USS Midway (CV-41)

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USS Midway (CV-41) at Yokosuka
USS Midway (CV-41) at Yokosuka
overview
shipyard

Newport News Shipbuilding

keel laying October 27, 1943
launch March 20, 1945
namesake Battle of Midway
1. Term of Service flag
commissioning September 10, 1945
decommissioning April 11, 1992
whereabouts museum ship
Technical specifications
displacement

55,000ts 1945
64,200ts 1991

length

295.2m in 1945
303.8m in 1991

broad

34.4 m (waterline)
41.5 m before, 75.5 after conversion (flight deck)

draft

10.9m

crew

4.104

drive
  • 12 steam boilers
  • 4 steam turbines with 212,000 shaft hp on 4 propellers
speed

33 knots

Range

14,000 nautical miles (at 13 kn)

armament

1945: 18× 127mm guns, 84× 40mm guns, 68× 20mm guns
1963: 3× 127mm guns
1985: 2× Mk-25 launchers, 2× Mk-15 CIWS

airplanes

145 planned, 100 in use (Korea) and 65 (Vietnam)

USS Midway (CV-41) (formerly CVB-41 or CVA- 41 respectively ) was a United States Navy aircraft carrier and the lead ship of the Midway-class . She was the third ship to bear the name USS Midway . Commissioned a few days after the end of World War II , the USS Midway took part in the Vietnam and Gulf Wars . From 1973 to 1991 she was based in Yokosuka , Japan , as a forward aircraft carrier. Due to numerous conversions and modernizations, the aircraft carrier's appearance was greatly changed during its service - from the straight deck carrier in 1945 to the first angle deck in 1957 and the far cantilevered flight deck in 1975. In April 1992, after almost 47 years of service, the Midway was transferred to the reserve fleet. Since 2004 it has been open to the public as the USS Midway Museum in San Diego .

technology

Flight deck of the USS Midway
Blue: elevators and bridge structure
Red: catapults.
Above: State of construction in 1945
Middle: State of construction in 1957
Below: State of construction after 1975

hull and propulsion

When it was commissioned in 1945, the USS Midway was the largest warship in the US Navy at 295.2 meters overall length and 41.5 meters beam and was the first ship too wide for a passage through the Panama Canal . The hull was based on the Montana -class battleships . Conversions increased its length to 303.8 meters and its width to 72.5 meters. The design displacement in 1945 was 45,000 ts , the operational displacement about 60,000 ts. Due to the conversions in the following years, the displacement increased to 64,200 ts. The draft was 10.9 meters. The Midway was the aircraft carrier with the most armor and was the first US aircraft carrier to have an armored flight deck. This change was based on the experience of the Japanese kamikaze attacks in World War II. The thickness of the deck armor was 76 mm, the armor in the waterline was 203 mm thick. The hull was divided into more than 1750 watertight compartments, the bulkheads were also up to 203 mm thick. The Midway thus had passive safety and damage control measures like a battleship of the same size. During its entire period of service, however, the carrier tended to roll and sway due to the design-related top -heaviness, which was reinforced by the various conversions .

The Midway was powered by four geared turbines, which drew their steam from twelve steam boilers. The four propellers, each measuring 4.58 meters, transmitted a total output of 212,000 hp (155 MW ) and brought the carrier to a top speed of 33 knots . The range was between 4500 nautical miles at top speed and 14,000 nautical miles at 13 knots.

armament and electronics

USS Midway 1945, nine of the 18 127mm gun turrets can be seen below the flight deck

In 1945, the Midway had the most powerful tube armament ever carried on an aircraft carrier. It consisted of 18 individual guns in caliber 5 inches (127 mm), which had a barrel length of 6.85 m with their 54 caliber lengths . The guns were mounted in turrets below the edge of the deck so as not to impede flight operations. There were also 21 quadruple 40mm guns and 28 20mm guns . The number of light guns was reduced in the following years, until the late 1950s they were removed altogether. The number of heavy guns was also reduced, the last three being removed in the early 1970s. In their place were two Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile launchers . In the mid-1980s, two Phalanx CIWS came on board for close-range defence.

When it was commissioned in 1945, the Midway had three air surveillance radars (SK-2, SX and SR-4) with maximum detection ranges of between 80 and 110 nautical miles. Even before the first conversions, modern AN/SPS-6 and AN/SPS-8 radar systems came on board in 1953, in 1961 the SPS-6 was replaced by AN/SPS-12 and AN/SPS-43 systems, and in 1963 the AN was released /SPS-30 -Radar the SPS-8 off. The detection ranges increased to up to 300 nautical miles. In 1985, the radar systems were replaced by modern, electronic AN/SPS-48 and AN/SPS-49 radars, which remained on board until the end of service.

Carrier Air Wing

Landing of an F-4 Phantom II on the Midway

According to the plans , the Carrier Air Wing stationed on the aircraft carrier should comprise a squadron with up to 145 aircraft, but in use there were a maximum of 100 aircraft on board. In 1945, the F4U Corsair and SB2C Helldiver , and from 1947 the F8F Bearcat , were used on board. In the early 1950s, the F9F Panther , the first jet-powered aircraft, came on board. These were supplemented by AD-1 Skyraider attack aircraft, which remained in service until the mid-1960s. From 1956 the F3H Demon and the F8U Crusader came on board, and the A3D Skywarrior was used as a heavy bomber. A4D Skyhawks were also used as light fighter-bombers , these were replaced by the A-7 Corsair II from 1970 onwards. Beginning in 1965, the F-4 Phantom replaced the older fighters and fighter-bombers, remaining aboard Midway until replaced by the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986 . The A-6 Intruder was also used as a bomber and tanker from the early 1970s . As an early warning and radar aircraft, the E-2 Tracer replaced the previously used modified Skyraider from 1962. The Midway 's flight deck was too small to accommodate larger aircraft such as the Grumman F-14 or the S-3 Viking . The lack of airborne anti- submarine warfare capabilities meant that even after the reclassification from attack carrier (CVA) to full-fledged carrier (CV), it could only be used as an attack carrier.

