Timeline For Aircraft Carrier Service - World War II

World War II

1939

• 1 September — Germany invades Poland, World War II begins.
• 14 September — HMS Victorious launched.
• 17 September — HMS Courageous sunk in action.
• 25 September — USS Hornet laid down.
• 26 September — First Allied air victory in WWII, a Dornier Do 18 shot down by Lt B.S. McEwan flying a Blackburn Skua of 803 Squadron from HMS Ark Royal.
• 27 November — Zuikaku launched.
• 3 November — HMS Indefatigable laid down.

1940

• Idzumo Maru carrier conversion started, renamed Hiyō.
• Kashiwara Maru carrier conversion started, renamed Junyō.
• HMS Argus recommissioned as training and transport carrier.
• 28 February — Flugzeugträger B cancelled while under construction.
• 26 March — HMS Indomitable launched.
• 25 April — USS Wasp commissioned.

• May — Graf Zeppelin construction temporarily suspended.
• 25 May — HMS Illustrious commissioned; first fully armoured carrier.
• June — Béarn interned at Martinique.
• 18 June — HMS Glorious sunk in action.
• 21 June — Attack on Scharnhorst, first ever torpedo attack by aircraft on a capital ship at sea.
• 25 June — France falls to Germany.
• 11 November — Battle of Taranto witnessed the first carrier-based torpedo-bomber attack.
• 24 November — HMS Formidable commissioned.
• 14 December — USS Hornet launched.
• 27 December — Takasaki carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Zuihō.

1941

• Submarine tender Tsurugisaki carrier conversion started.
• Italian passenger liner Roma carrier conversion started, renamed Aquila
• 28 April — USS Essex laid down.
• May — Incomplete passenger liners Kasuga Maru, Yawata Maru and Nitta Maru carrier conversions started.
• 1 may — USS Independence laid down as light cruiser USS Amsterdam.
• 26 May — German battleship Bismarck disabled by aircraft launched from HMS Ark Royal and later sunk.
• 15 May — HMS Victorious commissioned.
• 24 June — Hiyō launched.
• 26 June — Junyō launched.

• 10 July — Taihō laid down.
• 15 July — USS Cabot laid down.
• 8 August — Shōkaku commissioned.
• 2 September — Kasuga Maru carrier conversion completed.
• 15 September — USS Bunker Hill laid down; Kasuga Maru commissioned as Taiyō
• 25 September — Zuikaku commissioned.
• 10 October — HMS Indomitable commissioned.
• 20 October — USS Hornet commissioned.
• 13 November — HMS Ark Royal sunk in action.

• 20 November — HMS Unicorn launched.
• 1 December — USS Bon Homme Richard, USS Intrepid laid down.
• 7 December — Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor naval base Hawaii and Philippines; United States enters World War II.
• 20 December — Submarine tender Taigei carrier conversion started.

1942

• 26 January — Tsurugisaki carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Shōhō.
• February — SS Scharnhorst carrier conversion started by Japan.
• 16 February — Light cruisers USS Tallahassee and USS New Haven reclassified for completion as carriers.
• 27 February — USS Langley sunk in action.
• 16 March — USS Wilmington laid down as light cruiser.
• 18 March — USS Oriskany laid down.

• 27 March — Light cruisers USS Dayton and USS Huntington reclassified for completion as carriers; Huntington renamed USS Cowpens.
• 31 March — USS Tallahassee renamed USS Princeton, USS New Haven renamed USS Belleau Wood, USS Dayton renamed USS Monterey.
• 9 April — HMS Hermes sunk in action.
• 11 April — Originally intended as light cruiser USS Fargo, USS Crown Point laid down.
• May — Béarn demilitarised; Graf Zeppelin construction resumed
• 4 May — Battle of the Coral Sea commences – first carrier-to-carrier naval engagement in history, and first naval engagement where neither fleet directly fired upon nor came within sight of the other fleet.
• 5 May — Junyō commissioned.
• 7 May — Shōhō sunk in action.

• 8 May — USS Lexington sunk in action; Battle of the Coral Sea ends.
• 31 May — Yawata Maru carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Unyō.
• June — Incomplete Yamato class battleship Shinano carrier conversion started.
• 1 June — HMS Colossus laid down, and HMS Edgar laid down.
• 2 June - USS Wilmington re-designated for completion as carrier.
• 4 June — Battle of Midway commenced, generally considered to be the most important naval battle in the Pacific during World War II; Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū severely damaged in action, with Kaga and Sōryū subsequently scuttled.
• 5 June — Hiryū sunk in action, Akagi scuttled.
• 7 June — USS Yorktown sunk in action; Battle of Midway ended.
• 16 June — USS Cabot renamed USS Lexington.
• 23 June — USS Wilmington renamed USS Cabot.

