List of sunken aircraft carriers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Amagi, capsized in Kure harbor, 1946

With the advent of heavier-than-air flight, the aircraft carrier has become a decisive weapon at sea.[1] In 1911 aircraft began to be successfully launched and landed on ships with the successful flight of a Curtiss Pusher aboard USS Pennsylvania.[2] The British Royal Navy pioneered the first aircraft carrier with floatplanes, as flying boats under performed compared to traditional land based aircraft.[3] The first true aircraft carrier was HMS Argus,[2][4] launched in late 1917 with a complement of 20 aircraft and a flight deck 550 ft (170 m) long and 68 ft (21 m) wide.[4] The last aircraft carrier sunk in wartime was the Japanese aircraft carrier Amagi, in Kure Harbour in July 1945. The greatest loss of life was the 2,046 killed on Akitsu Maru—a converted passenger liner with a small flight deck, carrying the Imperial Japanese Army's 64th Infantry Regiment.

France[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
HMS Biter (D97) underway c1943.jpg Biter later Dixmude Escort carrier 21 aircraft 10 June 1966 Mediterranean Sea — Out of service 1953. Sunk by United States Navy as target.

Germany[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
Graf-Zeppelin-2.jpg Graf Zeppelin Fleet carrier 42 aircraft 16 August 1947 Baltic Sea 55°31′03″N 18°17′09″E / 55.51750°N 18.28583°E / 55.51750; 18.28583 — Never completed during World War II and extensively damaged by retreating Germans. Raised but later sunk by USSR as target.

Italy[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
CV Aquila LaSpezia Jun51 NAN5-63.jpg Aquila Fleet carrier 51 aircraft 19 April 1945 Genova Harbor, Italy — Never completed. Sunk by Italian divers to prevent use as a blockship by Germans.
Sparviero.jpg Sparviero Light carrier 34 aircraft 5 October 1944 Genova Harbor, Italy — Never completed. Sunk by Germans to block Genova Harbor