A special feature of the Midway was the twenty-year stationing of the Carrier Air Wing Five from 1971 to 1991 on board the carrier.

crew

According to the draft, the crew strength of the Midway was to be 3,583 men, due to the reinforcement of the anti-aircraft armament, it was 4,120 men when it was commissioned. Since the Midway was still planned as an aircraft carrier for use in the war, it had very little comfort for the crews, so only the command center was air-conditioned. The carrier's fresh water generators, which had a capacity of 900 cubic meters per day, had to provide the feed water for the steam boilers and the drinking water for the crew. Due to the increase in the crew to 4760 men due to the conversions, these capacities were later too small, so that the drinking water on board had to be rationed. The six galleys and messes dispensed about 13,000 meals daily.

Name, motto and insignia

Seals of the Midway in the early years of service

The Midway was the third ship to bear the name USS Midway and the second to be named after the Battle of Midway , one of the most important battles of the Pacific War . Her predecessors were an auxiliary ship that bore the name from 1942 to 1943, and an escort aircraft carrier that entered service in October 1943 as the second Midway , but was named St. Lo on 10 October 1944 .

During her long service, the Midway has earned many nicknames from her crews, the most famous being USS Rock & Roll and USS Neverdock . It was given the nickname USS Rock & Roll , based on the rock 'n' roll dance, because of its sometimes very violent rolling and snaking movements, which could not be reduced by various conversions and modifications. The Midway was called USS Neverdock , especially during her "forward deployment" in Yokosuka, when her voyages in the Pacific lasted up to eleven months, while her stays in her home port rarely lasted longer than a month.

Seal of the Midway after 1970

The Midway 's motto , "Tip of the sword," dates back to 1948, when the aircraft carrier made its first deployment in the Mediterranean. As one of the few ships capable of deploying nuclear-armed aircraft, she was a key element in the US Navy's Cold War deterrence against the Soviet Union . In the years that followed, the Midway continued to serve at the front line.

The first seal of the USS Midway bears a large M on a circular shield in front of the silhouette of the superstructure and the stylized pilot's insignia symbolizing naval aviation. At the bottom is the name of the ship, the identification number is on the funnel. The second Midway seal , used from the 1970s, is modeled on traditional French shield forms. The light blue shield is split by blue-red stripes in a ratio of 1:2. The right part contains a silver sword with a silver laurel wreath, symbolizing the wearer's motto. The left part is divided by blue-red into an upper part with a silver 41, the ship's hull number , and a lower part with the stylized representation of two jets rising from an aircraft carrier. Above the sign is the name of the ship.

story

development and construction

The Midway under construction, March 1945

Planning for the construction of new aircraft carriers began immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . However, the naval leadership disagreed on the size of the new ships. President Roosevelt and Admiral King favored the construction of smaller escort aircraft carriers . Admiral Nimitz cautioned that while an aircraft carrier with a displacement of just 11,000 standard tons would have too many limitations to operate effectively, a large aircraft carrier with a displacement of 45,000 standard tons would tie up too many resources to build. However, Rear Admiral Edward Cochrane found a way, in addition to building the Essex-class carriers much needed by the fleet, to build two ships of over 40,000 standard tons displacement, which would probably be completed even before the end of the war.

Initial orders for preparatory work were given to Newport News Shipbuilding on August 1, 1942 , with final approval by President Roosevelt on December 29, 1942. With the keel laying of the Midway in dry dock on October 27, 1943, work began over the next 18 months the shipyard workers installed 29,000 tons of steel in three shifts, 24 hours a day. By using the arc welding process, it was possible to save 10 percent in weight compared to a riveted ship.

Launch and Commissioning

The decorated prow of the Midway on the day of the christening

The planning for undocking the Midway involved some effort, because of the size of the ship, the water level of the James River had to be high enough and the tide had to be precisely timed. Otherwise the half-finished beam would have run aground in the river bed. On March 20, 1945, the ceremonial ship christening took place, the godmother of the Midway was the daughter of the media magnate and former presidential candidate James M. Cox , Mrs Bradford William Ripley. She was joined at the naming ceremony by Lieutenant George Gay, the last survivor of the USS Hornet 's Torpedo Squadron 8 from the Battle of Midway.

After the christening, the aircraft carrier was pulled out of the flooded dry dock by tugboats and moored at Pier No. 9 towed to the shipyard where the further outfitting work took place. On the morning of September 10, 1945, eight days after Japan's official surrender , Midway became Pier No. 2 of the Norfolk Navy Yard , where the official commissioning under the command of Captain Joseph F. Bolger took place in the afternoon of the day. In the weeks that followed, the carrier stayed off the coast of Virginia for sea trials, then on October 27 the Midway entered the Hudson River where she was the flagship of the ship parade during Navy Day in New York City . The launch of the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt , Midway 's first sister ship , was also celebrated. With the celebrations complete, the carrier returned to Norfolk, from where it departed on November 7 for a 57-day shakedown cruise to the Caribbean around Puerto Rico . By New Year's Day 1946, the carrier's Carrier Air Wing conducted various attack drills, the ship's crew familiarized themselves with the ship's technology and practiced the various procedures on board.

