Laid down on 7 December 1942 and launched on 14 October 1943, USS Franklin CV-13 was an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the US Navy. Commissioned into the navy on 31 January 1944 she then undertook a work-up phase before moving to the Pacific.
From the end of June 1944, Franklin took part in the Mariana and Palau Islands campaigns which lasted until early August. She then supported the Leyte Landings, where on the 15th of September, she was hit by a bomb on the after outboard corner of the deck edge elevator, killing three men and wounding 22.
On the morning of 24 October, in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, her planes formed part of the waves that attacked the Japanese First Raiding Force (under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita), helping to sink Musashi south of Luzon, damage Fusō and Yamashiro, and sink Wakaba. Franklin’s strike groups combined with those from the other carriers on 25 October in the Battle off Cape Engaño to damage Chiyoda (she would be sunk by American cruiser gunfire subsequently) and sink Zuihō.
On 30 October 1944, Franklin was struck by a Japanese kamikaze attack that hit the flight deck and crashed through to the gallery deck, killing 56 men and wounding 60. A second attacker missed Franklin with two bombs before flying into the stern of Belleau Wood. Repairs took until 2 February 1945.
While undertaking strikes against the Japanese mainland on 19 March 1945, Franklin was hit by two semi-armour piercing bombs dropped by a Yokosuka D4Y “Judy” dive bomber. One bomb struck the flight deck centerline, penetrating to the hangar deck, causing destruction and igniting fires through the second and third decks, and knocking out the combat information center and air plot. The second hit aft, tearing through two decks.
At the time, Franklin was preparing a raid an consequently numerous plane were fueled and armed on deck and in the hanger. This added significantly to the damage caused and the intensity of the fires. Casualty figures vary from 724 killed and 265 wounded to 807 killed and at least 487 wounded. This appears to be caused by the inclusion or not of passengers, civilians on board, air group casualties and marines.
USS Franklin was repaired in New York and returned to active duty after the war finished. She was placed in reserve on 17 February 1947. Due to the significant wartime damage, she was never reactivated or upgraded. While in reserve she was redesignated as an attack aircraft carrier CVA-13 on 1 October 1952, an antisubmarine warfare support carrier CVS-13 on 8 August 1953 and, ultimately, as an aircraft transport AVT-8 on 15 May 1959.
USS Franklin (CV-13) under constructionUSS Franklin (CV-13) under constructionUSS Franklin (CV-13) under construction May 1943USS Franklin (CV-13) under construction May 1943USS Franklin (CV-13) under construction May 1943USS Franklin (CV-13) under construction May 1943USS Franklin (CV-13) was christened at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Virginia, on Thursday, 14 October 1943USS Franklin (CV-13) is floated out of her building dock immediately after christening
USS Franklin CV-13 in Service
USS Franklin (CV-13). Stern, looking forward. Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. 6 January 1944.USS Franklin (CV-13) in the Elizabeth River, off Norfolk, Virginia, 21 February 1944USS Franklin (CV-13) in the Elizabeth River, off Norfolk, Virginia, 21 February 1944USS Franklin CV-13 In the Elizabeth River, off Norfolk, Virginia, 21 February 1944USS Franklin CV-13 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia. May 4, 1944 USS Franklin (CV-13), port quarter, Norfolk Navy Yard, May 4, 1944USS Franklin CV-13 seen off the Mariana Islands. August 1, 1944 August 1, 1944 USS Franklin CV-13 seen off the Mariana Islands.USS Franklin (CV-13) in January 1945, after repairsUSS Franklin (CV-13), Puget Sound Navy Yard, 31 January 1945. Stern view, port sideUSS Franklin (CV-13), Puget Sound Navy Yard, 31 January 1945USS Franklin (CV-13), Puget Sound Navy Yard, 31 January 1945. Broadside view, starboard side
USS Franklin CV-13 Aircraft Operations
Pilots of VT-13 in their ready room aboard USS Franklin (CV-13), 24 October 1944, just before the Battle of the Sibuyan SeaGrumman F6F-3 and-5 Hellcat and Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver CVG-13 on deck of USS Franklin (CV-13) in October 1944Vought F4U-1D Corsairs and Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldivers of (CVG-5) spotted on USS Franklin (CV-13)Vought F4U-1D Corsairs of Fighting Squadron (VF) 5 Fighting Hellcats on the flight deck of USS Franklin (CV-13), March 1945
USS Franklin CV-13 at Leyte Gulf
A Japanese dive bomber (encircled) plunges downward USS Franklin (CV-13) the kamikaze that hit USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24)A Japanese kamikaze hits the flight deck of USS Franklin (CV-13), October 30, 1944.USS Franklin (CV-13), at right, and USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) afire after being hit by Japanese kamikaze suicide planes,USS Franklin (CV-13) underway in Task Group (TG) 38.4 after being hit by a Zero kamikazeUSS Franklin (CV-13) underway in Task Group (TG) 38.4 after being hit by a Zero kamikazeUSS Franklin (CV-13) underway in Task Group (TG) 38.4 after being hit by a Zero kamikazeUSS Franklin (CV-13) underway in Task Group (TG) 38.4 after being hit by a Zero kamikazeUSS Franklin (CV-13) afire after kamikaze hit, 30 October 1944.View showing work progress on 3 November 1944
