We do have some very historic Essex class ships on display, and that's a real positive.
Most of us old Naval Aviators have very fond memories of the Essex Class Carriers which were used heavily in Viet Nam and conflicts prior to that. Most of the 23 built started out as straight deck carriers and were later modified to angle deck carriers. C=Carrier...V=Aviation....A=Attack....S=Anti-Submarine....T=Training....
Only four Essex class warriors still remain,
1. The "Lady Lex" CV-16, later CVT-16, The U.S.S. Lexington (aka-The Blue Ghost) which was used for student pilot carrier training in the Gulf of Mexico beginning in the early 60's up through 1991....many of us, including me, carrier-qualified on the Lexington. She now is at rest and is a museum, open to the public in Corpus Christi, TX. 1943-1991 active duty...1991 to present as a museum.
2. CVA/CVS-10 The U.S.S. Yorktown, 1943-1970 active duty...1974-present a public maritime/naval aircraft museum at Patriot's Point, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
3. CVA/CVS-11 The U.S.S. Intrepid, 1943-1974 active duty....now a public maritime/naval aircraft museum in New York City Harbor. She was docked on the Hudson River side when I used to fly over her.
4. CVA/CVS-12 The U.S.S. Hornet, 1942-1970 active duty, 1998-present a public maritime/naval aircraft museum in Alameda, California.
These proud carriers, all of them wonderful old ladies, served their nation very well and now serve millions of visitors annually.
As proud warriors of a free nation, they are very fond memories for thousands of U.S. Naval personnel who served under their flags and carrier battle groups.........I am fortunate enough to have landed aircraft on some of them, sorry that most of them are gone now, but so many great memories are not gone.
May these remaining four continue their glory as museums for all to see.