Operations Frostbite and Sandy

View across the Midway's flight deck during Operation Frostbite, with a plane-guard destroyer in the background

After completing the first test run in early 1946, the Midway returned to Norfolk, where defects found on the trips during several shipyard stays were eliminated. On February 20, she became the flagship of "Carrier Division One". On March 1, the Midway left Norfolk again and broke into the North Atlantic with Fighter Squadron 74 on board , where Operation Frostbite was intended to gain experience in naval warfare and air operations in arctic and subarctic regions. During the deployment, which lasted until March 26, the carrier operated in the Labrador Sea and south of Greenland . Experiences gained during the operation changed many dress codes and procedures in arctic regions. On March 26, Midway headed south, arriving in New York City on March 28.

Launch of the V2 from the deck of the Midway

In the following months, the carrier then operated again on training and exercise trips off the east coast and in the Caribbean. In late August 1947, preparations began in Norfolk Harbor for Operation Sandy, which would launch a ballistic missile from a ship for the first time in history. On September 2, the Midway then left Norfolk, four days later she reached the sea area off Virginia, where the test of the V2 rocket was to take place. The V2 was erected in a launch cradle on the aft flight deck, the Midway's armored flight deck designed to ward off major damage to the ship in the event of a false launch. In the afternoon, shortly after 3 p.m., the rocket was launched, but it became unstable shortly after liftoff and flew at a shallow angle of only 20 degrees towards Midway Island , which it missed by almost 30 meters. After 12 seconds of flight time, the rocket was detonated at an altitude of 1500 meters. Although the flight itself was a failure, Operation Sandy proved that missiles could be successfully launched from ships. In two tests conducted at White Sands Missile Range in 1949 , dubbed "Operation Pushover", a V-2 rocket was twice deliberately detonated on a mock launcher deck. However, it was found that the damage to the ship and the dangers to the crew would be too great in the event of a liquid-fuel rocket explosion. For this reason, the further development of the safer solid fuel drives for use on ships was promoted.

Operations with the fleet

The Midway in heavy seas in the Mediterranean in 1949

On October 29, 1947, the Midway left her homeport of Norfolk for her first deployment with the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . During the mission, which lasted until March 1948, the carrier visited ports in the western neighboring countries of Gibraltar , Algeria , Malta , Italy and France . A second deployment to the Mediterranean lasted from January to March 1949. In April 1949, a P2V-3 Neptune launched from the deck of the Midway using JATO missiles . The Neptune was intended to provide the US Navy's nuclear strike capability in the event of a conflict with the Soviet Union, as it was the only Navy aircraft capable of transporting and dropping the four-ton Mk. VIII nuclear bombs. However, the aircraft were too heavy to take off directly from carriers or to land there again after the missions had ended.

In October 1949, the Midway left Norfolk for another North Atlantic operation, this time operating north of the Arctic Circle . The carrier then returned to Norfolk on 22 December after completing the voyage. After only a month in her home port, the Midway ran out in January 1950 for her third mission to the Mediterranean, this lasted until May, the carrier ran among other things to Istanbul , Cyprus and Malta. During the fourth Mediterranean mission between July and November 1950, the F9F Panther was the first jet-powered fighter on board the Midway . Between November 1950 and April 1951, while in dock at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the Midway 's flight deck was reinforced to accommodate heavy aircraft such as the AJ-1 Savage on board. The Savage was planned as a carrier of nuclear weapons. In addition, the bridge was enlarged, the number of heavy 127 mm guns reduced and the quadruple 40 mm anti-aircraft guns replaced by twin 76 mm guns.

The Midway off Scotland in 1952

After completion of the shipyard work, the Midway off the coast of Carolina resumed flight operations until July 1951, she remained in the Caribbean for test and training trips. In January 1952, the carrier then went on its fifth mission in the Mediterranean, during which nuclear weapons were on board for the first time. During the deployment, the carrier association took part in the "Grand Slam" exercise with the navies of France and Italy. After returning to Norfolk in May, the concept of the angled flight deck was tested aboard the Midway with pilots from the Naval Air Test Center. In August 1952, the aircraft carrier then sailed into the North Sea, where the response to a Soviet invasion of northern Norway was rehearsed as part of the NATO exercise "Operation Mainbrace" . The fleet of 160 ships from eight nations included the Midway , the aircraft carriers USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and Wasp , and the battleship Wisconsin , and a total of 80,000 soldiers took part. On her return to Norfolk on October 1, Midway was reclassified as an Attack Carrier (CVA). As early as December 1952, the carrier set sail again, this time again into the Mediterranean. As the flagship of Carrier Division Four, she took part in Exercise "Rendezvous" in March 1953 and visited 15 ports around the Mediterranean before returning to Norfolk in May 1953. After returning to homeport, the aircraft carrier was docked for five months for a planned overhaul, upon completion of which the crew of the Midway prepared for the seventh Mediterranean deployment, which began in January 1954.

The Midway off Gibraltar in 1954

On May 9, the Midway collided with the ammunition transporter USS Great Sitkin during a sea ​​supply maneuver off the Greek coast . In the further course of the operation there was also a heavy fire on the carrier's flight deck when an F2H Banshee the "crash barrier", a safety net for aircraft that missed the arrester wires, missed and crashed into five aircraft parked on the forecastle deck. The ensuing fire killed the Banshee's pilot, three pilots from parked aircraft and four members of the flight deck crew. The Midway 's stay in the Mediterranean was also extended by two months after the USS Bennington , which was to replace her, suffered a catapult explosion while advancing across the Atlantic, killing 103 crew and wounding over 200. The Bennington was only able to replace the Midway in August 1954, after two months of repairs.

On December 27, the Midway left Norfolk again, this time towards the Pacific. After crossing the equator on January 6, 1955 and the associated equatorial christening for the crew, the carrier circumnavigated the Cape of Good Hope and visited Cape Town . In late January, the Midway made its first call into Yokosuka, where she became the new flagship of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Division commander. As part of Task Force 77, the carrier took part in the evacuation of Chinese National troops from the Dachen Islands off the Chinese coast from February 6 . After the rescue operation was complete, the Midway remained in the Strait of Formosa, where she continued patrolling until the end of April. She then drove to San Francisco via Yokosuka , where she arrived on July 14. Two weeks later, the carrier was spun off from the 7th Fleet and entered Puget Sound , where the first major overhaul and modernization was to take place at the Puget Sound Navy Yard . To this end, the Midway was decommissioned on September 30, 1955.

