USS Hornet CV-12

The USS Hornet CV-12 was named for a ship that had been sunk less than a year before it set sail. It was originally named the USS Kearsarge and was contracted to be built with the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia. This particular vessel was the eighth Navy ship to carry the name Hornet.

The Hornet weighs in excess of 27 thousand tons. It measures 872 feet in overall length and could travel at speeds of about 33 knots. Her propulsion system consists of eight boilers and four propellers. She had a range of over 20 thousand nautical miles at 15 knots.

The Hornet's crew consisted of 3,448 officers and enlisted men. She could carry up to 100 aircrafts and had three elevators to assist with moving the planes from lower births to the fight deck. Her armaments consisted of 4 twin 5-inch 38 caliber guns, four single 5-inch 38 caliber guns, eight quadruple 40mm 56 caliber guns and 46 single 20mm 78 caliber guns.

The carrier spent 16 continuous months in the forward combat areas of the Pacific and was often less than 40 miles away from Japanese home islands. The vessel was part of the Fast Carrier Attack Force and its first mission involved lending air support for the invasion of the beaches of New Guinea. The crew of the Hornet then prepared for massive aerial raids against the Japanese bases in the Caroline Islands and lent support to the amphibious raids against the Marianas Islands.

From June 11 to June 16, 1944, the Hornet sent air raids against bases and strategic targets on several different islands, including Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam, Iwo and Chichi Jima. On June 19, 1944, the Battle of the Philippine Sea began as the Hornet sent its attack aircraft to destroy as many land-based enemy aircraft as possible. Nearly every enemy aircraft was shot down that day.

From that point until June of 1945, the Hornet continued to play a crucial role in the war. Raids were sent against various islands in the Philippines. There were even several attacks directly on Tokyo and the industrial plains near there. As attacks against Okinawa were gathering strength, the Hornet was involved in supporting the amphibious attacks.

The Hornet's World War II scorecard includes coming under direct attack a total of 59 times, but wasn't hit once. Her record of 1,410 Japanese aircraft destroyed is only beaten by one other carrier, the USS Essex. Her attack aircraft destroyed or seriously damaged over 1.2 million tons of enemy shipping and a very large number of her pilots were Aces.

The Hornet shot down 72 enemy aircraft in one day and an astonishing 255 aircraft in one month. She supported every major amphibious landing made by the military after March of 1944. She earned nine battle stars and was one of only nine carriers to receive the Presidential Unit Citation.

Her career did not end after the end of World War II. The Hornet has received overhauls and updates on a couple of occasions. She was made capable of launching more advanced aircraft in the mid 1950s and then, in 1958, was turned into a anti-submarine support carrier and reclassified CVS-12. She provided support to mission during the Vietnam War and was also the carrier designated to retrieve and recover several space flights, including Apollo 11, which was the first mission that had men walking on the moon. Today, she can be found docked in Alameda, California as an historical landmark. She plays host to many tours and special events.

One of the dangers that existed for the sailors aboard this ship came from asbestos, which was heavily used in the construction of many ships. This mineral can fall apart and create a dust that is very harmful to people, causing diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Hornet CV-12, or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

Her World War II scorecard is amazing. She came under direct attack a total of 59 times, but wasn't hit once. Her record of 1,410 Japanese aircraft destroyed is only beaten by one other carrier, the USS Essex. Her attack aircraft destroyed or seriously damaged over 1.2 million tons of enemy shipping and a very large number of her pilots were 'Aces'. Ten of them made 'Ace in a Day' status. She shot down 72 enemy aircraft in one day and an astonishing 255 aircraft in one month. She supported every major amphibious landing made by the military after March of 1944. She earned nine battle stars and was one of only nine carriers to receive the Presidential Unit Citation.

Her career did not end after the end of World War II. She has received overhauls and updates on a couple of occasions. She was made capable of launching more advanced aircraft in the mid 1950s and then, in 1958, was turned into antisubmarine support carrier and reclassified CVS-12. She provided support to mission during the Vietnam War. She was also the carrier designated to retrieve and recover several space flights, including Apollo 11, which was the first mission that had men walking on the moon. Today, she can be found docked in Alameda, California as an historical landmark. She plays host to many tours and special events.

One of the dangerous that existed for the sailors aboard this ship didn't come from the enemy. Asbestos was used heavily in the construction of many ships, including carriers. This mineral can fall apart and create a dust that is very harmful to people, causing a few different disease, including asbestosis and mesothelioma. If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Hornet CV-12 or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please fill out the request form on this page to receive a free informational packet.

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