USS Hornet CV-12: Design, Service in War and Peace

Chronicles the ship’s journey from WWII to its current role as a floating museum.

The USS Hornet CV-12 was launched in 1943 and served with distinction during the Second World War in the Pacific. After various modifications, she was active during the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Following this, she joined the Apollo Program and recovered astronauts from the Apollo 11 and 12 moon missions. After being decommissioned for the final time, she rested for decades in the mothball fleet and was destined for the scrapyard until saved and turned into a floating museum. Today, eighty years after construction began on her, USS Hornet CV-12 is still serving the country with distinction, this time as an educational venue and community asset. USS Hornet CV-12: Service in War and Peace tells the story of this ship from design and construction to service in times of war and peace. The design was a pre-war standard and before any lessons from the Second World War could be incorporated, the ship and its crew were able to meet every challenge.