Chapter 225: Crazy Loans

He joined the Pacific Fleet in April 1939. When Pearl Harbor occurred in 1941, the ship escaped the attack on the ship due to bad weather on its return trip to Wake Island.

Since then, the USS Enterprise has participated in most of the naval battles of the Pacific War, becoming a legendary warship of the U.S. Navy with outstanding decories.

On January 11, 1942, Vice Admiral Halsey commanded the TF8 formation (1 aircraft carrier, 4 heavy cruisers, and 6 destroyers) with the Enterprise as the core and the TF17 (Yorktown, 1 light cruiser, 4 destroyers, commanded by Rear Admiral Fletcher) to complete the operation to reinforce Samoa, and a total of 5,000 troops were sent to the island.

On February 1, 1942, on the way back from Samoa, TF8 carried out an air raid on the Japanese bases on Roy Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Watji Atoll and Maloelap Atoll, the most fortified defense of the Japanese-occupied Marshall Island, sinking 4 Japanese small ships, destroying 18 aircraft, and even Major General Yashiro Yukichi of the 6th Base Squadron was also killed, which was the first organized counteroffensive of the US Army since the beginning of the Pacific War, and the Enterprise enjoyed the reputation of counterattack striker. And Halsey has become a hero in the eyes of the American public.

On April 8, 1942, the Enterprise left Pearl Harbor for the Aleutian Islands, where it rendezvoused with the USS Hornet aircraft carrier group to cover the Hornet formation on a mission to bomb the Japanese mainland.

In the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the Enterprise, the USS Hornet and the Yorktown of the same class were ambushed in the waters northeast of Midway Island, sinking four aircraft carriers of the Japanese Navy's mobile forces in one fell swoop, among them, the Akagi, Kaga and the Flying Dragon were the results of the Enterprise, and the carrier-based aviation on the Enterprise and the shore-based air force on Midway joined hands to sink the Japanese heavy cruiser Sanya.

In August 1942, the U.S. Navy and the Japanese Combined Fleet began a fierce battle for control of Guadalcanal in the waters of the southwest Pacific.

In the naval battle east of the Solomon Islands on August 24, the Enterprise was blasted by 18 99 ships on the Xianghe to break through the air defense circle, hitting a total of 3 250-kilogram armor-piercing shells, and another 4 missed.

After the air raid, the Enterprise caught fire, the flight deck was seriously damaged, 77 people were killed, 91 were injured, 17 ships were shot down, and 3 were killed.

The hard-won gains of the Japanese were offset by the efforts of the damage management team on board the Enterprise in a very short time, and one hour after the damage, the Enterprise returned to a speed of 24 knots and resumed the recovery of carrier-based aircraft.

In this operation, the TF61 formation where the Enterprise was located sank the Japanese light aircraft carrier Ryuchamp, severely damaged the seaplane carrier Chitose, and shot down 75 Japanese planes.

On 16 October, after a month of refurbishment, the Enterprise was strengthened by the newly formed 10th Carrier-Based Aircraft Group (AG-10), which included elite pilots from the damaged Saratoga and the sunken Yorktown.

On October 26, 1942, in the unprecedentedly fierce naval battle of Santa Cruz between the United States and Japan, the Enterprise was hit again with six 250-kilogram bombs and one missed, but narrowly escaped all torpedoes.

The Hornet, on the other hand, was not so lucky, and after being hit by 10 torpedoes, 1 800-kilogram bomb, 7 250-kilogram bombs, and more than 300 rounds of 127mm shells, the Hornet sank.

In this battle, the U.S. forces lost the aircraft carrier Hornet, the Enterprise was heavily damaged, 81 aircraft were lost, and 266 people were killed (44 killed and 75 wounded on the Enterprise).

It shot down and destroyed 92 Japanese planes and severely damaged two Japanese aircraft carriers, the Shozuru and Zuizuru.

At the same time, a large number of outstanding pilots, including the Japanese Shozuru flight captain Murata Shaoza, Seki Wei Shaoza, and Zuizuru flight captain Shiichiro Imajuku, were killed in battle, and the combat effectiveness of the Japanese mobile units was greatly weakened.

Before the Enterprise was repaired, the U.S. military had no aircraft carriers available in the South Pacific.

The Japanese Army's 2nd Division launched the Kuah Offensive, and at the same time, the Combined Fleet sent Kongo-class battleships to bombard the Kuah airfield around November 12.

On November 11, the Enterprise sailed out of Noumea and rushed to the waters east of Kuah Island with the repair ship USS Vestalar-4 to fight while repairing and maximizing the air power of the American army.

In the early morning of November 13, the Japanese army in charge of the artillery mission "stepped forward"

A fierce battle broke out with a formation of American TF67 cruisers, in which the Americans lost 2 light cruisers and 4 destroyers, sank 2 Japanese destroyers, and severely damaged the battleship Hiei.

After dawn, the Enterprise went out and beat the water dog with the TBF (torpedo attack aircraft) that took off from Kuah Island, causing the Hiei to hit 1 mine and sink the stern.