First modernization

USS Midway after initial modernization, 1958

In the following 25 months until her return to service, the Midway was modernized as part of the United States Navy's Service Life Extension Program and rebuilt to the SCB-110B scheme . The most striking features of this conversion were the inclined landing deck, which was angled eight degrees from the ship's axis, and the closed Atlantic or hurricane bow. The inclined landing deck enabled simultaneous take-offs and landings on board, and safety was increased for the increasingly faster aircraft. The closed hurricane bow reduced the overhanging flight deck's vulnerability to wave action. The Midway was also equipped with a more powerful aircraft crane with a lifting capacity of 22 tons, new safety rope systems and three new steam catapults. The number of guns was reduced to eight. The $55 million modernization increased the ship's displacement to 62,000 standard tons. On September 30, 1957, the Midway was put back into service.

Initial training trips took the carrier from its new homeport of Alameda , California along the US West Coast. During this time, the Sparrow III air-to-air missile was tested on the carrier. In August 1958, the Midway began her first operations with the US 7th Fleet , arriving at Pearl Harbor on August 22nd . The following day, the Taiwan conflict escalated , the People's Republic of China began shelling the Dachen and Matsu Islands off the Chinese coast with artillery . Since the supply routes to the islands were also blocked by ships of the Chinese People's Navy, the carrier and his escorts were ordered to the Strait of Formosa. On August 26, the Midway left Pearl Harbor and headed for Taiwan to patrol the straits. Since nuclear weapons were also to be used against Chinese cities in the event of a further escalation of the conflict, the VAH-8 squadron on board the carrier, equipped with A-3 Skywarrior bombers, was placed on high alert. On October 6, the People's Republic unilaterally declared a week-long ceasefire, which the United States agreed to despite Chiang Kai-shek's opposition , allowing the United States to negotiate a de facto ceasefire. USS Midway was relieved from her position in the Strait of Formosa by USS Ranger and returned to Hawaii. The carrier then returned to Alameda in March 1959. The second voyage to the western Pacific began on August 15, 1959 and took the carrier to Yokosuka and Subic Bay , among other places . During the stay in Subic Bay, on November 9, a serious fire broke out in the stern of the ship, which threatened, among other things, the magazines for guided and nuclear weapons. However, the fire was brought under control. On March 25, 1960, the carrier returned to California.

Western Pacific and first missions in Vietnam

After a five-month stay in the shipyard, Midway moved to Long Beach , and in late summer 1960 the first practice missions off the US west coast took place, during which the F4H-1 Phantom II and the A3J-1 Vigilante were also tested on the carrier . From February 1961, the next mission in the Pacific followed, during which the Midway operated, among other things, during the Laos crisis in the China Sea. The twelfth voyage of the USS Midway ended with the return to Alameda in September 1961. In April 1962 the carrier then ran out again to the Pacific, during this voyage extensive anti-aircraft maneuvers were carried out over Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines and Taiwan. In October 1962, the Midway returned to California.

Two F-8 Crusaders on the Midway's catapults, 1963

After a stay in the shipyard that lasted until April 1963, the Midway was used again as a test platform off the US coast. On June 13, 1963, an F-4 Phantom II and an F-8 Crusader performed the first fully automated landings aboard an aircraft carrier using production equipment. In November 1963, the carrier ran out on its 14th mission, the sixth, which led to the western Pacific. For the first time, F-4B Phantom IIs were in the Midway 's carrier squadron . After returning to Alameda in May 1964, one of the aircraft elevators had to be replaced, which had been lost in rough seas due to wave action during a resupply maneuver.

Edwin Greathouse and his co-pilot Charles W. Hartman (left, in camouflage suit) describe the downing of the MiG-17 by their A-1 Skyraider

On March 6, 1965, the Midway ran for the first combat mission of her nearly twenty years of service. It was deployed off the coast of Vietnam , where its carrier aircraft began conducting airstrikes against targets in North Vietnam and Viet Cong targets in the south of the country from mid-April. On June 17, two F-4 Phantoms escorting an airstrike on military installations near Hanoi scored the first American aerial victories over Vietnam, when each Phantom shot down a Vietnamese MiG-17 . Three days later, Lt. Commander Edwin Greathouse and Lt. CB Johnson to shoot down a MiG-17 with the cannons of their A-1 Skyraider . On November 23, 1965, the Midway returned to Alameda from nearly nine months of combat duty off the Vietnamese coast. During the operation, 17 Midway pilots were shot down, 14 of them were killed and three others were missing.

Second modernization

On February 11, 1966, the USS Midway went into dry dock at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard . It was the most extensive modernization that an American warship should ever undergo. On February 15, the carrier was formally decommissioned for the four-year modernization. The cost of the work was originally planned at $88 million. During the modernization, the carrier's flight deck area was doubled from 8,000 m² to 16,000 m² and new aircraft handling facilities were installed. The aircraft elevators were moved to the edge of the deck, and new, more powerful steam catapults were installed. The installation of the new ship's electronics caused major problems, since holes had to be cut into the heavy steel bulkheads below deck. The design of the carrier, with its many watertight compartments, proved to be the greatest obstacle. Work on the Midway was also hampered and delayed by concurrent work on other ships such as completing the guided missile cruiser USS Horne , repairing the Oriskany badly damaged off Vietnam, and retrofitting the guided missile cruiser USS Chicago . When it became apparent in 1968 that the budget for the modernization could not be met, a public discussion broke out as to whether taxpayers' money should not be better invested in new ships. Some admirals feared that despite the millions invested, the Midway 's service life could only be extended by a few years. When work was completed in January 1970, the total cost of the modernization was $202 million, two and a half times the original budget. The cost explosion meant that the planned modernization of the sister ships Coral Sea and Franklin D. Roosevelt was canceled. The Midway was ceremoniously returned to service on January 31, 1970.

