Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # 80-G-301354:  USS Langley and other ships of TG 38.3 off Ulithi, 12 Dec. 1944

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIP TYPES -- FLEET AIRCRAFT CARRIERS --

Independence class small aircraft carriers, (CVL 22-30)
(Converted from Fiscal Year 1941 light cruisers)

The Independence class carriers were a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's interest in Navy shipbuilding plans. In August 1941, with war clearly in prospect, he noted that no new fleet aircraft carriers were expected before 1944 and proposed to quickly convert some of the many cruisers then building. Studies of cruiser-size aircraft carriers had shown their serious limitations, but the crisis following the December 1941 Pearl Harbor disaster demonstrated the urgent need to have more carriers as soon as possible. The Navy responded by greatly accelerating construction of the big Essex class carriers and, in January 1942, reordering a Cleveland class light cruiser as an aircraft carrier.

Plans developed for this conversion showed much more promise than expected and two more light cruisers were reordered as carriers in February, three in March and a final three in June 1942. Completed in January-December 1943, simultaneously with the first eight Essexes, the nine Independence class ships were vital components of the great offensive that tore through the central and western Pacific from November 1943 through August 1945. Eight of them participated in the June 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea, which effectively eliminated Japan's carrier air power, supplying 40 percent of the fighters and 36 percent of the torpedo bombers.

The Independence class design featured a relatively short and narrow flight deck and hangar, with a small island. To compensate for this additional topside weight, the cruiser hulls were widened amidships by five feet. The typical air group, originally intended to include nine each of fighters, scout-bombers and torpedo planes, was soon reoriented to number about two dozen fighters and nine torpedo planes.

These were limited-capability ships, whose principal virtue was near-term availability. Their small size made for seakeeping problems and a relatively high aircraft accident rate. Protection was modest and many munitions had to be stowed at the hangar level, a factor that contributed greatly to the loss of Princeton in October 1944.

There was also little margin for growth, as their post-war careers showed. Independence was expended as an atomic bomb target, and the rest were laid up in 1947. Five returned to service in 1948-53, two with the French Navy. Two were used as training carriers, while Bataan saw Korean War combat duty with Marine Corps air groups. She and Cabot received anti-submarine warfare modernizations in the early 1950s, emerging with two smokestacks instead of the original four. All but the French ships decommissioned in 1954-56 and were reclassified as aircraft transports in 1959. Cabot got a new lease on life in 1967, when she became the Spanish Navy's carrier Dedalo, serving until 1989.

The nine ships of the Independence class were all converted from Cleveland class light cruisers building at the New York Shipbuilding Coporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey. Initially classified as "aircraft carriers" (CV), all were redesignated "small aircraft carriers" (CVL) on 15 July 1943, while four ships were still under construction. Individual ships' construction data follows:

  • Independence (CV/CVL-22). Keel laid in May 1941 as Amsterdam (CL-59); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in January 1942; launched in August 1942; commissioned in January 1943.
  • Princeton (CV/CVL-23). Keel laid in June 1941 as Tallahassee (CL-61); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in February 1942; launched in October 1942; commissioned in February 1943.
  • Belleau Wood (CV/CVL-24). Keel laid in August 1941 as New Haven (CL-76); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in February 1942; launched in December 1942; commissioned in March 1943.
  • Cowpens (CV/CVL-25). Keel laid in November 1941 as Huntington (CL-77); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in March 1942; launched in January 1943; commissioned in May 1943.
  • Monterey (CV/CVL-26). Keel laid in December 1941 as Dayton (CL-78); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in March 1942; launched in February 1943; commissioned in June 1943.
  • Langley (CVL-27). Originally planned as Fargo (CL-85); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in March 1942; keel laid in April 1942; name changed from Crown Point to Langley in November 1942; launched in May 1943; commissioned in August 1943.
  • Cabot (CVL-28). Keel laid in March 1942 as Wilmington (CL-79); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in June 1942; launched in April 1943; commissioned in July 1943.
  • Bataan (CVL-29). Originally planned as Buffalo (CL-99); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in June 1942; keel laid in August 1942; launched in August 1943; commissioned in November 1943.
  • San Jacinto (CVL-30). Originally planned as Newark (CL-100); reclassified as an aircraft carrier in June 1942; keel laid in October 1942; name changed from Reprisal to San Jacinto in January 1943; launched in September 1943; commissioned in December 1943.

