USS Yorktown, CV-5, Commissioned

(Photo Naval History and Heritage Command)

On 30 September 1937, the USS Yorktown (CV-5) was commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, commanded by Captain E. D. McWhorter, United States Navy. Construction of Yorktown was authorized under the National Industrial Recovery Act of 16 June 1933. Her keel was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding on 21 May 1934. She was christened on 04 April 1936 by Eleanor Roosevelt at Newport News, Virginia. Yorktown was instrumental in the important battles of Coral Sea and Midway in 1942. She earned 3 battle stars for her action. Damaged at Midway by Japanese aircraft on 04 June, she was being towed back to Pearl Harbor by USS Hammann (DD-412), when Japanese submarine I-168 fired four torpedoes on the afternoon of 06 June…one struck the destroyer USS Hammann and two hit Yorktown…the Hammann sank within minutes, Yorktown would sink earlier the next morning on 07 June 1942.

Two months later the Essex carrier being built at Newport News numbered CV-10 had her name changed from USS Bon Homme Richard to USS Yorktown…a legend would continue…

Taken from a launching Devastator TBD aircraft (Photo Navy History and Heritage Command)

Here is a newsreel on Yorktown at the battle of the Coral Sea!

(Photo Naval History and Heritage Command)

The end of a grand ship…(Photo Naval History and Heritage Command)