How Navy aircraft carriers have projected US military might all over the world for 86 years

[rangerrebew]

How Navy aircraft carriers have projected US military might all over the world for 86 years
Benjamin Brimelow
Oct 5, 2020, 8:18 PM
 

    The US Navy's aircraft carriers are some of the most imposing vessels ever put to sea.

    But the carriers the Navy has now are the just latest on a long line ships that dominated during World War II and continue to project US might around the world.
     

Few weapons have made an impact on warfare like the aircraft carrier. Just a few decades after the first purpose-built carrier was commissioned by the Japanese in 1922, they became essential instruments of naval warfare.

https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-us-navy-aircraft-carriers-supercarriers-to-ford-class-2020-10

[AL]

Remember my starboard lookout notifying the bridge, land off the starboard bow.  We were a good ways out to sea.  In a short while it came into view, USS Enterprise with the Long Beach tailing behind.  What a sight.  Today's mega carriers must be something to see at sea.  Love to watch the videos of flight ops on the flight deck.

[PeteS in CA]

100 years ago, USS Langley, CV-1, was not yet in commission after being converted from collier USS Jupiter.

[AL]

100 years ago, USS Langley, CV-1, was not yet in commission after being converted from collier USS Jupiter.

With a stretch of the imagination, there was one even earlier than Langley.  I'd have to go through my database and find the record but during the Civil War the U.S. took a barge and built a flat deck on top.  As I recall, the barge was drifted down the Mississippi to do an aerial reconnaissance of Island No. 10.  The aircraft was a hot air balloon tethered to the barge.  The pilot with his glass surveyed the area and reported.  The land and water assault by the north followed.  So far, in my ongoing research, this is the only occasion where this method was used.   Again, its a stretch.

[AL]

Follow up on the balloon's.  This isn't the particular record I was referring to, but it does show how balloons were coming into play during the Civil War.  Taken From the War of the Rebellion, Official Records.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 16, 1861.

Lieutenant Colonel A. V. COLBURN,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

DEAR SIR: I returned yesterday from Poolesville, after stationing balloon and necessary inflating apparatus with General Stone's division. This is the third of the new inflating apparatus which has been sent out, and three more are now ready to go as soon as the other two balloons are finished. I commenced inflation at Edwards Ferry on Friday at 4 p.m., and in three hours generated gas sufficient to lift 1,200 pounds.

On Saturday morning I ascended quite early and took an observation of the enemy's country. Very few troops were visible, and these were scattered both up and down the river. We could see into nearly every street of Leesburg, but scarcely any troops were visible. The main body appears to be between Leesburg and Centerville-I should judge fifteen or twenty miles below the former-as camps and heavy smokes were quite visible in that direction.

Later in the day I ascended again, and a number of their tents which were visible in the morning inside of their earth- works between Edwards Ferry and Leesburg were taken down, and teams were observed moving toward the village of Leesburg.

In the afternoon I was accompanied in my ascension by General Stone, who added several points to his map. The balloon still remains inflated, and will be ready for use at all times, in charge of a competent assistant aeronaut. The balloon now located at Budd's Ferry has been inflated over two weeks without any replenishing.

The communication of W. G. Fullerton, of December 2, in reference to photographic pictures taken from the balloon which was referred to me, has been examined, and I would say that the author advances no new ideas. As soon as other matters connected with the balloons are accomplished I shall give the photographic matter a thorough and practical test.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. S. C. LOWE,

Aeronaut.

During the months of January and February balloons were kept in constant use at Budd's Ferry, Md., under the orders of General Hooker; at Poolesville, Md., General Stone's command; at Fort Royal, S. C., General Sherman's command, and there was one also sent to Cairo, Ill. The one last mentioned was used by Commodore Foote at the attack on Island No. 10. During the bombardment an officer of the Navy ascended and discovered that our shot and shell went beyond the enemy, and by altering the range our forces were soon able to compel the enemy to evacuate.

