The Essex Class
The Essex Class were the mainstay of the Fast Carrier Force, and by the end of 1943 constituted the main striking power of the Pacific Fleet. They were frequently subjected to extremely fierce air attack, especially from the Leyte campaign onwards. Many were damaged, some (especially Franklin) very severely, yet remarkably none were sunk. This testifies to the great courage and tenacity of US ships' companies - and to the effectiveness of the US Navy's damage-control techniques - as well as to the inherent strength of the Essex Class design.
They were considerably larger than the Yorktowns but retained the same high speed, and they were given a very powerful and effective anti-aircraft armament (which was to prove itself essential, especially after the start of Kamikaze attacks on the US fleet in late 1944).
They each had three elevators for their aircraft - the class introduced the deck-edge elevator.
An astounding 32 ships of this class were planned and laid down. Although only 24 of these were completed this was still a remarkable figure, and no other class of large carrier has ever been built in comparable numbers. 17 Essexes were commissioned - 15 of these saw action - before the end of the Pacific war.
The eight ships of this class participating in the Leyte operation were -
Essex, Intrepid, Hornet,
Franklin, Lexington, Bunker Hill, Wasp and Hancock
(Bunker Hill was detached October 23 1944 and did not take part in the Battle
for Leyte Gulf)
Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill is a height in Charlestown, Mass. The battle, which bears this name, was fought 17 June 1775 on adjacent Breed's Hill.
(CV-17: dp. 27,100: l. 872'; b. 93'; dr. 28'7";
s. 32.7 k.; cpl. 3448; a. 12 5"; cl. Essex)
Bunker Hill (CV-17) was launched 7 December 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Donald Boynton; and commissioned 24 May 1943, Captain J. J. Ballentine in command.
Reporting to the Pacific in the fall of 1943 Bunker Hill participated in carrier operations during the Rabaul strike (11 November 1943); Gilbert Islands operation, including support of the landings on Tarawa (13 November-8 December); the Kavieng strikes in support of the Bismarck Archipelago operation (25 December 1943, 1 and 4 January 1944); Marshall Islands operation (29 January-8 February); strikes against Truk (17-18 February), during which eight Japanese combatant vessels were sunk;
Marinas raid (23 February); Palau-Yap-Ulithi-Woleai raids (30 March-1 April); Truk-Satawan-Ponape raids (29 April-1 May); Hollandia operation (21-28 April); and Marianas operation (12 June-10 August), including the Battle of the Philippine Sea. On 19 June 1944, during the opening phases of the battle, Bunker Hill was damaged when an enemy near miss scattered shrapnel fragments across the ship. Two men were killed and over 80 were wounded Bunker Hill continued to do battle and her planes aided in sinking one Japanese carrier and destroying a part of the 476 Japanese aircraft that were downed. During September she participated in the Western Caroline Islands operation and then launched strikes at Okinawa, Luzon, and Formosa until November.
On 6 November Bunker Hill retired from the forward area and steamed to Bremerton, Wash., for a period of yard availability. Repairs completed, she departed the west coast 24 January 1945 and returned to the war front. During the remaining months of World War II Bunker Hill participated in the Iwo Jima operation and the 5th Fleet raids against Honshu and the Nansei Shoto (15 February 4 March); and the 5th and 3d Fleet raids in support of the Okinawa operation. On 7 April 1945 Bunker Hill's planes took part in a fast carrier task force attack on a Japanese naval force in the East China Sea. The enemy battleship Yamato, one cruiser, and four destroyers were sunk.
On the morning of 11 May 1945, while supporting the Okinawa invasion, Bunker Hill was hit and severely damaged by two suicide planes. Gasoline fires flamed up and several explosions took place. The ship suffered the loss of 346 men killed, 43 missing, and 264 wounded. Although badly crippled she managed to return to Bremerton via Pearl Harbor.
In September Bunker Hill reported for duty with the "Magic Carpet" fleet. She remained on this duty as a unit of TG 16.12 returning veterans from the Pacific until January 1946 when she was ordered to Bremerton for inactivation. She was placed out of commission in reserve there 9 January 1947.
Bunker Hill received the Presidential Unit Citation for the period 11 November 1943 to 11 May 1945. In addition, she received 11 battle stars for her World War II service.
CV 17 Drawings and Specs
Data
Standard displacement: 27,100 tons
Length overall: 872 feet (first group) 888 feet (second
group)
Beam: 93 feet (hull) 147.5 feet (max beam)
Draught: 28.5 feet
Propulsion:
Westinghouse geared turbines - 4 shafts
Shaft horse-power - 150,000
Speed - 33 knots
Aircraft: between 87 and 102 carried and operated
Typical gun armament (in 1944)
12 x 5-inch 38-cal. dual-purpose (4 x 2, 4 x 1)
68 x 40mm. AA in quadruple mounts
70 x 20mm. AA in single mounts
Bunker Hill Photos