USS Franklin CV-13 Under Attack March 1945
March 19, 1945 USS Franklin CV-13 on fire after being bombed by Japanese aircraft off Honshu, Japan.March 19, 1945 USS Franklin CV-13 after being bombed by Japanese aircraft off HonshuUSS Franklin (CV-13) on fire and listing after a Japanese air attack, off the coast of JapanUSS Santa Fe (CL-60) assisting the bombed aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13) on 19 March 1945March 19, 1945 USS Santa Fe CL-60 assisting the damaged USS Franklin CV-13.Church service on the ruined hangar deck of USS Franklin (CV-13), taken upon her return to the US
USS Franklin CV-13 in New York for Repair
April 1945 USS Franklin CV-13 approaching New York for repairs.USS Franklin (CV-13) arriving at New York City (USA) on 28 April 1945April 1945 USS Franklin CV-13 approaching New York for repairsUSS Franklin (CV-13) in New York for repairs on April 28th, 1945USS Franklin (CV-13) in New York for repairs on April 28th, 1945USS Franklin (CV-13) in New York for repairs on April 28th, 1945USS Franklin (CV-13) in New York for repairs on April 28th, 1945
USS Franklin CV-13 in Reserve
The two large ships at right on the near side of the peninsula are Alaska (CB-1) and Guam (CB-2). The next two ships astern are North Carolina (BB-55) and Washington (BB-56). Further astern are (from outboard to inboard) Fargo (CL-106), Albemarle (AV-5) and Wakefield (AP-21). The carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Franklin (CV-13) are at the far left.The decommissioned USS Franklin (AVT-8) being moved at Bayonne, New Jersey (USA), in 1964.USS Franklin (AVT-8) at Bayonne, N.J., August 1960USS Franklin (AVT-8) at Bayonne, N.J., August 1960; with Wisconsin (BB-64).Ex-USS Franklin awaiting her fate, April 1967.Ex-USS Franklin at Jacobson Salvage in Chesapeake, VA prior to scrap, August 1967.Ex-USS Franklin being scrappedEx-USS Franklin being scrappedEx-USS Franklin being scrapped
HMS York was a heavy cruiser of the York class, built for the Royal Navy in the late 1920s. She was the lead ship of her class, which also included HMS Exeter. The York class was base on the preceding County class cruisers, and designed to smaller and cheaper while having better armour.
HMS York was laid down at the shipyard of John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland, on 16 May 1926. She was launched on 17 July 1928, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 1 May 1930.
HMS York was armed with six 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three twin turrets, four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts, and six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in two tripple mounts. She was also equipped with a catapult and could operate one Supermarine Walrus seaplane.
HMS York served extensively during World War II. She participated in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940, and she was later deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. On 26 March 1941, she was badly damaged by two Italian explosive motor boats in a dawn attack at Suda Bay, north Crete. The motorboats, each armed with 300-kg (667 lb) charges in the bows, were piloted by Italian Navy officers. Two boiler rooms and one engine room were flooded and the ship was run aground to prevent her sinking. On 18 May, a Luftwaffe air attack further damaged York. She was subsequently scuttled after her guns were wrecked.
The wreck of HMS York was raised and salvage for scrap in 1952.
HMS York being launchedHMS York being launchedHMS York being launchedHMS York being launched
HMS York
HMS York during a port visit to Karlskrona Sweden, 1931HMS York sails past the Finnish sea fortress Suomenlinna Sveaborg, September 3, 1933Aerial photo of HMS York in Admiralty Floating Dock No. 1 at Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda in 1934HMS York in Washington 1935HMS York in Washington 1935HMS York in 1936HMS York Montreal 20 June 1937HMS York 14 Jan1938 entering Havana HarbourHMS York (90) in Vancouver, British Columbia, 10 August 1938HMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS YorkHMS York
Armament
HMS York forward 8″ guns
Aircraft of HMS York
HMS York’s Supermarine Walrus aircraft
HMS York at Suda Bay Crete
The Wreck of HMS York in Suda BayItalians inspecting the wreck of the HMS York after it was abandoned by the BritishThe Wreck of HMS York in Suda BayThe Wreck of HMS York in Suda BayWreck of HMS York, in Souda Bay, summer 1941The wreck of HMS York being salvaged and scrapped
Diderot was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 19 April 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.
On 16 August 1914, Diderot participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.
For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean.
Post-war, Diderot was modernised from 1923 – 25 after which she was used as a training ship. She was condemned in 1936 and sold for scrap.
Diderot at Toulon, 26 November 1916.DiderotDiderotDiderotDiderot
