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- Essex class (short-hull) Fleet Carrier
- Displacement: 34,800 tons
- Length: 872'
- Beam: 147'
- Draft: 28'7"
- Speed: 33 knots
- Armament: 12 5"/38, 18x4 40mm, 60 20mm; 103 planes (37 F6F,
36 #B2C, 18 TBM)
- Complement: 3,448 personnel
- Geared turbine engines, 4 screws, 150,000 shaft hp.
- Built at Newport News, and commissioned 31 January 1944
| The USS Franklin, fifth of her
name in the United States Navy, bears an eminent name in the
history of our country and our Navy.
FRANKLIN I was an armed schooner fitted out,
by order of General Washington, by the Massachusetts Colony at
the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. In 1776, the
Franklin, under Captain James Mugford, captured the
"Hope" loaded with military supplies and powder,
intrenching tools, and gun carriages, and delivered these
supplies to the Continental Army.
FRANKLIN II was an eight gun brig which took
part in the first war with the Barbary Pirates.
FRANKLIN II was a 74-gun ship of the line
laid down in 1815. After serving in the Tripolitan War,
she rendered important service in the protection of American
shipping in the Eastern Pacific in 1822.
FRANKLIN IV was a 39-gun steam frigate
launched at the close of the Civil War. Pride of the
Navy, she was designated as Admiral Farragut's flagship on his
triumphant cruise to Europe in 1867. She also was for
many years, the Receiving Ship at the old St. Helena Training
Station across the Elizabeth River from the Norfolk Navy
Yard.
War Cruise of USS Franklin
(CV-13)
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Keel
laid NNSB/&DD Co., Newport News, Virginia
Launched,
Captain Mildred H. McAfee, W-V(S) USNR, sponsor
Commissioned,
Captain J. M. Shoemaker, Commanding
Started
Shakedown Cruise to Trinidad, Gulf of Paria, S.A. |
7 Dec
1942
14 Oct
1943
31 Jan
1944
20 Mar
1944 |
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Departed
Norfolk, Virginia for West Coast
First
Canal Transit
Arrived
San Diego, California
Departed
San Diego, California
Departed
Pearl Harbor for War Zone |
5 May
1944
11 May
1944
19 May
1944
1 Jun
1944
23 Jun
1944 |
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Participated
in Marianas Operation
Strikes
against Iwo Jima, Haha Jima, and Chichi Jima in the Bonin &
Volcano Islands
Strikes
against Rota and Guam, and Invasion of Guam, Marianas
Islands
Strikes
against Palau Islands, Yap and Ulithi
Strikes
against Bonin and Volcano Islands |
1
STAR
3-4 Jul
1944
6-22 Jul
1944
25-27
Jul 1944
4-5 Aug
1944 |
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Western
Caroline Islands Operation
Strikes
against Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima
Strikes
against Yap and Ulithi Islands
Invasion
support of Peleliu and Angaur Islands, Palau Islands
Crossed
Equator |
1
STAR
31 Aug -
2 Sep 1944
6-8 Sep
1944
10-16
Sep 1944
20 Sep
1944 |
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Leyte
Operation
Strikes
against Okinawa Jima, Nansei Shoto
Strikes
against Aparri, Luzon, Philippine Islands
Strikes
against Tainan, Island of Formosa |
1
STAR
10 Oct
1944
11 Oct
1944
12-13
Oct 1944 |
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| The Franklin
sustained negligible damage from a strafing suicide plane off
Formosa on 13 October 1944. The plane crashed just aft the
island structure, slid across the flight deck and burst into
flames upon striking the water on the starboard side. |
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| Strikes against Aparri,
Manila and Legaspi, Philippine Islands |
14-19 Oct
1944 |
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| Three Japanese
bombs caused minor damage to the Franklin on 15 October 1944, East
of Luzon Island. One small bomb penetrated the corner of the
deck edge elevator and detonated just below the flight deck level,
causing minor fragment damage and a small gasoline fire. The
second bomb detonated upon striking the water, close aboard to
port. The third bomb detonated on water impact close aboard
to starboard. |
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Invasion
Support of Leyte, Philippine Islands
Strikes
against manila Bay Area
Battle
of Leyte Gulf
Support
of Ground Troops, Leyte, Philippine Islands |
20 Oct
1944
22-23
Oct 1944
24-26
Oct 1944
27-30
Oct 1944 |
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| On 30 October
1944, the Franklin was damaged extensively by a Japanese suicide
plane east of Samar Island. The plane with a bomb load
aboard crashed through the flight deck, igniting planes parked at
the after end of the flight deck. The bombs carried forward,
detonating among the gassed planes in the hanger and causing fires
in the after portion of the flight deck and hangar. The fire
spread to the second and third deck spaces. In addition, gas
explosions occurred in the hangar, but all fires were extinguished
in two and one half hours. Structural damage was extensive
to the flight and gallery decks as well as to structures within
the hangar. |
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Arrived
Ulithi
Captain
L. E. Gehres relieved Captain J. M. Shoemaker as Commanding
Officer
Departed
Ulithi
Arrived
Pearl Harbor
At Puget
Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington for repairs
Arrived
San Francisco, California
Departed
San Francisco, California
Departed
Pearl Harbor for War Zone
Crossed
International Date Line
Arrived
Ulithi |
2 Nov
1944
7 Nov
1944
11 Nov
1944
21 Nov
1944
27 Nov-2
Feb 1945
4 Feb
1945
7 Feb
1945
3 Mar
1945
6 Mar
1945
13 Mar
1945 |
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Okinawa
Gunto Operation
Strikes
against Kyushu, Shikoku, Islands of Japanese Empire |
1
STAR
18-19
Mar 1945 |
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| On 19 March
1945, off Shikoku, the Franklin was struck by two bombs which
passed through the flight deck and detonated in the hangar.
A terrific conflagration fed by gasoline in aircraft fuel tanks,
together with detonations of a large number of heavy bombs and
rockets loaded on aircraft, demolished a major part of the flight
deck and wrecked the hangar and gallery deck spaces.
Flooding from fire-fighting water caused a heavy list. All
machinery spaces were evacuated because of smoke and heat and all
power failed. This is the worst damage which any United
States warship has survived. |
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Arrived
Ulithi
Crossed
International Date Line on Easter Sunday
Arrived
Pearl Harbor
Second
Passage through Panama Canal
Arrived
New York
Arrived
New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York for repairs
Commander
H.H. Hale relieved Captain L. E. Gehres as Commanding Officer |
24 Mar
1945
1 Apr
1945
3 Apr
1945
20 Apr
1945
26 Apr
1945
28 Apr
1945
30 Jun
1945 |
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| Traveled
approximately 102,000 miles |
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SCORE BOARD |
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SHIP |
AIR GROUP 13 |
AIR GROUP 5 |
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| Period of Service |
1/31/44 - 3/19/45 |
1/31/44 - 11/21/44 |
2/7/45 - 3/19/45 |
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| Jap planes shot down |
6 |
88 plus 29 probables |
18 |
| Jap planes destroyed on ground |
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145 |
8 |
| Jap planes damaged |
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138 |
12 |
| Warships sunk |
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12 for 56,000 tons |
None |
| Warships damaged |
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19 for 254,000 tons |
1 CVE, 3 small
ships, 1 CV Hull |
| Merchant ships sunk |
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52 for 121,000 tons |
None |
| Merchant ships damaged |
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66 for 158,000 tons |
1 large, 7 small |
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| (lower section of
this page, from ship drawing down, US Navy papers) |
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/signed/
T.J.
Greene
Lieut.
Comdr., US Navy
Executive
Officer |
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