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USS Langley CV-1 (WWII)

The USS Langley CV-1 was America's first aircraft carrier. She was originally built as a collier, a cargo ship designed to carry coal, named the USS Jupiter AC-3. The Jupiter was the first ship to be propelled by electricity. It was converted in 1920 at the Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. The name was changed in 1920 to Langley in honor of Samuel Langley, who was an aviation pioneer. In 1922, the first plane was launched from her deck and the use of aircraft carriers by the U.S. Navy was begun.

When the conversion from a collier to a carrier took place many of her statistics changed. As the Langley, her length measured 542 foot and her width was 65 foot. She weighed in at 11,500 tons. She could carry 55 planes and was crewed by 468 officers and enlisted men. Between 1923 and 1936, the Langley was used to train pilots and crew for service aboard aircraft carriers. She also made the rounds giving demonstrations of her capabilities for many civil and military dignitaries. She arrived in San Diego, California and served as a part of the Pacific Battle Fleet for twelve years, taking part in training, experimentation and various exercises.

In October of 1936, her career as a carrier ended when she once again underwent a conversion. She became a seaplane tender at the Mare Island Navy Yard in California. The pilots who had trained aboard her, though, were crucial to operations aboard the next two carriers to be constructed, the USS Lexington and the USS Saratoga. Once the conversion was complete in February of 1937, her hull classification was changed to AV-3.

When America entered World War II, she was in the Philippines. As the Japanese were invading the Philippine Islands, she moved to Balikppan in the Dutch East Indies. At the very beginning of 1941, she finally ended up in service out of Darwin in Australia. She became a part of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) and assisted the Royal Australian Air Force in searching out and destroying enemy submarines until she was needed to transport Allied aircraft. She picked up 32 P-40 fighter planes in Fremantle, Australia and carried them to Java.

On February 27, she joined up with two destroyers, the USS Edsall and the USS Whipple. Just before noon of that day, she was attacked by nine twin engine enemy bombers. The first two waves of the attack were unsuccessful, but the enemy planes managed to hit her with five bombs, killing sixteen of her crew. The bombs also destroyed several of the aircraft sitting on deck and wrecked her steering capabilities. Her engine room flooded and the Langley became dead in the water. Orders to abandon ship were given and the destroyers that were with her sank the ship so she wouldn't fall into enemy hands. She sank 75 miles south of Tjilatjap.

During her construction and conversions, asbestos was a primary ingredient in many of the parts that were used. The mineral was primarily used as an insulator, since it is flame and heat resistant. The problem with asbestos is that, when it becomes airborne, it is dangerous to people in the area. The dust contains millions of microscopic asbestos fibers that cause a lot of damage inside the body. One of the primary diseases directly related to asbestos is called asbestosis. This develops when the lungs have produced a significant amount of scar tissue and the victim can no longer breathe correctly. The other disease is a cancer known as mesothelioma.

If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS Langley CV-1 (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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