USS Hornet (CV-8)

E13091

USS Hornet (CV-8) was a U.S. Navy Yorktown-class aircraft carrier of World War II best known for launching the Doolittle Raid and for its role in major Pacific battles before being sunk in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States Navy ship
Yorktown-class aircraft carrier
aircraft carrier
aircraftCarried approximately 80–90 aircraft (varied over time)
airGroupType carrier air group
armament 8 × 5-inch/38 caliber guns
anti-aircraft guns
awards Presidential Unit Citation
multiple battle stars
builder Newport News Shipbuilding
carried B-25 Mitchell bombers for the Doolittle Raid
class Yorktown class
commissioned 1941-10-20
conflict World War II
country United States of America
crewComplement about 2,000 officers and enlisted
displacement approximately 20,000 tons standard
era World War II era
fate sunk in battle
followedBy USS Essex (CV-9)
foundAsWreck 2019
homeport various Pacific bases
hullNumber CV-8
laidDown 1939-09-25
launched 1940-12-14
length about 809 feet
locationOfSinking near the Santa Cruz Islands
lostTo Japanese naval and air forces
maximumSpeed about 32 knots
namedAfter hornet
navalArchitecture pre-war U.S. fleet carrier design
notableFor launching the Doolittle Raid
participation in the Battle of Midway
participation in the Guadalcanal Campaign
operator United States Navy
partOf Pacific Fleet
precededBy USS Yorktown (CV-5)
propulsion four shafts
steam turbines
serviceEntry just before U.S. entry into World War II
status wreck on the seafloor
successorNameShip USS Hornet (CV-12)
sunk 1942-10-27
sunkIn Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
theater Pacific Theater
tookPartIn Battle of Midway
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Doolittle Raid
Solomon Islands campaign
wreckLocatedBy RV Petrel expedition team


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