USS Midway in April 1971

In March 1970, the first shipyard test drives were carried out off the US west coast, after another short stay in the shipyard to correct minor defects, extensive test and training drives followed to make the ship and its crew ready for use. In the spring of 1971, the Midway and her crew proved in a large-scale fleet maneuvers and several inspections that the operational readiness of the "new" ship was established. On April 16, 1971, the first deployment of the carrier after the modernization began, together with Carrier Air Wing 5 on board, the Midway sailed to Southeast Asia, where she replaced the USS Hancock at Yankee Station on May 18 off the coast of Vietnam . By June 5, the carrier's aircraft launched airstrikes on targets over Vietnam, after which the carrier operated in the Pacific until October 31. On November 6, the Midway returned to Alameda.

After the beginning of the Easter offensive in March 1972, the Midway left for Indochina on April 10, 1972, seven weeks earlier than originally planned. On May 11, aircraft from the carrier, along with aircraft from the Coral Sea , the Kitty Hawk , and the USS Constellation , began mining ports and coastal areas on the North Vietnamese coast . On October 24, an A-6 Intruder crashed while landing on the Midway, the wreckage crashing into a group of parked aircraft on the carrier's bow. Five Midway sailors died and 27 others were injured, some seriously. On January 12, 1973, an F-4 of Carrier Air Wing 5 scored the last aerial victory of the Vietnam War against a MiG-17. Three days later, the carrier left the waters off Vietnam and returned to California on February 9, 1973.

Stationing in Japan

On August 31, 1972, a treaty was signed between Japan and the United States allowing the US Navy to station an aircraft carrier battle group permanently in Japan. The advanced stationing in Japan brought the carrier battle group much closer to the trouble spots in the Middle East and Indochina. In addition, it enabled the Navy to constantly deploy three carriers in the Pacific, despite the reduction in the carrier fleet, without extending the individual deployments of the ships. On September 11, 1973, the Midway , along with her escorts and Carrier Air Wing 5, left her old home base of Alameda for Japan, arriving at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka on October 5 . The families of the crews were also able to relocate to Yokosuka as part of the Navy Overseas Family Residency Program.

CH-53 helicopters on the deck of the Midway , April 1975

The Midway 's next significant deployment began in April 1975, when the carrier was again deployed off the coast of Vietnam as part of Task Force 76. All aircraft were disembarked at Subic Bay, and instead the Midway took on board ten CH-53 helicopters from the Air Force's 40th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron. Along with the aircraft carriers Coral Sea , Hancock , and Enterprise , and the helicopter carrier Okinawa , the Midway was intended to ensure the evacuation of American citizens ahead of the North Vietnamese Army. 20 miles offshore, the task force's 40 ships awaited the signal that began Operation Frequent Wind , the evacuation of Saigon. At 11:00 am on April 29, Armed Services Radio played the song "White Christmas" that had been agreed upon as a signal to evacuate Saigon. Four hours later, helicopters began evacuation flights from the Midway , which continued until the morning of April 30. In 40 missions, a total of 3,073 refugees, Americans and Vietnamese, were flown from the US Embassy in Saigon and from the Defense Attaché Office to the Midway . Two South Vietnamese O-1 Birddog observation aircraft also landed on the carrier.

After the completion of Operation Frequent Wind, the Midway ran into the Gulf of Siam to pick up over 100 former South Vietnamese Air Force aircraft in Thailand that had fled to Thailand, as the Thai government threatened to hand them over to the communist government in Vietnam to hand over. After the planes were transferred to Guam , the carrier sailed into the Indian Ocean , where it participated in the "Midlink" maneuvers from October to late November. At Christmas 1975, the Midway returned to Yokosuka.

A Soviet Ilyushin Il-38 over the Midway

In June 1976, Midway participated in the " Team Spirit " exercise off Korea, where electronic warfare and bombing were practiced. After the ax murder incident in the Joint Security Area in August 1976, Midway was part of the cover group during Operation Paul Bunyan , with its F-4 fighter-bombers kept on high alert. In 1977, the Midway took part in the "Midlink" maneuver with the participation of Iran , Pakistan and Turkey . In February 1978, the carrier participated in a large-scale exercise with the Japan Marine Self-Defense Forces , the largest joint exercise to date. On May 31, a fire broke out in the exhaust system at the Yokosuka dock, causing serious damage to the machinery. The fire was caused by welding work that ignited oil mist. In the fall of 1978, the Midway took part in the "Team Spirit '79" maneuvers, during which it was repeatedly shadowed by Soviet aircraft.

On April 16, 1979, Midway relieved USS Constellation from her Indian Ocean position to demonstrate American presence in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf. A fire broke out at a dockyard in Yokosuka on August 9, killing a civilian worker and injuring 17 Midway sailors. On a port visit to Hong Kong in August 1979, Vice President of the United States , Walter Mondale , visited the ship. On November 18, the Midway reached position in the northern Arabian Sea to show strength during the Tehran hostage crisis. Three days later, the USS Kitty Hawk joined the Midway, and on January 22, the Nimitz reinforced the US presence off the Iranian coast. On February 5, 1980, Midway was relieved by her sister ship Coral Sea and returned to Yokosuka.

