How many American aircraft carriers were lost in World War 2?

Answer 1

During World War II the United States operated 24 Aircraft Carriers (Designated CV), 9 Light Aircraft Carriers (CVL), and 77 Escort Aircraft Carriers (CVE). Losses were as follows:

CVs Lost Four (4): CV-2 Lexington CV-5 Yorktown CV-7 Wasp CV-8 Hornet

CVLs Lost One (1): CVL-23 Princeton

CVEs Lost Five (5): CVE-21 Block Island CVE-56 Liscome Bay CVE-63 Midway CVE-73 Gambier Bay CVe-95 Bismarck Sea

Thus a total of ten (10) aircraft carriers of all types were lost. Note the Navy's first aircraft carrier Langley was also lost but was considered a seaplane tender at the time being redesignated AV-3. All data from Samuel Eliot Morison, History of U.S. Naval Operations in WWII, Supplement and General Index.

Answer 2

15 Research I am doing in relation to aircraft carriers serving and lost in WWII indicates that 24 plus Japanese aircraft carriers were lost. This includes fleet, light, escort, seaplane tender and transport vessels. Currently compiling method of sinking and location. Have consulted a number of quality sources. Not in any order at current time: Agaki (Akagi), Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Chiyoda, Zuikaku, Zuiho, Chitose, Shokaku, Hiyo, Ise, Hyuga (converted BBs), Taiho, Amagi, Shinano, Unyi (Unyo), Ryuho, Ryujo, Taiyo, Shoho, Shinyo, Kaiyo, Chuyo & Unryu Believed sunk, unconfirmed: Ibuki Survivors included: Junjo, Katsuragi & Hoshu
Japan did NOT advertise when they prepared for war. They built the largest battleship in history (two of them Yamato & Musashi) in TOTAL secret. The allies didn't even know the true size of their displacement or guns until they saw the dry docks where they had been built. Secondly, warplanes used during WWII by all combatants were considered expendable; compared to warships, garrisons, army divisions, etc. On aircraft carriers at sea, aircraft were commonly "jettison'd" over the side (thrown overboard), by both the Japanese and the US navies. Partly because of the above two reasons, an accurate count of Japanese aircraft lost during WWII, can only be estimated at between 35,000 and 50,000 aircraft lost during the war, to all causes.

Answer 3

In 1942 the United States lost four fleet carriers (CV), the Lexington, the

Yorktown, the Wasp, the Hornet.

1943 saw the loss of the Escort Carrier (CVE) Liscome Bay.

In 1944 the Princeton (CVL), the Saint Lo (CVE), Block Island (CVE) and the Gambier Bay (CVE) were lost.

In 1945 the Bismarck Sea (CVE) was lost.

Total US Carrier losses in WW-2 were ten ships: 4 CV, 1 CVL, 5 CVE.

Answer 4

The US had three types of aircraft carriers in WWII. The largest were the fleet carriers, that era's equivalent to the carrier the Navy has today. There were also smaller light carriers, and the smallest were escort carriers made by converting a cargo ship during building and intended to carry about twenty planes for escorting convoys of merchant ships. The US lost four fleet carriers in WWII, all during 1942. These four were among the six fleet carriers the US had at the start of the war, and their loss made things fairly desperate until new construction could finally put the many new carriers into the Pacific. The USS Lexington (CV 2) was lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May, and the USS Yorktown (CV 5) was lost the following month at Midway. In September the USS Wasp (CV 7) was lost to a Japanese submarine while steaming near Guadalcanal. In October, the USS Hornet (CV 8) was lost in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. There were four great carrier battles in 1942, and in three of them the US lost a fleet carrier. There was not another large carrier battle until 1944. In the second large naval battle of 1944, in October, the Battle of Leyte Gulf (which is also the largest naval battle of all time) a light carrier was sunk, the USS Princeton (CVL 23). In 1945 the fleet carrier USS Franklin (CV 13) was hit by a kamikaze suicide plane and should have sunk, but heroic efforts by her crew saved the ship, though it was gutted by fire damage and hundreds of the crew were killed. The first US aircraft carrier was the USS Langley (CV 1) made from a converted collier - a coal carrying ship. By WWII it had been converted to a seaplane tender, and no longer operated as an aircraft carrier. It was sunk by Japanese planes in October, 1942. During WWII the US built 122 escort carriers, and a total of 29 fleet and light carriers. Two US escort carriers were lost in battle in WWII, the USS Gambier Bay was lost to gunfire of Japanese surface ships at Leyte Gulf, as a task force of escort carriers battled desperately to hold off units of Japan's main battle line, and the USS St. Lo was lost to kamikaze aircraft.

Speaking in general terms and in comparison with the Japanese fleet, the US lost fewer carriers than did Japan. At the battle of Midway, for example, the enemy lost four aircraft carriers.

Answer 5

WW1 is considered bigger because of the unexpexticy of it and the impact. but ww 2 is bigger because of the cost and causualties