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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # 80-G-706984:  USS Midway steams through a gale east of Sicily, Feb. 1949

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

USS Midway (CVB-41, later CVA-41 and CV-41), 1945-2003

USS Midway, first of a three-ship class of 45,000-ton large aircraft carriers, was built at Newport News, Virginia, and commissioned in September 1945. Following shakedown, she began eight years' service with the Atlantic Fleet. In March 1946, Midway made an cruise to Arctic waters for experimental cold weather operations. The following year, her flight deck was the site of a at-sea test launching of an ex-German V-2 ballistic missile. Also in 1947, the carrier undertook the first of several Sixth Fleet tours in the Mediterranean sea. She also periodically deployed to North Atlantic waters, including participation in the NATO Operation "Mainbrace" in 1952. In October of that year, she was reclassified an attack aircraft carrier, changing her hull number from CVB-41 to CVA-41

Late in 1954, Midway left the Atlantic, steaming past the Cape of Good Hope to join the Seventh Fleet in the Far East. In September 1955, following this cruise, she entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for the first of her two major modernizations. Recommissioned two years later, as the work neared completion, Midway now had an angled flight deck, enclosed bow, three steam catapults and other features that enabled her to better operate high-performance aircraft. She conducted a Seventh Fleet deployment in 1958 and was a regular visitor to Asiatic waters during the next eight years. Her 1965 Far Eastern tour included active participation in the then-expanding Vietnam War. From February 1966 until mid-1970, Midway was again in shipyard hands, receiving an extensive modernization that included installation of a greatly enlarged flight deck.

Upon her return to commissioned service, Midway again took part in Southeast Asian conflict combat operations. In October 1973, she changed her homeport to Yokosuka, Japan, allowing the Navy to maintain a greater carrier presence in the Far East than would have been possible from a U.S. base. During this time, she was active in the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf areas. The ship was redesignated CV-41 in June 1975 and received a major refit in 1986. In 1990-91, Midway participated in Operations "Desert Shield" and "Desert Storm", which contained and then reversed Iraqi aggression against Kuwait. After additional activity in the Philippines area and elsewhere in the Seventh Fleet area, the ship returned to the United States for the first time in some eighteen years. USS Midway was decommissioned in April 1992 and placed in the Reserve Fleet. Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in March 1997, during 2003-2004 she was converted to a museum and is now a prominent attraction at San Diego, California, .

This page features selected views concerning USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41).


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 #: NH 97631

USS Midway (CVB-41)


In Hampton Roads, Virginia, 10 September 1945.

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

Online Image: 114KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-706984

USS Midway (CVB-41)


Steams through a gale east of Sicily, 4 February 1949.
Photographed from USS Philippine Sea (CV-47), some of whose F4U-4 "Corsair" fighters are in the foreground.

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

Online Image: 99KB; 740 x 595 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-13223 (Color)

USS Midway (CVB-42)

Steaming off the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, prior to Operation "Mainbrace" exercises, September 1952.
Aircraft on her flight deck include AD, F4U and F9F types.

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

Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 545 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 97632

USS Midway (CVA-41)


Underway on 20 June 1963, with F-3 "Demon", F-4B "Phantom II" and F-8 "Crusader" jet fighters on her flight deck. The two "Crusaders" parked furthest forward are from Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24).
Photographed by PH1 J.D. Osborne.

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

Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: KN-19524

USS Midway (CVA-41)


Underway in the Pacific Ocean, 19 April 1971.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

Online Image: 127KB; 740 x 610 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-KN-19524.
Though reproductions of this photo from the Naval Historical Center's collections are available in black & white only, those from the National Archives should be available in color.

 
Photo #: NH 97633

USS Midway (CVA-41)


At sea in the western Pacific, 30 November 1974.

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

Online Image: 127KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 105565

USS Midway
(CVB-41)

Close up view of the ship's port side, amidships, circa late 1945 or early 1946.
Note the five-inch 54-caliber (Mark 39) gun mounts outboard of the Midway's hangar, F4U and SB2C aircraft on her flight deck, and radar antennas on her masts.

Collection of Warren Beltramini, donated by Beryl Beltramini, 2007.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image size: 148KB; 900 x 715 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-K-10001 (Color)

USS Midway (CVB-42)

Noses through scattered sea ice in March 1946, during her Arctic experimental cruise.
Photographed looking forward from the carrier's island, with SB2C "Helldiver" and F4U "Corsair" planes parked on her flight deck.
A "Gearing" class destroyer is steaming past in the background.

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

Online Image: 115KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

 
Photo #: 80-G-707207

USS Midway (CVB-41)


Launches a Lockheed P2V-3C "Neptune" bomber, with a JATO rocket boost, on 7 April 1949.

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

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

 
Photo #: NH 97634

USS Midway (CVA-41)


Preparing to launch a pair of F-8 "Crusader" fighters, during carrier qualifications, circa 1963.

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

Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 510 pixels

 
Photo #: USN 1113736-A

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Charles W. Hartman
(left, in camouflaged flight suit), and
Lieutenant Commander Edwin A. Greathouse

Show Rear Admiral William F. Bringle (seated) how two MiG-17 jet fighters were shot down over North Vietnam by propeller-driven A-1 "Skyraiders" of Attack Squadron 125 (VA-125) over North Vietnam, 20 June 1965. Lt(JG) Hartman was credited with one of the MiGs, and Lieutenant Clinton B. Johnson was credited with the other. LCdr. Greathouse was the mission leader.
Photographed on board USS Midway (CVA-41).
Note .38 caliber revolvers worn by several of those present.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 490 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system as Photo # 428-N-1113736-A.

 
Photo #: NH 97635

USS Midway (CVA-41)


A Flight Deck Director signals an F-4 "Phantom II" fighter into position on the starboard catapult, in preparation for launching, 5 August 1970.
Photographed by PH2 Kevin J. Freedman.

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

Online Image: 113KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 


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 12 June 2001
New image added 16 April 2008