Eighties

Damage to the port side of the Midway following the collision with the freighter Cactus , 29 July 1980

On July 29, 1980, while passing the Strait of Malacca , a serious collision occurred. The Midway , which was operating under EMCON (emissions control) conditions and had all radars and most of its lights turned off, collided with the Panamanian-flagged freighter Cactus . The freighter tore three holes in the overhanging flight deck on the carrier's port side, destroying three Phantom aircraft parked on deck and ripping the liquid oxygen production facility from its moorings. Fortunately, no fire broke out, although the three damaged aircraft were fully fueled and armed and jet fuel was leaking . Nevertheless, the collision claimed fatalities, two soldiers who had stayed in the liquid oxygen production plant lost their lives. Three other crew members of the carrier were injured in the collision.

On August 17, 1980, Midway replaced Constellation at her post in the Indian Ocean. Together with the task group around the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Midway also sailed the Arabian Sea. In total, the carrier stayed in the Indian Ocean for 118 days in 1980. Three more missions in the Indian Ocean followed until December 1983, which were largely uneventful. In the spring of 1983, the Midway was involved with two other carriers in the large-scale exercise Fleetex 83 in the North Pacific, during which the Soviet reaction patterns and operational readiness should be tested by overflights over Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands . The American hope of seeing the Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire was not fulfilled. The violations of Soviet airspace during the maneuvers did not result in a military response, only diplomatic protests. On December 2, 1984, Midway and her crew received the second Meritorious Unit Commendation for service between 1982 and 1984.

On March 23, 1986, the aircraft carrier collided with a fishing boat off the Korean coast and survived without damage. Two days later, the last operational launches of the A-7 Corsair from the Midway took place , the aircraft were replaced by the new F/A-18 Hornet. On March 31, the Midway docked at Dock 6 in the Port of Yokosuka, where a major modernization and overhaul took place over the following eight months. During the overhaul called "EISRA-86" (Extended Incremental Selected Repair Availability), 2.6 meter wide beads were welded to the fuselage of the aircraft carrier, which should increase stability on the one hand and create an additional buoyancy reserve on the other. In addition, the flight deck was refitted with gas jet deflectors , new catapult tracks and improved flight control equipment . In addition, by removing armor and superfluous wiring, top-heaviness was reduced by 350 tons. Despite all the problems, the work on the Midway was completed ahead of schedule and she was able to leave the dock at the end of November 1986. On November 28, the first of the new F/A-18 Hornets landed on board.

Battle Group Alfa reinforced by battleship Iowa in December 1987

On January 9, 1987, Midway was assigned to Battle Group Alfa, consisting of the aircraft carrier as flagship, the guided missile cruisers Reeves and England , the destroyers Towers , Cochrane and Oldendorf , the frigates Knox and Kirk , and the supply ships San Jose , Mispillion , Kansas City and Kilauea . The task force was reinforced at the end of the year by the battleship Iowa . In early summer, the Midway visited Sydney as the first US aircraft carrier since 1972 , and 7,000 visitors came on board during the ten-day port stay. In the winter of 1987/1988, the Midway task force was part of the long-distance security of Operation Earnest Will and secured operations against Iran from the Indian Ocean.

In 1988, a Senate commission proposed that the Midway be decommissioned because the stability problems could not be solved by the hull bulges either. After lengthy negotiations, the US Congress approved $138 million for another overhaul that would finally resolve stability issues.

In March 1989, the carrier took part in the "Team Spirit" exercise off South Korea. In early June, after the Tian'anmen massacre , it was kept on standby for a possible evacuation of US citizens from the People's Republic of China. After completion of the work in the dock, the Midway was declared fully operational again on August 16, 1989, and her first assignment then took her to the Indian Ocean for exercises. On September 30, the pilot of an F/A-18 Hornet based on the Midway accidentally dropped a 500-pound bomb on the Reeves ' forecastle , injuring five crew members on the cruiser. The Midway then headed south and on 10 November 1989 became the first US carrier to dock at Fremantle on the west coast of Australia. From December 2nd to 9th, the Midway , together with the Enterprise , supported the Philippine government around Corazon Aquino against an attempted coup by military officers loyal to Marcos as part of "Operation Classic Resolve" .

gulf war

On June 20, 1990, 125 nautical miles north-east of Japan on the Midway , a severe explosion occurred in a storage room below deck. In the explosion and the subsequent eleven-hour fire, three crew members died and eight others were injured, some seriously. Due to the old age of the Midway , there was speculation in the media that it would be decommissioned after this serious accident, but the carrier left Yokosuka on October 2, 1990 for the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield .

Flight operations aboard the Midway during Operation Desert Shield, February 1991

On November 2, Midway replaced Independence at her position in the northern Arabian Sea. During Operation Desert Shield, Midway was the only aircraft carrier to operate directly in the heavily mined waters of the Persian Gulf. Beginning November 15, their planes supported Operation Imminent Thunder, a large-scale eight-day amphibious exercise in northern Saudi Arabia. Over Christmas 1990, the Midway became the first aircraft carrier ever to visit a port in the Persian Gulf, anchoring off Abu Dhabi . Rear Admiral Daniel P. March , commander of Task Force 154 and commander of all Allied ships in the Gulf, made the Midway his flagship.

After Iraq ignored the UN ultimatum to withdraw from Kuwait on February 15, 1991, airstrikes on Iraqi targets began on February 17 as part of Operation Desert Storm. Midway aircraft were part of the first attack wave. At the beginning of the war, the primary tasks of the A-6 Intruder and F/A-18 Hornet included the destruction of Iraqi anti-aircraft missile positions and radar systems , and later the preparation and support of the ground attack. During the attacks, the Midway was the farthest north of any aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, Carrier Air Wing 5 flew a total of 3,019 combat missions during Desert Storm, an average of 120 a day. 1840 tons of ammunition were dropped on targets in Kuwait and Iraq. In addition, the Midway was the only one of the four carriers that did not lose any pilots during the mission. On March 10, 1991, the carrier left the Persian Gulf and returned to Yokosuka.