• 31 July — Hiyō commissioned; USS Essex launched.
• 1 August — Unryū laid down.
• 3 August — USS Kearsarge laid down.
• 11 August — HMS Eagle sunk in action.
• 22 August — USS Independence launched.
• 24 August — Ryūjō sunk in action.
• 27 August — HMS Glory laid down.
• 31 August — USS Bataan laid down; Kasuga Maru reclassified as warship;

• 15 September — USS Wasp sunk in action.
• 26 September — USS Bon Homme Richard renamed USS Yorktown; USS Lexington launched.
• 1 October — Amagi laid down.
• 18 October — USS Princeton launched.
• 24 October — HMS Audacious laid down.
• 26 October — USS Reprisal laid down.
• 27 October — USS Hornet sunk in action.
• 8 November — HMS Ocean laid down.
• 12 November — HMS Vengeance laid down.
• 13 November — USS Crown Point renamed USS Langley, USS Oriskany renamed USS Wasp.

• 25 November — Nitta Maru carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as Chūyō.
• 28 November — Taigei carrier conversion completed, renamed and commissioned as Ryūhō.
• 2 December — HMS Ethalion laid down, subsequently renamed HMS Mars.
• 3 December — HMS Venerable laid down.
• 6 December — USS Belleau Wood launched.
• 7 December — USS Franklin laid down, USS Bunker Hill launched.
• 8 December — Katsuragi laid down; HMS Indefatigable launched.
• 10 December — HMS Implacable launched; Argentina Maru carrier conversion started.
• 12 December — HMS Warrior laid down.
• 15 December — USS Bennington laid down.

• 31 December — USS Essex commissioned.

1943

• 6 January — HMS Theseus laid down.
• 14 January — USS Independence commissioned.
• 15 January — USS Shangri-La laid down.
• 17 January — USS Cowpens launched.
• 21 January — USS Yorktown launched.
• 22 January — USS Kearsarge renamed USS Hornet.
• 26 January — Chitose carrier conversion started; USS Ticonderoga laid down.
• 27 January — HMS Triumph laid down.
• 30 January — USS Reprisal renamed USS San Jacinto; Graf Zeppelin construction stopped and project cancelled.
• February — SS Scharnhorst acquired to be completed as Shinyo.
• 1 February — USS Hancock and USS Bon Homme Richard laid down.
• 17 February — USS Lexington commissioned.

• 25 February — USS Princeton commissioned.
• 28 February — USS Monterey launched.
• March — Chiyoda carrier conversion started.
• 12 March — HMS Unicorn commissioned.
• 15 March — USS Antietam and USS Lake Champlain laid down.
• 31 March — USS Belleau Wood commissioned.
• 4 April — USS Cabot launched.
• 7 April — Taihō launched.
• 14 April – Kasagi laid down.
• 15 April — HMS Majestic laid down; USS Yorktown commissioned.
• 19 April — HMS Terrible laid down.
• 26 April — USS Intrepid launched.
• 1 May — USS Hancock renamed USS Ticonderoga, USS Ticonderoga renamed USS Hancock.
• 3 May — HMS Ark Royal laid down.
• 10 May — USS Randolph laid down.
• 22 May — USS Langley launched.
• 24 May — USS Bunker Hill commissioned.
• 28 May — USS Cowpens commissioned.
• 8 June – Aso laid down.

• 17 June — USS Monterey commissioned.
• 30 June — Béarn transferred to the Free French forces.
• 5 July – Ikoma laid down.
• 24 July — USS Cabot commissioned.
• 29 July — HMS Magnificent laid down.
• 1 August — USS Bataan launched.
• 16 August — USS Intrepid commissioned.
• 17 August — USS Wasp launched.
• 30 August — USS Hornet launched.
• 31 August — USS Langley commissioned.
• September – Incomplete carrier Aquila taken over by Germany after Italian surrender, but never completed
• 7 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) laid down.
• 13 September — USS Boxer laid down.
• 14 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-37) laid down.
• 25 September — Unryū launched.
• 26 September — USS San Jacinto launched.
• 30 September — HMS Colossus launched.
• 12 October — HMS Hercules laid down.
• 14 October — USS Franklin launched.
• 15 October — Amagi launched.
• 18 October — HMS Leviathan laid down.
• 27 October — USS Midway laid down.
• 31 October — Chiyoda carrier conversion completed, recommissioned.
• 15 November — ex SS Scharnhorst commissioned as Shinyo; USS San Jacinto commissioned.
• 17 November — USS Bataan commissioned.

• 23 November — Argentina Maru carrier conversion completed, commissioned as Kaiyo.
• 24 November — USS Wasp commissioned.
• 27 November — HMS Glory launched,HMS Powerful laid down.
• 29 November — USS Hornet commissioned.
• 1 December — USS Coral Sea laid down.
• 4 December — Chūyō sunk in action.
• 30 December — HMS Venerable launched.

