Carrier Action in the Pacific!

books:

	• US Light Carriers in action - Warships No. 16 Michael C. Smith Squadron/Signal Publications, 2002 - 50 pages average customer review:based on 1 review
	for more information click here

Carrier Action in the Pacific!

Though the 'fast carriers' such as ENTERPRISE, ESSEX, INTREPID and LEXINGTON got much of the action and almost all of the publicity, the 'light carriers' of the INDEPENDENCE class pulled their fair share of the weight in PTO carrier ops. A wartime expedient with some operational limitations, the nine ships that followed INDEPENDENCE - PRINCETON, BELLEAU WOOD, COWPENS, MONTEREY, LANGLEY, BATAAN, CABOT, BATAAN and SAN JACINTO - nevertheless provided the Navy with additional flight decks when they were most needed. Michael Smith relates the wartime careers of these valiant ships in this 2002 Squadron/Signal book, #16 in their 'Warships' series.

Navy brass were opposed to the INDEPENDENCE converted-light-cruiser- turned-carrier idea. Fortunately FDR forced through the idea, INDEPENDENCE joining the fleet in July 1943. Supplementing the air wings assigned to the big-deck carriers, all ten ships gave valuable service, winning many battle stars. The only loss, USS PRINCETON, was sunk by a kamikaze on 24 October 1944.

Following a summary of the development of the INDEPENDENCE class, author Smith gives capsule histories of each ship followed by a lengthy summary of the light carriers in action. Separate sections on aircraft embarked, ship weaponry, radar and wartime modifications are included along with a summary of the two follow-on SAIPAN Class light carriers.

The text is supplemented with over 80 black & white photographs, two pages of color profiles by Don Greer along with various side-views, cross-sections, aircraft profiles, camouflage marking diagrams, etc. The most interesting illustration is on page 22, depicting the comparative sizes of the LEXINGTON, YORKTOWN, ESSEX and INDEPENDENCE classes. Wow!

As with other 'Warships' volumes, US LIGHT CARRIERS IN ACTION provides a concise, informative, well-illustrated overview of some hard-fighting ships. Recommended.

for more information click here

"""US Light Carriers In Action