Refugees on the Midway's hangar deck, June 1991

On June 9, 1991, when Mount Pinatubo ejected the first column of ash into the sky, the evacuation of Clark Air Base , located only 40 kilometers from the volcano, was ordered. Immediately after the big eruption on June 15, the Midway , which was actually being prepared for decommissioning, was ordered to sail to Subic Bay and take the refugees on board. In the night of June 16, supplies and materials for accommodating 5,000 people were bunkered on board, and in the morning the carrier headed for the Philippines at top speed. On June 21, the rescue fleet, which also included the US Navy's newest carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln , arrived in Subic Bay. The next day, the Midway left the abandoned naval base with 5,000 refugees on board bound for Cebu , from where those rescued were flown to Guam and the United States.

decommissioning

The Midway docked in San Diego on September 14, 1991

On August 10, 1991, the Midway weighed her anchor in Yokosuka for the last time, as the oldest aircraft carrier in the fleet, it was decided to decommission it as part of the reduction in the number of aircraft carriers from 14 to 12. At the end of August she entered Pearl Harbor, where the USS Independence replaced her as the advanced aircraft carrier. Carrier Air Wing 14 replaced Carrier Air Wing 5 on board Midway after 20 years .

Then , on September 4th, the Midway arrived in Seattle , where over 50,000 people toured the ship in three days. On September 14, she then arrived in San Diego, where she was to be decommissioned. Before that, however, the carrier completed a two-day evaluation trip on September 24, during which it still demonstrated very good operational capability despite its age.

In the following months, the carrier was prepared for its decommissioning, usable material was dismantled and taken from board. On April 11, 1992, the flag was lowered for the last time in a solemn ceremony in the presence of numerous veterans and the ship's logbook was brought aboard. During Midway 's 47-year service , 169 crew and air wing members were killed or missing in combat or accidents, and seven pilots were taken prisoner of war in Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s.

Reserve Fleet and Museum

The Midway as a museum ship

The Midway was first mothballed at the Navy Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Bremerton and then struck from the US Navy 's ship registers on March 17, 1997 . At the beginning of the 21st century it was actually intended to be scrapped, but shortly after it was decommissioned in 1992 a group of volunteers set themselves the goal of preserving the aircraft carrier as a museum ship. By 2003, numerous applications were made to the Navy administration and funds were raised to ensure its preservation. Finally, on August 29, 2003, Secretary of the Navy Hansford T. Johnson approved the endowment of the former carrier to the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum . On September 30, 2003, the Midway was finally towed from Bremerton via Oakland to San Diego, where she arrived on January 4, 2004 and got her final berth at Broadway Pier on January 10. On June 7th, the USS Midway Museum opened with the Midway as the centerpiece.

awards

During nearly 47 years of service, Midway earned a total of 60 unit awards, campaign and service medals and insignia.

Awards of the USS Midway
Ribbon, US Navy Presidential Unit Citation.svg Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3) Battle Efficiency Award (Navy "E" Ribbon) (5)
Navy Expeditionary Service Medal (4) China Service Medal (extended) American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Europe" clasp) National Defense Service Medals (3)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals (5) Vietnam Service Medal (5 stars) Southwest Asia Service Medal (2 stars)
Humanitarian Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (17) Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal Liberation of Kuwait Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

In 1973, USS Midway , along with Carrier Air Wing Five, received the Presidential Unit Citation for their service off Vietnam.

“By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, I have today awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) for extraordinary heroism to USS Midway (CVA -41) and Attack Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against enemy forces in Southeast Asia from 30 April 1972 to 9 February 1973. During this crucial period of the Vietnam conflict, USS Midway and embarked Attack Carrier Air Wing Five carried out devastating aerial attacks against enemy installations, transportation, and lines of communications in the face of extremely heavy opposition including multi-calibre antiaircraft artillery fire and surface-to-air missiles. Displaying superb airmanship and unwavering courage, Midway /CVW-5 pilots played a significant role in lifting the prolonged sieges at An Loc, Kontum, and Quang Tri and in carrying out the concentrated aerial strikes against the enemy's industrial heartland which eventually resulted in a cease -fire. By their excellent teamwork, dedication, and sustained superior performance, the officers and men of Midway and Attack Carrier Air Wing Five reflected great credit upon themselves and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

"By virtue of my office as President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces, I received the Presidential Unit Citation (Navy ) awarded to USS Midway (CV-41) and Attack Carrier Air Wing Five for outstanding bravery . During this crucial phase of the Vietnam conflict, the USS Midway and embarked Attack Carrier Air Wing Five conducted devastating airstrikes against enemy installations, transportation and communications routes despite extremely fierce resistance from anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. Superior aircraft handling and unwavering courage of the Midway /CVW-5 pilots played a significant role in breaking the sustained sieges at An Loc, Kontum and Quang Tri and in conducting concentrated airstrikes against the enemy's industrial heartland, which eventually culminated in a ceasefire. Through their outstanding teamwork, dedication, and continued excellence, the officers and crew of Midway and Attack Carrier Air Wing Five earned high praise and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