1944

• 1 January — Chitose carrier conversion completed, commissioned.
• 19 January — Katsuragi launched.
• 24 January — USS Hancock launched.
• 31 January — USS Franklin commissioned.
• 7 February — USS Ticonderoga launched.
• 21 February — USS Crown Point laid down.
• 23 February — HMS Vengeance launched.
• 24 February — USS Shangri-La launched.
• 26 February — USS Bennington launched.
• 1 March — USS Tarawa,USS Kearsarge laid down.
• 7 March — Taihō commissioned.
• 23 March — HMS Albion laid down.
• 25 March — First deck landing by a twin engined aircraft, a Mosquito on HMS Indefatigable.
• 26 March — HMS Edgar launched.
• 15 April — USS Hancock commissioned.
• 29 April — USS Bon Homme Richard launched.
• 1 May — USS Oriskany laid down.

• 3 May — HMS Indefatigable commissioned.
• 8 May — USS Ticonderoga commissioned.
• 20 May — HM Ships Mars and Warrior launched.
• 30 May – HMS Centaur laid down.
• 19 June — Shōkaku and Taihō sunk in action.
• 20 June — Hiyō sunk in action.
• 21 June — HMS Hermes laid down as HMS Elephant,(construction suspended at end of WWII).
• 28 June — USS Randolph launched.
• 1 July — USS Reprisal laid down.
• 6 July — HMS Theseus launched.
• 8 July — HMS Ocean launched; USS Valley Forge (CV-40) launched.
• 10 July — USS Coral Sea and USS Saipan laid down.
• 6 August — Unryū commissioned; USS Bennington commissioned.
• 10 August — Amagi commissioned.
• 18 August — Taiyō sunk in action.
• 19 August — USS Philippine Sea laid down.
• 20 August — USS Antietam launched.
• 21 August — USS Wright laid down.
• 28 August — HMS Implacable commissioned.
• 7 September — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) laid down.
• 15 September — USS Shangri-La commissioned; HMS Furious decommissioned, placed in reserve.
• 16 September — Unyō sunk in action.
• 30 September — HMS Terrible launched.
• 2 October — HMS Triumph launched.

• 8 October — Shinano launched.
• 9 October — USS Randolph commissioned.
• 15 October — Katsuragi commissioned.
• 19 October – Kasagi launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
• 24 October — USS Princeton sunk in action.
• 25 October — Chitose, Chiyoda, Zuihō and Zuikaku sunk in action.
• 1 November – Aso launched, never completed and broken up after the war.
• 2 November — USS Lake Champlain launched.
• 16 November — HMS Magnificent launched.
• 17 November — Ikoma launched, never completed and broken up after the war; Shinyo sunk in action.
• 18 November — USS Valley Forge (CV-45) launched.
• 19 November — Shinano commissioned.
• 21 November — USS Valley Forge (CV-37) renamed USS Princeton.
• 26 November — USS Bon Homme Richard commissioned.
• 29 November — Shinano sunk in action.
• December — HMS Argus designated an accommodation ship.
• 14 December — USS Boxer launched.

• 16 December — HMS Colossus commissioned.
• 19 December — Unryū sunk in action.

1945

• 15 January — HMS Vengeance commissioned.
• 28 January — USS Antietam commissioned.
• 8 February — HMS Mars commissioned as HMS Pioneer.
• 27 February — HMS Powerful launched (construction suspended at end of WWII).
• 28 February — HMS Majestic launched.
• 17 January — HMS Venerable commissioned.
• March – Ryūhō severely damaged by US air attack.
• 20 March — USS Midway launched.
• 2 April — HMS Glory commissioned.
• 9 April — Escort carrier HMS Biter returned to U.S. Navy, immediately transferred to France, recommissioned as Dixmude.
• 16 April — USS Boxer commissioned.

• 20 April — Ryūhō placed in reserve.
• 25 April — Incomplete Graf Zeppelin scuttled by Germany.
• 29 April — USS Coral Sea launched.
• 5 May — USS Kearsarge launched.
• 7 May — Nazi Germany surrenders.
• 8 May — USS Crown Point renamed USS Leyte, USS Coral Sea renamed USS Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• 12 May — USS Tarawa launched.
• 10 May — HMS Bulwark laid down.
• 3 June — USS Lake Champlain commissioned.
• 7 June — HMS Leviathan launched (ship never completed).
• 8 July — USS Princeton and USS Saipan launched.
• 24 July — Amagi heavily damaged during air raid.
• 25 July — Kaiyo, having been damaged in action the previous day, is deliberately grounded and later refloated.
• 28 July — Kaiyo further damaged in action, settles on bottom with 20-degree list to port.
• 29 July — Attempts to refloat Kaiyo abandoned.
• 29 July — Amagi capsized.
• 6 August — U.S. nuclear strike on Hiroshima.
• 8 August — HMS Ocean commissioned.
• 9 August — Last of caretaker crew leave Kaiyo; U.S. nuclear strike on Nagasaki.
• 12 August — USS Reprisal canceled.
• 15 August — Japan surrenders WWII ends.