Japan[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi 01.jpg Akagi Fleet carrier 66 aircraft 5 June 1942 30°30′N 178°40′W / 30.500°N 178.667°W / 30.500; -178.667 267 Crippled by dive bombers during the Battle of Midway later sunk by torpedoes from Japanese destroyers the following day.
AkitsuMaru.jpg Akitsu Maru Escort carrier 8 aircraft 15 November 1944 East China Sea 2,046 Torpedoed by USS Queenfish
Japanese aircraft carrier Amagi.jpg Amagi Fleet carrier 66 aircraft 27 July 1945 Kure Harbor "Light" Sunk during the attack on Kure Harbour 24–27 July
Japanese aircraft carrier Chitose.jpg Chitose Light carrier 30 aircraft 25 October 1944 19°20′N 126°20′E / 19.333°N 126.333°E / 19.333; 126.333 903 Sunk by torpedo bombers during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Japanese aircraft carrier Chiyoda.jpg Chiyoda Light carrier 30 aircraft 25 October 1944 18°37′N 126°45′E / 18.617°N 126.750°E / 18.617; 126.750 1,470 Crippled by dive bombers. Later sunk by cruisers USS Santa Fe, USS Mobile, USS Wichita, and USS New Orleans during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō.jpg Chuyo Escort carrier 27 aircraft 4 December 1943 32°37′N 143°39′E / 32.617°N 143.650°E / 32.617; 143.650 1,250 Torpedoed by submarine USS Sailfish
Japanese aircraft carrier Hiyo.jpg Hiyō Fleet carrier 53 aircraft 20 June 1944 16°20′N 132°32′E / 16.333°N 132.533°E / 16.333; 132.533 247 Sunk by torpedo bombers during the Battle of the Philippine Sea
Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu 1939.jpg Hiryū Fleet carrier 53 aircraft 5 June 1942 Midway Atoll 385 Crippled by dive bombers during the Battle of Midway, later scuttled by torpedoes fired from the Japanese destroyer Makigumo
Japanese Navy Aircraft Carrier Kaga.jpg Kaga Fleet carrier 72 aircraft 5 June 1942 Midway Atoll 811 Crippled by dive bombers during the Battle of Midway, later scuttled by torpedoes fired from the Japanese destroyer Hagikaze
Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō.jpg Ryūjō Light carrier 48 aircraft 24 August 1942 Solomon Islands 120 Sunk by torpedo bombers and dive bombers during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons
Shinano photo.jpg Shinano Fleet carrier 47 aircraft 29 November 1944 32°0′N 137°0′E / 32.000°N 137.000°E / 32.000; 137.000 1,435 Torpedoed by submarine USS Archerfish
Aircraft carrier Shinyo.JPG Shinyo Escort carrier 27 aircraft 17 November 1944 East China Sea 1,130 Torpedoed by submarine USS Spadefish
Shoho trials.jpg Shōhō Light carrier 30 aircraft 6 May 1942 16°07′S 151°54′E / 16.117°S 151.900°E / -16.117; 151.900 834 Sunk by dive bombers during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Japanese aircraft carrier shokaku 1941.jpg Shōkaku Fleet carrier 72 aircraft 19 June 1944 11°40′N 137°40′E / 11.667°N 137.667°E / 11.667; 137.667 1,272 Torpedoed by submarine USS Cavalla during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu 1938.jpg Sōryū Fleet carrier 57 aircraft 4 June 1942 30°38′N 179°13′W / 30.633°N 179.217°W / 30.633; -179.217 711 Crippled by dive bombers during the Battle of Midway. Later scuttled by Japanese destroyers.
Japanese aircraft carrier Taiho 02.jpg Taihō Fleet carrier 65 aircraft 19 June 1944 12°05′N 138°12′E / 12.083°N 138.200°E / 12.083; 138.200 1,650 Torpedoed by submarine USS Albacore during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Japanese aircraft carrier Taiyō cropped.JPG Taiyō Escort carrier 23 aircraft 18 August 1944 18°10′N 120°22′E / 18.167°N 120.367°E / 18.167; 120.367 ~790 Torpedoed by submarine USS Rasher off Cape Bolinao, Luzon.
Japanese aircraft carrierUnryu.jpg Unryū Fleet carrier 57 aircraft 19 December 1944 29°59′N 124°03′E / 29.983°N 124.050°E / 29.983; 124.050 1,238 Torpedoed by submarine USS Redfish
IJN CV Unyo in 1943 cropped.jpg Unyō Escort carrier 27 aircraft 17 September 1944 19°8′N 116°36′E / 19.133°N 116.600°E / 19.133; 116.600 239 Torpedoed by submarine USS Barb
Japanese Aircraft Carrier Zuiho.jpg Zuihō Light carrier 30 aircraft 25 October 1944 19°20′N 125°15′E / 19.333°N 125.250°E / 19.333; 125.250 215 Sunk by aircraft from US Navy Task Force 38 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Japanese.aircraft.carrier.zuikaku.jpg Zuikaku Fleet carrier 72 aircraft 25 October 1944 19°20′N 125°51′E / 19.333°N 125.850°E / 19.333; 125.850 843 Sunk by aircraft from US Navy Task Force 38 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf

United Kingdom[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
HMS Ark Royal sinking.jpg Ark Royal Fleet carrier 60 aircraft 14 November 1941 Western Mediterranean 36°3′N 4°45′W / 36.050°N 4.750°W / 36.050; -4.750 1 Torpedoed by German submarine U-81 on 13 November 1941. Sank next day while under tow to Gibraltar.
HMS Audacity (D10).jpg Audacity Escort carrier 8 aircraft 21 December 1941 North Atlantic 43°45′N 19°54′W / 43.750°N 19.900°W / 43.750; -19.900 73 Torpedoed by German submarine U-751
HMS Avenger 2 edit.jpg Avenger Escort carrier 15 aircraft 15 November 1942 36°15′N 07°45′W / 36.250°N 7.750°W / 36.250; -7.750 516 Torpedoed by German submarine U-151 en route to Gibraltar
HMS Courageous (50).jpg Courageous Fleet carrier 48 aircraft 17 September 1939 North Atlantic 50°10′N 14°45′W / 50.167°N 14.750°W / 50.167; -14.750 519 Torpedoed by German submarine U-29
HMS Dasher.jpg Dasher Escort carrier 15 aircraft 27 March 1943 Firth of Clyde
55°36′N 5°00′W / 55.600°N 5.000°W / 55.600; -5.000 		379 Sunk from internal explosion of unknown cause.
HMS Eagle underway 1930s.jpeg Eagle Fleet carrier 30 aircraft 11 August 1942 Western Mediterranean 38°3′N 3°1′E / 38.050°N 3.017°E / 38.050; 3.017 131 Torpedoed by German submarine U-73 while escorting convoy to resupply Malta
HMS Glorious.jpg Glorious Fleet carrier 48 aircraft 8 June 1940 Norwegian Sea
68°38′N 03°50′E / 68.633°N 3.833°E / 68.633; 3.833 		1,207 Sunk by gunfire from German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.
HMS Hermes (95) off Yantai China c1931.jpeg Hermes Fleet carrier 20 aircraft 9 April 1942 Indian Ocean east of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka 307 Sunk by Imperial Japanese aircraft.