-Richard Nixon

Commanders of the Midway

USS Midway Commanding Officers while on duty:

rank Surname beginning of the appeal end of appeal
Capt Joseph Francis Bolger September 10, 1945 January 12, 1946
Capt Herbert Spencer Duckworth January 12, 1946 July 18, 1946
Capt John Perry Whitney July 18, 1946 August 11, 1947
Capt Albert Kellogg Morehouse August 11, 1947 April 22, 1948
Commander Forsyth Massey April 22, 1948 May 28, 1948
Commander Raymond Neil Sharp May 28, 1948 September 7, 1948
Capt Marcel Emil Adan Gouin September 7, 1948 August 8, 1949
Capt Wallace Morris Beakley August 8, 1949 July 1, 1950
Capt Frederick Norman Kivette July 1, 1950 March 8, 1951
Capt Kenneth Craig March 8, 1951 April 2, 1952
Capt Frank O'Beirne April 2, 1952 April 4, 1953
Capt Clifford Steele Cooper April 4, 1953 January 19, 1954
Capt William Henry Ashford, Jr. January 19, 1954 October 1, 1954
Capt Reynold Delos Hogle October 1, 1954 September 7, 1955
Capt Richard Spalding Rogers September 7, 1955 October 14, 1955
Off-duty
Capt Francis Edward Nuessle September 30, 1957 June 2, 1958
Capt John Thomas Blackburn June 2, 1958 May 19, 1959
Capt James Haile Mini May 19, 1959 June 15, 1960
Capt Ralph Wynne Cousins June 15, 1960 April 22, 1961
Capt Robert George Dose April 22, 1961 April 21, 1962
Capt Roy Maurice Isaman April 21, 1962 January 25, 1963
Capt Leroy Eugene Harris January 25, 1963 January 25, 1964
Capt Whitney Wright January 25, 1964 December 19, 1964
Capt James Michael O'Brien December 19, 1964 February 15, 1966
Off-duty
Capt Eugene J Carroll, Jr January 31, 1970 July 10, 1971
Capt William L. Harris, Jr. July 10, 1971 July 31, 1972
Capt Sylvester Robert Foley, Jr. July 31, 1972 Sept. 7, 1973
Capt Richard Joseph Schulte Sept. 7, 1973 March 26, 1975
Capt Lawrence Cleveland Chambers March 26, 1975 October 20, 1976
Capt Donald L Felt October 20, 1976 February 27, 1978
Capt Thomas F Brown III February 27, 1978 September 7, 1979
Capt E. Inman Carmichael September 7, 1979 February 17, 1981
Capt Robert S Owens February 17, 1981 Aug. 21, 1982
Capt Charles Reynolds McGrail, Jr. Aug. 21, 1982 January 31, 1984
Capt Harry Patrick Kober Jr. January 31, 1984 June 22, 1985
Capt Riley D Mixson June 22, 1985 April 10, 1987
Capt Richard Alexander Wilson April 10, 1987 February 25, 1989
Capt Bernard J Smith February 25, 1989 June 12, 1990
Capt Arthur K Cebrowski June 12, 1990 June 12, 1991
Capt Larry L. Ernest June 12, 1991 April 11, 1992
Off-duty
Commander John Forrest Schork ( XO ), Commanding Officer until the ship's log was closed on 8 August 1992

literature

web links

Commons : USS Midway (CV-41)  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

movies

itemizations

  1. ↑ a b Terzibaschitsch: Aircraft carriers of the US Navy . Bernard & Graefe Verlag. ISBN 3-7637-6200-0 , pp. 346f.
  2. ↑ McGaugh: Midway Magic . CDS Books. ISBN 1-59315-027-X , p. 27.
  3. ↑ a b Terzibaschitsch: Aircraft carrier of the US Navy. p. 123.
  4. ↑ Terzibashich: US Navy aircraft carrier. p. 339f.
  5. ↑ Terzibashich: US Navy aircraft carrier. p. 224.
  6. ↑ Terzibashich: US Navy aircraft carrier. p. 378.
  7. ↑ Terzibashich: US Navy aircraft carrier. p. 387.
  8. ↑ Terzibashich: US Navy aircraft carrier. p. 228.
  9. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 232.
  10. ↑ a b History of the USS Midway (AG-41) in Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships ; Status: December 14, 2009.
  11. ↑ History of the USS Midway (CVE-63) in Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships ; Status: December 14, 2009.
  12. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 188.
  13. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 161.
  14. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 51.
  15. ↑ a b Naval Vessel Register ( Memento of May 5, 2011 at the Internet Archive ), as of December 14, 2009.
  16. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 26.
  17. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 27.
  18. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 22f.
  19. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 48f.
  20. ↑ The Navy Blasted Off At Launch Complex 35 (PDF; 876 kB). In: Hands Across History. p. 4, August 2007.
  21. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 50.
  22. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 68f.
  23. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 70ff.
  24. ↑ chinfo.navy.mil ( Memento of December 28, 2008 at the Internet Archive ), as of December 14, 2009.
  25. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 91f.
  26. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 96f.
  27. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 100ff.
  28. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 115.
  29. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 116f.
  30. ^ a b c McGaugh : Midway Magic. p. 123.
  31. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 124.
  32. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. pp. 127-131.
  33. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 145f.
  34. ↑ History of the USS Midway ( Memento of September 8, 2009 at the Internet Archive ); As of January 29, 2010.
  35. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 153ff.
  36. ↑ US Navy DC Museum: Two Sailors Killed as USS Midway, Merchant Ship Collide in Far East ( Memento of January 18, 2010 at the Internet Archive ) Accessed February 3, 2010.
  37. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 175f.
  38. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 189.
  39. ↑ globalsecurity.org: Battle Group Nomenclature , as of December 14, 2009.
  40. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 194.
  41. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 200ff.
  42. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 207ff.
  43. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 213.
  44. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. pp. 217-221.
  45. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. pp. 253-255.
  46. ↑ McGaugh, Midway Magic. p. 226f.
  47. ↑ Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons, navsource.org , Accessed December 14, 2009.
  48. ↑ Awards , as of January 2, 2010
  49. ↑ Commanding Officers, navsource.org ; Status: December 14, 2009.

Coordinates: 32° 42′ 49″  N , 117° 10′ 30″  W