS JACINTO (CVL-30) and U

At sea, with an overload of aircraft on her flight deck, 14 May 1944. She is carrying at least 36 TBF, 14 F6F and 70 SB2C type planes, probably to build up fleet stocks for the Marianas Operation.

USS ESSEX (CV-9) at Pearl Harbor on 3 August 1943, showing antenna and antenna tower for the SC radar.

A Curtiss SB2C-3 "Hell-diver" bomber takes a "wave-off" while attempting to land in March 1945. Landing signal officer's platform is in the foreground.

Photographed 14 July 1943, with an OS2U "King Fisher" plane on her catapult.

View of the ship's stern, port side, December 1944. Note SB2C Helldiver on the flight deck, wearing HANCOCK's "horseshoe" tail marking.

View of the ship's stern, port side, December 1944. Note SB2C Helldiver on the flight deck, wearing HANCOCK's "horseshoe" tail marking.

Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver aircraft bank over the carrier before landing, following strikes on Japanese shipping in the China Sea, circa mid-January 1945. Photographed by Lieutenant Commander Charles Kerlee, USNR. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collec