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USS Intrepid CV-11(WWII)

The USS Intrepid CV-11 is the fourth ship in service to America to carry the name. It's an Essex class aircraft carrier and was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company out of Newport News, Virginia. It was launched in April of 1943 and was the fifth such aircraft carrier to be launched by the United States Navy. After launch, it headed for the Caribbean for training.

As it was built, the carrier weighed in at just a little over 27,000 tons and weighed 36,380 tons fully loaded. Its overall length is 872 feet and at its widest point it measured 147 feet and six inches. It was driven along by eight steam boilers and four propellers and could reach speeds of about 33 knots. At fifteen knots it had a range of 20,000 nautical miles. Its crew consisted of 2,600 officers and enlisted men. The carrier could hold up to one hundred aircraft and sported three elevators to move the planes from the storage decks to the flight deck. It carried four twin five inch 38 caliber guns, four single five inch 38 caliber guns, eight quadruple 40mm 56 caliber guns and 46 single 20mm 78 caliber guns in its armament.

After training, the Intrepid headed to Pearl Harbor to join the forces gathering there. In January of 1944 she set sail for her first mission which was an attack on the Marshall Islands. She joined two other carriers, USS Cabot CVL -28 and the USS Essex CV-9, in raids against the northeastern corner of the Kwajalein Atoll. The attack destroyed all 83 enemy aircraft based on Namur and Roi. She continued to attack various targets until Marines were able to take a key islet and invade the Roi.

Once the Marshall Islands had been taken, she got underway to the Micronesia and attacks against Truk. During two days for intense fighting, the carriers involved managed to sink two destroyers and over 200,000 tons of merchant shipping. On February 17, 1944 an aerial torpedo hit the Intrepid in its starboard quarter and caused serious damage. The torpedo struck the ship below the waterline and caused several compartments to flood. It also caused the rudder to become jammed hard to port. The crew managed to keep her pointed in the right direction with skillful use of the engines, but then the weather caused her to point directly toward Tokyo. Since no one on board had any desire to get there, they rigged a makeshift sail from scrap canvas and hatch covers, and finally made it into Pearl Harbor.

After receiving repairs in Hunter's Point, California, the ship made its way to Palaus in September of 1944 and attacked airfield and artillery emplacements on Peleliu. Once the fighting had settled down to man-to-man fighting, the Intrepid headed to the Philippines to help with the islands' liberation from Japanese control. She took part in pounding on bases on Okinawa and Formosa to help contain any Japanese counterattacks and to keep them from joining in the Battle for Leyte Gulf. She finally turned from these attacks to take a part in the battle, herself. The Japanese were desperate and began a three point attack against American forces. The Intrepid then joined other American ships fighting against Japan's Northern Force and they managed to sink several more of the enemy's ships and downed most of their aircraft.

At the very end of October, the Intrepid's attack planes were hitting Clark Field when a kamikaze hit the ship. The plane crashed into one of the ship's port gun tubes, killing ten men and injuring six. The damage was soon repaired and the Intrepid was able to continue its attacks against various targets in the Philippines. On November 25, two more kamikaze pilots managed to hit the carrier. Striking within five minutes of each other, they killed 65 men. The Intrepid managed to maintain its position in the attacking force until the current mission was completed and then set sail to San Francisco to have repairs made.

The Intrepid returned to the fighting by March of 1945. As she was attacking airfields Kyushu, Japan, another enemy plane got close. The gunners managed to destroy the plane, but it was only fifty feet above the deck. Parts of the plane and burning fuel landed on the deck, but the fires were quickly extinguished and the Intrepid was able to return to the attack. They ran raids over Okinawa and took part in softening up the forces for the amphibious assault. On April 16, the carrier took damage one more time. A Japanese pilot managed to crash his plane on the deck, killing eight and wounding 21. Temporary repairs were quickly made and the Intrepid's aircraft were able to land. Once again, she returned to San Francisco for repairs and made it back in time to support the occupation forces.

After the end of World War II, the Intrepid joined the reserve fleet. The carrier took part in operations during the Vietnam War, where it, once again, was instrumental in fighting the war. She became a submarine hunter-killer and won awards as such. Today, the ship has taken its place as a Naval Museum in New York City.

Throughout all of its service, there was one deadly killer on board that had nothing to do with enemy forces. Asbestos had been used extensively in its construction, as well as the construction of many of the ships in service. Asbestos dust is known to cause two life threatening disease, asbestosis and a cancer called mesothelioma.

If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Intrepid CV-11(WWII), or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Asbestos.com offers a free packet with more information. Enter your contact information in the form in the right column and we'll send a copy immediately.

Aircraft Carriers Index

USS America USS Antietam CV 36 K USS Antietam CV 36 USS Badoeng Strait CVE 116 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Bairoko CVE 115 USS Belleau wood CVL 24 USS Bennington CV 20 USS Bon Homme Richard CVa USS Boxer CV USS Bunker CV USS Cabot CVL 28 USS Constellation CV USS Coral Sea CV USS Corregidor CVE 58 USS Sable ix USS San jacinto CVL USS Saratoga CV USS Saratoga CV3 USS Shangri La

USS Cowpens CVL 25 USS Enterprise CV 6 USS Enterprise CVN USS Essex CV 9 USS Forrestal CV USS Franklin CV 13 USS Hancock CV 19 USS Hornet CV 12 USS Hornet CV 8 USS Independence C1 USS Independence CVL 22 USS Intrepid CV 11 USS Kearsage CV 33 USS Kearsage CV USS Kitty Hawk USS Sicily CVe USS Sitkoh bay USS Tarawa CV USS Ticonderoga CV USS Valley forge CV

USS Lake Champlain CV 39 USS Langley CV 1 USS Langley CVL 27 USS Lexington CV 16 USS Lexington CV 2 USS Leyte CV 32 USS Midway CV USS Oriskany CV USS Phillipine Sea CV USS Point cruz CVE USS Princeton CV USS Princeton CVL USS Randolph CV USS Ranger CV USS Rendova USS Wasp CV 18 USS Wasp CV 7 USS Wolverine IX 64 USS Yorktown CV 10 USS Yorktown CV 5

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