This black & white film "Carrier Operations at Sea" details the life of the crew aboard a fleet aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific during WWII in 1944. Includes footage of aircraft operations including Grumman TBM Avengers, Curtiss Helldivers and Hellcats, maintenance, take-offs and landings, and the mundane side of crew life. For whatever reason the aircraft carrier shown in the film has its identifying number painted over. It appears to be an Essex-class fleet carrier, possibly one on a shakedown or training cruise.
Opening titles: U.S. Navy Presentation - Carrier Operations At Sea (:06). Flight deck on a Essex class carrier (:15). Planes including Hellcats parked (:37). .50 caliber ammunition belts (:41). Moving bombs by elevator (:58). Men carry shells for the fighter's wing guns (1:24). Ordnance men (1:44). Carrier at sea (1:53). Ship's navigation staff on bridge (2:04). Pilots sit and listen in ready room (2:17). Sailors and pilots get ready (2:33). Pilots enter their cockpits (3:00). Pilot signs check sheet (3:21). Carrier turns into the wind to launch aircraft (3:40). On the flight bridge (4:00). Plane propellers start (4:05). F4U Corsair plane's folding wings extend (4:32). Engines start for the planes (4:57). Plane captain instructs planes and they start to take off (5:03). Avengers take off (5:45). Down to the hanger deck where aircraft are stored (6:28). Planes are maintained (6:48). Work done down below deck (7:05). Relaxation on the ship (7:41). Inside the cruise quarters (7:58). Cooking in the kitchen (8:21). Men eat (8:44). Church (8:55). Weather measurements (9:10) by launching a weather balloon. Anti-aircraft drill, as guns fire (9:38). Watching our planes return to the ship with binoculars (10:10). Ship turns into the wind (10:38). Landing signal officer uses flags (10:56). Navy Avenger Planes land on a carrier (11:13). Landing signal officer makes a lot of motions and waves off a plane from landing (12:30). Planes in the sky (12:49). Carrier at sea (13:11). End credits (13:19).
Details the life of the crew aboard a fleet aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific during WWII in 1944. Includes footage of aircraft operations including Grumman TBM Avengers and Hellcats, maintenance, take-offs and landings, and the mundane side of crew life. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference." This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
The fact that the ships could be upgraded and used for decades gave them an edge.
Here's what you need to remember: "There is something that just captures our imagination," added Fabey. "When these ships were designed the United States wasn't yet a superpower. These were the ships that helped win the war and then put us on top."
The role that the Essex-class aircraft carrier played in World War II can't be understated. The ships have been called the backbone of the United States Navy—which ordered thirty-two of the vessels. As the war wound down, six were canceled before construction began while two were canceled while still under construction. A total of twenty-four were built between 1943 and 1950 at shipyards in Newport News, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Norfolk and Braintree.
"They were the most popular carrier ever and really did serve the purpose for which they were built," said Mike Fabey, Americas Naval reporter for Jane's.
"Carriers, in general, proved their worth in World War II," Fabey told The National Interest. "In the Pacific, it was very much if you were the first to find and first to fire you could probably come out the winner. We had very good carriers and that made a huge difference."
One of the most important factors was the role that the "Arsenal of Democracy" played—the United States produced not only a very good class of aircraft carrier, but a lot of them as well.
"Getting the ships built and out to sea made a huge difference," said Fabey.
It is a testament to U.S. industry that it was able to complete so many of the carriers quickly, beginning with the 30,000-ton USS Essex (CV-9), which was commissioned on December 31, 1942. The ship was 870 feet long and was outfitted with four twin and four single five-inch gun turrets. With its two fire-control radar systems, the Essex could hit targets up to seven miles away with proximity-fused air-bursting shells—and it also had a total of sixty 20mm cannons and seventeen quad-barrel 40mm Bofors guns for close-range fighting.
Not a single one of the Essex-class carriers built during World War II was lost to the enemy, though several had sustained intensive damage.
"This was because of how well built the ships were, but also how well the crews were trained," explained Fabey. "This damage control capability, with both watertight hatches along with a crew that could address a problem made a huge difference. This also allowed the ships to not only survive but to get back into the fight—that changes everything as the enemy needs to throw more at you each time."
After the war, the ships served in various configurations for decades to come. Many of the ships were extensively modified as part of the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) upgrades, and this included a reinforced, angled flight deck to accommodate jet aircraft.
The fact that the ships could be upgraded and used for decades is also noteworthy.
"They were built incredibly quick, but also so well," said Fabey. "The Navy did a great job of making these ships last well past their time."
Most of the Essex-class carriers were decommissioned in the 1970s, the USS Lexington operated out of Pensacola as a training ship, providing deck-landing and takeoff experience for Naval aviation cadets for twenty years prior to being decommissioned in November 1991. She along with the USS Yorktown (CV-10), USS Intrepid (CV-11) and USS Hornet (CV-12) are now preserved as museums ships, and serve as reminders of what was arguably the greatest class of aircraft carriers.
"There is something that just captures our imagination," added Fabey. "When these ships were designed the United States wasn't yet a superpower. These were the ships that helped win the war and then put us on top."
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and website. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.
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