Uss franklin

USS Franklin was an Essex class carrier(see previous entry).She was completed in January 1944 and immediately joined the U.S. fleet in the attack on the southern Japanese controlled islands.She took part in the attack on the Marianas and Philippines.During the latter she was hit by kamikazes and(along with sister carrier USS Belleau wood)had to return to the U.S. for repaires.


Her repaires were not completed until February 1945.When they were, she was sent to the rest of the fleet for the attack on Okinawa.On march 19,she was just 50 miles off the japanese coast(closer than any other carrier)when she was hit by two bombs from a japanese bomber.The resulting fires caused a chain reaction of explosions(from bombs and torpedeos)that killed 724 men and wounded 265.only through superb damage control did they keep her afloat and get her into port for repaires.Even so her repaires were not completed before the war ended.She was scrapped(taken apart) in 1966.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Franklin_(CV-13)