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Photo # 80-G-26567:  USS Long Island underway in July 1941

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Long Island (AVG-1, later ACV-1 and CVE-1), 1941-1947

USS Long Island, a 7886-ton escort aircraft carrier, was launched in January 1940 at Chester, Pennsylvania, as the merchant cargo ship Mormacmail. The U.S. Navy acquired her in March 1941 and converted her to its prototype escort carrier. Long Island was commissioned in early June 1941 and conducted trial operations in the Atlantic during the rest of that year. Among the results of these tests was a lengthened flight deck. She also performed some convoy escort duties and, during the first months of 1942, was employed as a training carrier.

In May 1942, Long Island went to the Pacific, where she served with the west-coast-based battleship force in June and also continued her pilot training mission. Beginning in July, she transported aircraft to island bases, including carrying planes to the newly-conquered, and tenuously-held, position on Guadalcanal. Long Island was reclassified ACV-1 (auxiliary aircraft carrier) in August 1942 and soon returned to the west coast to resume training carrier pilots. In July 1943, she was again reclassified, becoming CVE-1 (escort aircraft carrier).

During 1944 and 1945, Long Island was kept busy transporting aircraft from the United States to locations closer to the Pacific war zone. After the end of World War II, she brought home service personnel as part of Operation "Magic Carpet". Decommissioned in March 1946 and soon stricken from the list of Naval vessels, USS Long Island was sold for scrapping in April 1947. However, she was subsequently resurrected to become the civilian passenger ship Nelly. In 1953, she was renamed Seven Seas and was thereafter employed as a seagoing university.

This page features all our overall views of USS Long Island and provides links to all the pictures we have that were taken on board her.

For more views of USS Long Island, see:

  • USS Long Island -- Aircraft on the Flight Deck, through May 1942;
  • USS Long Island -- Aircraft on the Flight Deck, after May 1942; and
  • USS Long Island -- Miscellaneous On Board Scenes.

    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 80-G-26567

    USS Long Island (AVG-1)


    Underway on 8 July 1941, with two F2A fighters parked at the forward end of her flight deck.
    Note flight deck markings: "LI". The ship is painted in Measure 1 camouflage, with heavy weathering of paint evident on the hull side.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 595 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 19-N-27986

    USS Long Island (AVG-1)


    Photographed in Measure 12 (Modified) camouflage, circa 10 November 1941.
    Planes on her flight deck include seven Curtiss SOC-3A scout observation types and one Brewster F2A fighter.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 590 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-73390

    USS Long Island (AVG-1)


    At Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 17 July 1942, with at least eight SBD scout bombers and one TBF torpedo plane parked on her flight deck.
    She is painted in camouflage Measure 12 (Modified), and wears an unusual number on her bow: "751".

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-83216

    USS Long Island (ACV-1)


    Underway with a mixed cargo of airplanes and stores on her flight deck, 25 May 1943. The planes include F4F, SBD and TBF types.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 600 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-236393

    USS Long Island (CVE-1)


    Photographed on 10 June 1944 by a plane from Naval Air Station, Alameda, California. She has 21 F6F fighters, 20 SBD scout bombers and two J2F utility planes parked on her flight deck.
    The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 9a.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 600 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-13074

    USS Long Island (AVG-1)
    (upper center)

    Underway in company with USS Augusta (CA-31), in left front, off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, on August 1941. Augusta had President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarked to witness Long Island's operations.
    Among the other ships present are USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), partially visible at far right, and USS Meredith (DD-434), steaming astern of Long Island.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-31839

    USS Long Island (AVG-1)


    Moored at Naval Air Station, North Island, California, on 2 June 1942, shortly before she sortied with Task Force ONE under Vice Admiral William S. Pye.
    Aircraft on deck include six Grumman F4F-4 fighters and three Curtiss SOC-3A of squadron VGS-1.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 595 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 83996

    Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii


    View looking eastward from over Pearl City, with Ford Island in the middle of the view and Diamond Head in the distant center, 1 August 1942.
    USS Long Island (CVE-1) and USS Hornet (CV-8) are moored along Ford Island's western side, protected by anti-torpedo nets. The capsized hull of USS Utah (AG-16), a victim of the 7 December 1941 Japanese air raid, is astern of Long Island.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of The Honorable James V. Forrestal.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     

    For more views of USS Long Island, see:

  • USS Long Island -- Aircraft on the Flight Deck, through May 1942;
  • USS Long Island -- Aircraft on the Flight Deck, after May 1942; and
  • USS Long Island -- Miscellaneous On Board Scenes.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 11 April 2001