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Historical oddity

N

Novascotian

Joined
Sep 25, 2025
Messages
41
Points
48

What was the first US Navy aircraft carrier to see any type of action......(not CV-1, Langley)?
 
Between Pearl Harbor and Coral SRA the carriers went on a number of Raids of Japanese held Islands. I believe that both Lexington and Saratoga participated in these raids as well as Enterprise and Yorktown. Hornet participated in the Doolittle Raid.

I believe that Lexington and Saratoga were in different task groups. Saratoga was torpedoed early in the war and spent much of 1942 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

So depending on your definition of “in action” there is more than candidate.

Roger
 
Everything I find says the Langley, 1922 was the first US Navy carrier. Planes took off platforms on the USS Ely (1911) and USS Birmingham but they were not aircraft carriers. Even battleships carried a couple planes that could be launched, but they were not aircraft carriers. AI can't find it. I give up, what was it?
 
More digging brought the following from a couple sources.

George Washington Parke Custis, a coal barge built in the mid-1850's, was purchased by the Navy in August 1861; fitted out with a gas-generating apparatus developed by Thaddeus Lowe; and modified by John A. Dahlgren at the Washington Navy Yard for her service as a balloon boat. Does a balloon qualify as an aircraft?

Under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), they are classified as lighter-than-air (LTA) aircraft

If that holds, the barge could be considered an "aircraft" carrier.

Allan
 
Congratulations, you've won the Cupie Doll ( I actually don't have one). Hot air balloons do qualify therefore, even though it was not powered to ply the waves, the Geo. Washington Custis Park can be considered an aircraft carrier and was utilized on the James River campaign during the civil war.
 
Doing the research, thanks to your hints, was a fun break from my usual digging. Thanks for posting the trivia test!
Allan
 
Referring to last week's suggestion of a 'Ship Joke' , brings me to this about 'flat-tops':- Why didn't Nelson's Navy have them?

A. The masting prevented 'planes landing & taking off! ;)

Another; Paddy joined up as an able seaman. On his first day he was ordered by the captain "Weigh anchor!" Off Paddy went to obey, a while later he reported back, "Done that, soir, it's 'fecking' heavy at 3.5 tons,soir!"Sleep
 
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