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USS Coral Sea (CV-43)

USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
History
United States
Name: USS Coral Sea
Namesake: Battle of the Coral Sea
Ordered: 14 June 1943
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Laid down: 10 July 1944
Launched: 2 April 1946
Commissioned: 1 October 1947
Decommissioned: 26 April 1990
Struck: 28 April 1990
Motto: Older and Bolder
Nickname(s): Ageless Warrior
Fate: Cannibalization, finally scrapped 8 September 2000
General characteristics
Class and type: Midway-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: 45,000 tons
Length: 968 ft (295 m)
Beam:
  • 113 ft (34 m) waterline,
  • 136 feet (41 m) flight deck
Draft: 35 ft (11 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement: 4,104 officers and men
Armament:
Armor:
  • Belt: 7.6 inch
  • Deck: 3.5 inch
Aircraft carried:
  • Up to 130 (World War II)
  • 45-55 (1980s)

USS Coral Sea (CV/CVB/CVA-43), a Midway-class aircraft carrier, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of the Coral Sea. She earned the affectionate nickname "Ageless Warrior" through her long career. Initially classified as an aircraft carrier with hull classification symbol CV-43, the contract to build the ship was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Virginia on 14 June 1943. She was reclassified as a "Large Aircraft Carrier" with hull classification symbol CVB-43 on 15 July 1943. Her keel was laid down on 10 July 1944. She was launched on 2 April 1946 sponsored by Mrs. Thomas C. Kinkaid, and commissioned on 1 October 1947 with Captain A.P. Storrs III in command.

Before 8 May 1945, the aircraft carrier CVB-42 had been known as USS Coral Sea; after that date, CVB-42 was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the late President, and CVB-43 was named Coral Sea.

Coral Sea was one of the last U.S Navy carriers to be completed with a straight flight deck, with an angled flight deck added on during later modernizations. All subsequent U.S Navy carriers have had the angled deck included as part of the ship's construction. (One Essex-class aircraft carrier class carrier, Oriskany was left unfinished at the end of World War II and completed in modified form but still with a straight flight deck during the Korean War).


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