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U.S.S. MIDWAY

(CV-41)

TIP OF THE SWORD

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USS Midway, built in Newport News, Virginia, was commissioned in September 1945. She served in the Atlantic Fleet for her first eight years of service. The ship was used in a couple of important naval experiments. In 1946, she was sent to the Arctic to test cold water operations. In 1947, she was the launch pad for a V-2 ballistic missile. Later that same year, the carrier began its first deployment to the Mediterranean. For the next few years she worked in both the Mediterranean and in the North Atlantic.

In October 1952, her hull number was changed from CVB-41 to CVA-41. This was due to her reclassification to an attack aircraft carrier. In 1954, she joined the Seventh Fleet for a year. Late in 1955, she underwent her first modernization. This expanded her flight deck and updated her equipment to handle the latest aircraft.

After her return two years later, Midway went back to the Seventh Fleet. She saw active combat operations in 1965 with the Vietnam conflict. In 1966, she began her second modernization. This involved expanding her deck once again. After returning to service in 1970, she returned to the Seventh Fleet supporting combat operations. In 1975, she was renumbered CV-41.

In 1986, she underwent her third modernization. In the early 1990’s, she participated in the first Iraq conflict. Afterwards she returned to the Seventh Fleet. In April 1992, she was decommissioned. At this time, she has been converted to a museum located in San Diego.

CV-41 Deployments - Major Events

Add a CV-41 Shellback Initiation Add a CV-41 Deployment - Major Event
Month Year to Month Year Deployment / Event
OCT1943-Keel Date: 27 OCT 1943
at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Newport News VA
MAR1945-AUG1945Caribbean
MAR1945-Launch Date: 20 MAR 1945
SEP1945-Commissioned: 10 SEP 1945
JAN1952-MAY1952Mediterranean
JUN1953-JUN1953Sea Trials
JAN1954-AUG1954Mediterranean
DEC1954-JUL1955World Cruise
JAN1955-Shellback Initiation - 6 JAN 1955 - Atlantic Ocean
JUL1956- Shellback Initiation - 7 JUL 1956 - Atlantic Ocean
SEP1957-APR1958Recommisioning
OCT1957-MAR1958West Pac
APR1958- Shellback Initiation - 4 APR 1958 - Pacific Ocean
OCT1958-NOV1959West Pac
NOV1958-MAR1959West Pac
NOV1959-MAR1960West Pac
JAN1961-JUN1962West Pac
FEB1961-SEP1961West Pac
MAR1961-MAY1961LAOTIAN CRISIS (AFEM)
MAR1961-NOV1962West Pac
MAY1962-NOV1962West Pac
MAY1962-NOV1962West Pac-Viet Nam
MAY1962-NOV1962West Pac-Viet Nam
NOV1963-JUL1964West Pac
FEB1965-NOV1965West Pac-Viet Nam
MAR1965-NOV1965West Pac-Viet Nam
OCT1965-OCT1965VA-25 Dropped Toiler BOMB on North Vietnam - 6-Million Lbs.
OCT1965-OCT1965West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1966-MAY1970Decommisioning
JAN1970-DEC1970West Pac-Viet Nam
JAN1970-FEB1971Recommisioning
JAN1970-DEC1970West Pac
MAR1970-AUG1972Mediterranean
DEC1970-NOV1971West Pac-Viet Nam
JAN1971-JUL1972West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1971-NOV1971West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1971-NOV1971West Pac-Viet Nam
NOV1971- Shellback Initiation - 11 NOV 1971 - Atlantic Ocean
JAN1972-JAN1973West Pac-Viet Nam
FEB1972-MAR1973West Pac-Viet Nam
FEB1972-NOV1974West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1972-FEB1973West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1972-FEB1973West Pac-Viet Nam
APR1972-MAR1974West Pac-Viet Nam
DEC1972-Shellback Initiation - 13 DEC 1972 - Pacific Ocean
DEC1972- Shellback Initiation - 13 DEC 1972 - Pacific Ocean
SEP1973-Shellback Initiation - 20 SEP 1973 - Pacific Ocean
OCT1973-Changed homeport to Yokosuka Japan
APR1975-APR1975OPERATION FREQUENT WIND
APR1975-MAY1975Operation Frequent Wind (Evacuation of Saigon)
NOV1975-Shellback Initiation - 1 NOV 1975 - Indian Ocean
NOV1975- Shellback Initiation - 1 NOV 1975 - Indian Ocean
NOV1975- Shellback Initiation - 1 NOV 1975 - Indian Ocean
JAN1977-NOV1979West Pac
MAR1977-APR1977West Pac-Viet Nam
AUG1977-NOV1977West Pac-Indian Ocean
OCT1977-Shellback Initiation - 10 OCT 1977 - Indian Ocean
OCT1977-Shellback Initiation - 11 OCT 1977 - Indian Ocean
OCT1977- Shellback Initiation - 11 OCT 1977 - Indian Ocean
JAN1978-OCT1980West Pac-Indian Ocean
JAN1979-AUG1981West Pac-Indian Ocean
APR1979-Shellback Initiation - 18 APR 1979 - Indian Ocean
APR1979- Shellback Initiation - 18 APR 1979 - Indian Ocean
MAY1979-MAY1979West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
SEP1979-MAR1980West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
OCT1979-NOV1979West Pac
OCT1979-FEB1980West Pac-Indian Ocean
APR1980-Shellback Initiation - 19 APR 1980 - Indian Ocean
JUL1980-AUG1980Collision with SS Cactus/Drydock in Olongapo PI
JUL1980- Shellback Initiation - 15 JUL 1980 - Indian Ocean
AUG1980-Shellback Initiation - 22 AUG 1980 - Indian Ocean
AUG1980-Shellback Initiation - 27 AUG 1980 - Indian Ocean
AUG1980-NOV1980West Pac-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
NOV1980-JAN1981Dry Dock
APR1981- Shellback Initiation - 24 APR 1981 - Indian Ocean
APR1981- Shellback Initiation - 4 APR 1981 - Indian Ocean
JUL1982-NOV1982West Pac
OCT1982-Shellback Initiation - 10 OCT 1982 - Indian Ocean
OCT1982-Shellback Initiation - 27 OCT 1982 - Indian Ocean
APR1984-Shellback Initiation - 19 APR 1984 - Indian Ocean
JUN1984-NOV1984USS THORN DD-988
JAN1985-JUN1987West Pac-Indian Ocean
JUN1985-SEP1985West Pac-Indian Ocean
AUG1985-Shellback Initiation - 27 AUG 1985 - Indian Ocean
JAN1986-JAN1988Panama Canal
JUL1986-JAN1988Mediterranean-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf
MAY1987-Shellback Initiation - 22 MAY 1987 - Indian Ocean
MAY1987-Shellback Initiation - 22 MAY 1987 - Pacific Ocean
MAY1987- Shellback Initiation - 25 MAY 1987 - Pacific Ocean
NOV1987-APR1988Escorting Reflagged Oil Tankers Through the Persian Gulf
NOV1987-APR1988West Pac-Indian Ocean
JAN1988-Shellback Initiation - 7 JAN 1988 - Indian Ocean
OCT1989-OCT1989Midway Pilot dropped a 500lb bomb on the USS Reeves.
OCT1989-Shellback Initiation - 16 OCT 1989 - Indian Ocean
OCT1989- Shellback Initiation - 16 OCT 1989 - Indian Ocean
OCT1990-APR1991Desert Shield
OCT1990-APR1991Desert Storm
OCT1990-APR1991OPERATION DESERT SHIELD/IMMINENT THUNDER/DESERT STORM
MAR1991- Shellback Initiation - 21 MAR 1991 - Indian Ocean
JUN1991-JUN1991Operation Fiery Vigil
APR1992-Decommissioned: 11 APR 1992