It finally sank around dark on the 13th, the first battleship lost by Japan in the Pacific War.

At this time, the Enterprise was still the only available aircraft carrier for the U.S. military in the Pacific, and sailors painted the hangar deck with such slogans as Enterprise vs. Japan.

On January 30, 1943, the Japanese launched 11 land attacks to bomb the U.S. surface ship formation near Rennell Island, and the USS Enterprise shot down 7 of them, but 8 Japanese planes still fired torpedoes, and the Chicago Heavy Cruiser (CA-29) was sunk.

On May 26, 1943, the USS Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor to receive the Presidential Unit Award from Admiral Nimitz on behalf of President Roosevelt, the first and only U.S. Navy ship to receive this honor.

On July 20, the new Essex-class aircraft carrier entered service, and the Enterprise was finally able to return to its home soil for extensive refurbishment and refit.

In 1943, the Enterprise returned to the United States for refit, extended the flight deck, added anti-torpedo compartments to 3/4 of the ship's waterline, increased the number of anti-aircraft guns to 25 twin 20mm Erlicon, and 10 quadruple 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, all of which had radar charges, and the hit rate was greatly improved.

At the same time, the carrier-based aircraft has been replaced with a new F6F "Hellcat"

and SB2C "Hell Diverter"

On January 6, 1944, the completed Enterprise, with five other large aircraft carriers, formed the TF58 task force to participate in the Marshall Islands operation.

The TF58 includes 6 large fleet carriers, 6 Independence-class light carriers, 6 escort carriers, 15 battleships, 9 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 50 destroyers, as well as a number of transports, cargo ships, tankers, tank landing ships, dock landing ships, seaplane carriers and other auxiliary ships.

There are more than 700 carrier-based aircraft.

On January 31, with the strong fire support of TF58, the U.S. military conquered a number of islands in the Marshall Islands, including Kwajalein Atoll and Majuro Atoll.

On February 27, 1944, the TF58 formation attacked the Truk Atoll, and the TBF Avenger night attack aircraft equipped with radar on the Enterprise participated in the air raid operation, which sank a total of 9 ships, 3 special ships, 31 transport ships, a total of 237,000 tons, and destroyed 270 aircraft.

1/3 of the results were achieved by the Enterprise.

In June 1944, the U.S. and Japanese navies launched a strategic decisive battle in the Mariana Sea, and the Japanese Navy lost three large aircraft carriers and more than 600 aircraft, and the air force that had been operating dismally for two years was completely lost.

The U.S. military lost only 130 aircraft and 76 pilots killed (including 77 aircraft and 44 pilots killed during the night landing).

On October 25, 1944, the USS Enterprise assisted a friendly ship in sinking the super battleship Musashi and the aircraft carriers Zuizuru, Zuiho, and Chitose.

During this campaign, the Enterprise was one of the few U.S. aircraft carriers to attack the Kurita, Ozawa, and Nishimura fleets.

In December 1944, the ship became the CV(N)-6 (N is an abbreviation for night), carrying a modified F6F-5N night fighter for night patrol missions.

In March-April 1945, the Enterprise participated in combat operations to suppress shore-based aviation in the Kyushu region of Japan and to sink the super-battleship Yamato.

On May 14, 1945, the Enterprise was hit by a kamikaze aircraft, destroying the front elevator, and two days later withdrew from the battle and returned to the United States for overhaul.

During the repairs, Japan announced its surrender.

Since then, it has participated in victory celebrations and missions to bring back American military personnel stationed in Europe.

From January 18, 1946, he anchored in Bayonne, New Jersey, and never sailed again.

The Enterprise was decommissioned on February 17, 1947 and transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

On October 1, 1952, it was called the attack aircraft carrier CVA-6, and on August 8, 1953, it was renamed the anti-submarine aircraft carrier CVS-6.

It was removed from the roster of naval vessels on October 2, 1956, and sold for $1, 1958 for $561333 and dissolved.

In the Pacific War, it was honored to be called the "Big E"

The USS BIGE earned 20 Battle Star Medals and became the first aircraft carrier to receive the President's Collective Commendation, and the only U.S. aircraft carrier in World War II to receive both the Presidential Commendation and the Navy's Collective Commendation.

During its glorious life, the Enterprise sailed 442475 kilometers, sank 71 enemy ships, damaged 192 ships, and shot down 911 enemy aircraft, which is unmatched by no other warship in the U.S. Navy.

In the Pacific War, it was honored to be called the "Big E"

The USS BIGE earned 20 Battle Star Medals and became the first aircraft carrier to receive the President's Collective Commendation, and the only U.S. aircraft carrier in World War II to receive both the Presidential Commendation and the Navy's Collective Commendation.

During its glorious life, the Enterprise sailed 442475 kilometers, sank 71 enemy ships, damaged 192 ships, and shot down 911 enemy aircraft, which is unmatched by no other warship in the U.S. Navy.

(To be continued.)

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