USS Midway (CV-41)

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The USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) is an aircraft carrier that served in the United States Navy for 47 years, from its commissioning in 1945 to its decommissioning in 1992. The ship was initially too large to transit the Panama Canal and underwent significant modifications during its service period.

During World War II, Midway played a crucial role in various operations, including testing the Ryan FR Fireball and helicopter rescue techniques for cold-weather operations in the Labrador Sea. In March 1947, she participated in Operation Frostbite, which aimed to test these techniques. The ship also launched a captured German V-2 rocket from its flight deck as part of Operation Sandy in April 1947.

In June 1951, Midway operated off the Virginia Capes during carrier suitability tests of the F9F-5 Panther. However, this was marred by an incident where George Chamberlain Duncan attempted to land on the ship but crashed due to a downward draft just aft of the stern. The angled runway painted on the flight deck in May 1952 allowed for touch-and-go landings following early trials of the technique aboard HMS Triumph.

Midway had a distinguished service history, including its role as the Persian Gulf flagship during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. She also served in the Vietnam War and was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan from 1973 to 1991 as an advanced aircraft carrier. The ship underwent numerous modifications and modernizations throughout its service period, transforming from a straight-deck carrier in 1945 to a cantilevered flight deck in 1970.

The USS Midway's design displacement increased significantly over the years, reaching 64,200 tons by the time of its decommissioning. The ship had some of the strongest armor among aircraft carriers at that time, with an armored flight deck and hull compartments divided into more than 1750 watertight sections. Its draught was 10.9 meters.

After nearly five decades of service, Midway was transferred to the reserve fleet in April 1992. Since its decommissioning, the ship has been open to the public as the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California, since 2004.