Essex (CVS 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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s M HJ,,..,,- ..,, M W , V, ill ,1 ' ff 7 ,f ' 1, ff':,w:w . ,M , The war in the Pacific, an exhausting series of diH:icult battles, could not dampen the spirit or hard working abilities of the crew and air group of the Fightin'est Ship in the Fleet. Despite long hours, tragic iniuries and deaths, and incredible sacrifices, their loy- alty remained constant and their efforts un- wavering. Silhouette ot destruction...ESSEX lies off the Japanese coast in preparation tor the final strikes against the home islands.

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Daring and dependable in combat, the ESSEX and her gallant oyjicers and men rendered loyal service in achieving the an l ultimate defeat of the fapanese Empire. For the President J AMES FORRESTAL Secretary of the Navy After her return from the States, ESSEX continued her valiant hard-working role, and by 23 May she was back in action, bringing destruction to Marcus, then Wake, then the Marianas and Palau Islands. During the Marianas occupation, ESSEX flew 3,078 sorties, and participated in one of the most significant actions of World War ll. By fall, ESSEX was launching strikes against Nansei Shoto, Formosa, and the Philippine Islands, as the war moved north, culminating in the strikes which virtually annihilated shipping in Manila Bay . . . a resounding climax to the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea. ln a little over a month, a total of 138 planes in the air were destroyed, and ll7 on the ground, while dozens of warships were sunk. In preparation for the landings in Lingayen Gulf, strikes were launched against Formosa, Sakishima Gunto and as far north as Okinawa Gunto, as well as installations on Lu- zon. From Formosa, ESSEX, as part of a task force, entered the South China Sea, launching effective strikes against Japanese shipping in the Saigon Bay area. By the beginning of l945, the scene had been set for strikes against Tokyo itself, to neutralize the enemy's air force preparatory to the Marines' landing on lwo Jima, and to cripple the Japanese aircraft industry. ln a standby position off lwo Jima during the actual land- ings, ESSEX launched strikes against Chichi Jima and other neighboring islands. Then at Ulithi, plans were laid for the Okinawa campaign, climax of the war in the Pacific, during which ESSEX's Air Group flew 6460 sorties. To bring the war to a rapid and now inevitable victory, Task Force 58 struck in great force against Tokyo on T0 July, and pounded at Hokkaido and Northern Honshu, as well as the Kure Naval Base. With further destructive harrassment from the fleet, and the final, punishing blow dealt by the two atomic bomb blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese Empire crumbled and fell in humiliating defeat. The war was over. 4 - wr 39' ,gy , . ff swf? x tix I X is x 17'

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PN' , f X A r 1..-il g , : 3 .-cw- 'f. arms -g.- -syn.. -1 -gm.-s':: ,,.:,, it ji Q , H ESSEX appeared all but deserted as she lay in drydock at Puget Sound iust prior to her recommissioning. The Fightin'est Ship in the Fleet was home Home was the sailor, home from the seas. Home was the Fightin'est ship in the Fleet, her battles over, her title won, re- won, her name and her spirit famous. Home was ESSEX from the war. lt had been a great struggle, and ESSEX's efforts had been equally as great. The ship broke many new records and estab- lished many firsts. The ship was credited with more ships sunk, and more planes downed than any other ship operating in the Pacific Theatre. Her men gave of themselves all that there was to give, and then they gave some more. They participated in every major engagement ofthe war, and saw action through- out the Pacific, as the war progressed on bloody stepping stones north to Tokyo. They earned the right to call themselves the Fightin'est by their every action, and this gallantry was rewarded by their Citation from the President of the United States. But the war was over, and the fighting at an end . . . ESSEX was home, and tired. On 13 March 1946 she was towed from California to the Naval Station, Seattle, Washington and there on 9 January, 1947, she was placed out of com- mission in reserve. For two years, ESSEX lay decommissioned, exhausted by her travels, and by the intensive periods of combats she had sustained. But, in 1949, she was brought out of retirement, and was literally rebuilt by the Navy Yard at Bremerton, Washing- ton. A new 887' fiight deck was added, a streamlined island structure, and a greater displacement by several thousand tons. On 15 January 1951 at Puget Sound, ESSEX was recom- missioned. Among the distinguished guests to witness the re- birth of this great ship were Fleet Admiral Nimitz, Vice Admiral Murry and Vice Admiral Durgen. Captain Austin W. Wheelock assumed command and ESSEX departed the shipyard 6 March 1951 for San Diego, California. The world was again restless. Hostilities had broken out in Korea, in June of 1950, and the United States was deeply in- volved in this police action. Once again, the need for this mighty ESSEX was felt, and she was called to the Pacific for active duty in the Korean campaign.