Up to the 1st of March I was principally occupied in visiting the different balloon stations and keeping everything in order. As the reports were made directly to the officers in command of the posts where the balloons were stationed, I can only furnish the following communications:

POOLESVILLE, January 20, 1862.

Professor LOWE,

National Hotel, Washington:

Please send up the small balloon immediately. The large one has suffered in its varnish from the excessively bad wearther.

C. P. STONE,

Brigadier-General of Volunteers.

POOLESVILLE, January 25, 1862.

Professor LOWE,

National Hotel, Washington:

The balloon Intrepid got an inch of ice on it last night and is reported much injured. Hurry up the smaller one.

C. P. STONE,

Brigadier-General.

[ironhorsedriver]

With a stretch of the imagination, there was one even earlier than Langley.  I'd have to go through my database and find the record but during the Civil War the U.S. took a barge and built a flat deck on top.  As I recall, the barge was drifted down the Mississippi to do an aerial reconnaissance of Island No. 10.  The aircraft was a hot air balloon tethered to the barge.  The pilot with his glass surveyed the area and reported.  The land and water assault by the north followed.  So far, in my ongoing research, this is the only occasion where this method was used.   Again, its a stretch.

Not really a stretch to me! Good research. I would consider that to be an aircraft carrier, built to launch something into the air. Wonder what her name was, if there was one?

[PeteS in CA]

Langley wasn't the first USN ship from which an aircraft was launched. From https://www.hazegray.org/danfs/cruisers/acr4.txt :

PITTSBURGH

Armored Cruiser No. 4

Displacement:  13,400 t.

Length:  503’11”

Beam:  69’7”

Draft:  24’1”

Speed:  22 k.

Complement:  829

Armament:  4 8”; 14 6”; 18 3”; 2 18” torpedo tubes

Class:  PENNSYLVANIA

The second PITTSBURGH (Armored Cruiser 4) was laid down

as PENNSYLVANIA 7 August 1901 by William Cramp and Sons,

Philadelphia; launched 22 August 1903

PENNSYLVANIA operated on the East Coast and in the

Caribbean until 8 September 1906 when she cleared Newport

for the Asiatic Station, returning to San Francisco 27

September 1907 for west coast duty.  She visited Chile and

Peru in 1910.  During the winter of 1910-1911, a plane

landed on and took off from a platform constructed on her

afterdeck, opening the era of naval aviation.  While in

reserve at Puget Sound between 1 July 1911 and 30 May 1913,

the cruiser trained naval militia.  She was renamed

PITTSBURGH 27 August 1912 to free the name Pennsylvania for

a new battleship.

Between some battleships approaching and battle cruisers exceeding armored cruisers (ACR) speed, were obsolescent by the time of this experiment bolded above. The WW1 Battle of the Falkland Islands and the sinking of 3 RN Cressy class ACRs by a U-boat pretty much rendered ACRs obsolete (outgunned by faster ships and vulnerable to submarine torpedoes), though the USN's 6 Pennsylvania class ACRs served through WW1, mostly in convoy escort.

[Fishrrman]

I'll go out on a limb with the prediction that if there's ever a real war with China -- not some footsey game but a REAL fight for survival -- the aircraft carriers are going to disappear, quickly...

[rangerrebew]

I'll go out on a limb with the prediction that if there's ever a real war with China -- not some footsey game but a REAL fight for survival -- the aircraft carriers are going to disappear, quickly...

In 1973, on my first deployment, the Russians had a satellite which could pick up a surface ship within nautical miles.  Now they can probably tell how many times a day commodes are flushed.  Yes, they'll be gone in a hurry.

[AL]

I'll go out on a limb with the prediction that if there's ever a real war with China -- not some footsey game but a REAL fight for survival -- the aircraft carriers are going to disappear, quickly...

Probably right.  Carriers are a big target on the water.  And as we saw just recently, once on fire bad things happen.