    Independence class "as-built" design characteristics:

  • Displacement: 11,000 tons (standard)
  • Dimensions: 622' 6" (length overall); 71' 6" (hull); 109' 2" (over flight deck and projections)
  • Powerplant: 100,000 horsepower, steam turbines, four propellers, 31.5 knot maximum speed
  • Aircraft (Typical operational complement, October 1944): 34 planes, including 25 F6F fighters and 9 TBM torpedo planes.

    This page features limited pictorial coverage of Independence class small aircraft carriers, with links to pages concerning individual ships.

    For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy fleet aircraft carriers, see: Fleet Aircraft Carriers -- Overview and Special Image Selection.

    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 88416

    USS Independence (CV-22)


    Photographed soon after completion, circa early 1943, while she still carried a 5"/38 gun at the bow.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 112KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-65969

    USS Princeton (CV-23)


    Underway in the Atlantic area, during her shakedown cruise, 31 May 1943.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 194KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-276768

    USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)


    Underway on 22 December 1943.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 138KB; 740 x 620 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 95648

    USS Princeton (CVL-23)


    Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 1 January 1944.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Historical Center.

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 45508

    USS Bataan (CVL-29)


    Off the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, 2 March 1944.
    She is painted in Measure 32 Design 8A camouflage pattern.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-290628

    USS Monterey (CVL-26)


    At anchor in Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, on 24 November 1944, during a break from operations off the Philippines. Note F6F fighters parked aft on her flight deck.
    Photographed from USS Wasp (CV-18).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-301354

    Task Group 38.3


    Makes a simultaneous turn to port from column formation, while entering Ulithi anchorage on 12 December 1944 after strikes against the Japanese in the Philippines.
    Ships are (from front): Langley (CVL-27); Ticonderoga (CV-14); Washington (BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60); Biloxi (CL-80); Mobile (CL-63) and Oakland (CL-95).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 121KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 97452

    USS Monterey (CVL-26)


    Underway in the Gulf of Mexico, 29 January 1953, with her crew spelling out "Mardi Gras 1953" on her flight deck.
    Note that all her guns have been removed. She was then serving as training carrier, operating out of Pensacola, Florida, a duty she performed from January 1951 until June 1955.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 96KB; 635 x 725 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 95808

    USS Bataan (CVL-29)


    Photographed on 22 May 1953, as she was en route to Naval Air Station San Diego, California, following a deployment to Korean waters.
    Note crew paraded on the flight deck spelling out the word "HOME" and an arrow pointing over her bow. Aircraft on deck include 19 Grumman AF "Guardian" anti-submarine planes and a solitary Vought F4U "Corsair" fighter (parked amidships on the starboard side).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 172KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: 19-N-46451

    USS Princeton (CV-23)


    Launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, on 18 October 1942.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 90KB; 575 x 765 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-527 (Color)

    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 antenna, in front); "SG" (small antenna, in middle). A "YE" homing beacon antenna is mounted on the topmast. Large radar antenna behind the island is a "SK".

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 600 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     

    For more views of Independence class small aircraft carriers, see:

  • Independence (CV/CVL-22);
  • Princeton (CV/CVL-23);
  • Belleau Wood (CV/CVL-24);
  • Cowpens (CV/CVL-25);
  • Monterey (CV/CVL-26);
  • Langley (CVL-27);
  • Cabot (CVL-28);
  • Bataan (CVL-29); and
  • San Jacinto (CVL-30).

    For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy fleet aircraft carriers, see: Fleet Aircraft Carriers -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 27 October 2001