Looking for United States Navy Aircraft carriers of WWII- Paintings and Prints? U.S.S. Yorktown CV-5 on patrol in the Pacific Ocean U.S.S. YORKTOWN - TONGATABU 1942 - Naval History Giclee Art Prints By Mark Churms WWII United States Navy Aircraft Carriers of Fleet The famous WWII aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown CV-5 (paint scheme - Measure 12 ) is at anchor at Tonga in the Pacific before the Battle of the Coral Sea. Her next valiant action will be her last. She will be sunk at the Battle of Midway by a combination of Japanese air strikes and submarine torpedoes in 1942. U.S.S. YORKTOWN CV5, 1942 mighty aircraft carrier at rest USS Yorktown (CV-5) lies quietly anchored at Tongatabu in South Pacific, April 1942. She has a flight deck the length of three American football fields and is in need of maintenance and replenishment after 2 months in the Coral Sea. Soon she will sail once more to the Coral Sea and do battle against the Japanese Imperial Navy. Battle commences on May 7, 1942 This battle is the first ever fought in the history of the US Navy between enemy ships that are completely out of sight of each other. Combat airplanes launched from mighty flat tops will dominate WWII naval battles in the Pacific. The Battle of the Coral Sea At the Coral Sea, the Yorktown is under attack from the air; her captain, Elliott Buckmaster, maneuvers the ship and avoids all but one bomb strike from a Japanese Navy airplane. The fires are extinguished and flight operations continue. The USS Lexington (CV2) is not so lucky and is sunk by direct hits from Kates (Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bombers), and Vals (Achi D3A1 dive-bombers) but aircraft from the Yorktown sink one of the enemy's aircraft carriers. The Battle of the Coral Sea is of great strategic importance to the war as it halts the tide of Japanese conquest of the South Pacific and assault on Port Morsby. The US fleet retires to Pearl Harbor Naval base in Hawaii to make emergency repairs. In just 3 days the Yorktown is ready again for combat as the center of United States Navy Task Force 17. The Battle of Midway The Battle of Midway begins on June 4, 1942. Planes from USS Yorktown, and USS Enterprise attack the enemy's aircraft carriers. They quickly sink Soryu, Akagi and Kaga, but vengeance is swift as three Japanese Vals score direct hits on the Yorktown followed by 2 torpedoes from Kates, which rip into her hull and mortally wound this mighty warship. Yorktown is the only carrier at Midway that comes under attack by enemy aircraft. While the crew struggle to save the ship the Yorktown's planes join with the attack on the last Japanese aircraft carrier, the Hiryu, and leave her as a burning hulk. A total of four enemy carriers are sunk at The Battle of Midway. Yorktown Torepedoed! Yorktown is now listing but remains afloat through the night. The US Navy destroyer USS Hamman (DD-412), ties up alongside to provide much needed assistance, but Japanese submarine, I-168, has found it's prey and launches a salvo of 'fish' at the stricken carrier and it's escort. In vain, the destroyer's crew fire 20 mm machine guns at the approaching torpedoes. One torpedo breaks the back of the destroyer, which rapidly sinks, and 2 more slam into the Yorktown. Only one misses its target as the enemy sub dives to make its escape. Yet, the Yorktown still refuses to sink. The next morning however, she slowly succumbs to her lethal wounds, rolls over on her port side and slips into the deep, blue ocean. Captain Buckmaster's warship is awarded 3 battle stars for her part in the Battles of The Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. The Yorktown is the only U.S. aircraft carrier to fight in both of these great battles. She descends to at rest on the ocean floor with her battle flags hoisted aloft. Yorktown Warplanes at Midway: * Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless Divebombers of VB-3 * TBD Devastators Torpedo Bombers of VT -3 * Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats - "Flying Three" Fighter Aircraft Dedicated to the crew of U.S.S. Yorktown CV-5 1936-1942 With special thanks to Yorktown Veteran Sam Laser U.S.N - World War II Naval History Giclee CANVAS Art Print By Mark Churms available CLICK HERE
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