United States[]

Image Ship Type Aircraft component Sinking
Date Location Casualties Conditions
USS America (CVA-66) underway on 31 August 1965.jpg America Fleet carrier 79 aircraft 14 May 2005 Cape Hatteras — Scuttled after being used as target
USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) at anchor in Majuro Atoll, circa in 1944.jpg Bismarck Sea Escort carrier 27 aircraft 21 February 1945 Off Iwo Jima 318 Sunk by two Japanese kamikaze aircraft during the Battle of Iwo Jima
USS Block Island (CVE-21) leaving Norfolk, October 15, 1943.jpg Block Island Escort carrier 24 aircraft 29 May 1944 Off the Canary Islands 6 Torpedoed by German submarine U-549
CVE 73 Gambier Bay.jpg Gambier Bay Escort carrier 28 aircraft 25 October 1944 Off Samar Island in the Philippines 130 Sunk by Japanese surface ships of center force during the Battle off Samar
USS Hornet (CV-8).jpg Hornet Fleet carrier 90 aircraft 27 October 1942 Off the Santa Cruz Islands 140 Crippled by torpedo bombers and dive bombers from Japanese fast carriers, sunk by torpedoes from the Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo after failed attempt to scuttle.
USS Independence CVL-22.jpg Independence Light carrier 30 aircraft 29 September 1951 Farallon Islands — Used as target during Operation Crossroads and later scuttled after decontamination tests
USS Langley (CV-1).jpg Langley Seaplane tender (ex fleet carrier) 34 aircraft 27 February 1942 about 75 mi south of Tjilatjap harbor (Java) 16 Crippled by Japanese dive bombers later scuttled by torpedoes and gunfire from the escorting ships
USS Lexington (CV-2) leaving San Diego on 14 October 1941.jpg Lexington Fleet carrier 91 aircraft 8 May 1942 Coral Sea 216 Crippled by Japanese torpedo bombers and dive bombers during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Scuttled by USS Phelps.
USS Liscome Bay CVE56.jpg Liscome Bay Escort carrier 28 aircraft 24 November 1943 off Butaritari Island 644 Torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-175
Cve79a.jpg Ommaney Bay Escort carrier 28 aircraft 4 January 1945 Sulu Sea 95 Crippled by a Japanese kamikaze, later scuttled by the escorting destroyer USS Burns
USS Oriskany (CVA-34) near Midway Atoll 1967.jpg Oriskany Fleet carrier 91 aircraft 17 May 2006 off Pensacola, Florida — Sunk to become an artificial reef
USS Princeton (CVL-23) underway in Puget Sound on 3 January 1944 (NH 95651).jpg Princeton Light carrier 45 aircraft 24 October 1944 Leyte Gulf 108 Sunk by land based Japanese bomber during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
USS St. Lo Cve63.jpg St. Lo Escort carrier 28 aircraft 25 October 1944 Leyte Gulf 143 Sunk by Japanese kamikaze aircraft during the Battle off Samar
USS Saratoga (CV-3) underway, circa in 1942 (80-G-K-459).jpg Saratoga Fleet carrier 91 aircraft 25 July 1946 Bikini Atoll — Sunk as target during Operation Crossroads
USS Wasp (CV-7).jpg Wasp Fleet carrier 76 aircraft 15 September 1942 Southeast of San Cristobal Island 193 Sunk by the Japanese submarine I-19
USS Yorktown (CV-5) Jul1937.jpg Yorktown Fleet carrier 90 aircraft 7 June 1942 North of Midway Island 81 Crippled by Japanese dive bombers and torpedo bombers during the Battle of Midway later sunk by Japanese submarine I-168 while under tow.

See also[]

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ Bishop & Chant, p. 1
  2. ^ a b Bishop & Chant, p. 8
  3. ^ Bishop & Chant, p. 9
  4. ^ a b Polmar, p. 30

References[]

  • Bishop, Chris; Chant, Chris (2004). Aircraft Carriers The world's greatest naval vessels and their aircraft. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760320055.
  • Fontenoy, Paul E. (2006). Aircraft Carriers: an illustrated history of their impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 185109573X.
  • Polmar, Norman (2006). Aircraft Carriers: a history of carrier aviation and its influence on world events. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books Inc. ISBN 1574886630.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""