CV-41 General Specifications

Class: Midway-class aircraft carrier

Named for: Battle of Midway

Complement: 4104 Officers and Enlisted

Displacement: 45000 tons

Length: 972 feet

Beam: 113 feet

Flank Speed: 33 knots

Final Disposition: Museum ship



USS MIDWAY (CV-41)



The third Midway (CVB-41) was laid down 27 October 1943 by Newport News Shipbuilding Co. Newport News Va.; launched 20 March 1945; sponsored by Mrs. Bradford William Ripley Jr.; and commissioned 10 September 1945 Capt. Joseph F. Bolger in command.


After shakedown in the Caribbean MIDWAY joined in the Atlantic Fleet training schedule with Norfolk her homeport. From 20 February 1946 she was flagship for CarDiv 1. In March she tested equipment and techniques for cold weather operations in the No rth Atlantic. East coast and Caribbean training was highlighted by operation "Sandy " in which in September 1947 she test fired a captured German V-2 rocket from her flight deck first such launching from a moving platform.


On 29 October 1947 Midway sailed for the first of her annual deployments with the 6th Fleet mighty peacekeeping force in the Mediterranean. A powerful extension of sea/air power Midway trained between deployments and received alteration s necessary to accommodate heavier aircraft as they were developed. In 1952 she participated in North Sea maneuvers with NATO forces and on 1 October was redesignated CVA-41.


Midway cleared Norfolk 27 December 1954 for a world cruise sailing via the Cape of Good Hope for Taiwan where she joined the 7th Fleet for operations in the Western Pacific until 28 June 1955 when she sailed for overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Ship yard. Here she was out of commission until 30 September 1957 while she was modernized and such new innovations as an enclosed bow and an angled flight deck were installed.


Homeported at Alameda Midway began annual deployments with the 7th Fleet in 1958 and was on such duty in the South China Sea during the Laotian crisis of spring l961. During her 1962 deployment her aircraft tested the air defense systems of Ja pan Korea Okinawa the Philippines and Taiwan. When she again sailed for the Far East 6 March 1965 her aircraft were prepared for combat operations and from mid-April flew strikes against military and logistics installations in North and South Vietn am. Illustrative of the major contribution the carrier made to the campaign of the free forces to repel Communist aggression was a notable "first" for aviators of her Attack Carrier Wing 2 who in June downed the first three MIGs credited to U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia. Returning to Alameda 23 November she entered San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard 11 February 1966 for extensive modernization for which she was placed in Reserve in commission special 15 February 1966. She is scheduled for recommiss ion in January 1970.

[Note: The above USS MIDWAY (CV-41) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS MIDWAY (CV-41) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]