USS Enterprise (CV-6)

**USS _Enterprise_ (CV-6),** often called "The Big E,**"** was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. She was also the seventh U.S. Navy ship to use the name "Enterprise". She was launched in 1936 and was a _Yorktown_ class aircraft carrier. She was one of three American carriers brought into service before World War II to survive the war. She took part in more battles against Japan than any other U.S. ship; they included the Battle of Midway, the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, many other fights during the Guadalcanal campaign, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. At three different times during the Pacific War, the Japanese said that she had been sunk in battle, which led her being nicknamed "The Grey Ghost".

_Enterprise_ earned 20 battle stars. This was more than any other U.S. warship in World War II. Some have said that she is the most glorious and honored ship in the history of the United States Navy. However, it could be argued that the 18th century frigate USS Constitution could perhaps rival that.

## Building and commissioning

_Enterprise_ was launched on 3 October 1936 at Newport News Shipbuilding. She was sponsored by Lulie Swanson, who was the wife of the Secretary of the Navy, Claude A. Swanson. _Enterprise_ was commissioned on 12 May 1938. _Enterprise_ sailed south so that her performance could be tested. This took her to Rio de Janeiro. After she returned, she was used along the east coast and in the Caribbean until April 1939. This is when she was ordered to serve in the Pacific.

## Service history

_Enterprise_ was one of fourteen ships to be fitted with the RCA CXAM-1 RADAR.  She was first based in San Diego (where she was used in the movie _Dive Bomber_) and then at Pearl Harbor after Former President Roosevelt ordered the fleet to be based far forward. _Enterprise_ and the aircraft squads she carries trained a lot and moved aircraft among the island bases of the Pacific. _Enterprise_ left Pearl Harbor on 28 November 1941.  _Enterprise_ was completing a transport mission, returning to Hawaii after moving Marine Fighter Squadron 211 (VMF-211) to Wake Island on 7 December 1941. This was when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

#### Pearl Harbor

_Enterprise_ was returning to Oahu on the morning of 7 December 1941. 18 SBD Dauntlesses from _Enterprise_ squadrons Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) and Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) arrived at Pearl Harbor while the Japanese were attacking it. Even though they were surprised, they quickly went into action to defend Pearl Harbor. VS-6 lost six planes during the attack. VB-6 lost one. Many of these planes were shot down by the Japanese. However, at least one plane was lost to anti-aircraft (AA) fire, and many more were damaged. During the battle, one radio report was heard: "Do not attack me, this is Six Baker Three an American plane". Later, the same pilot (Ensign Manuel Gonzales from VB-6) was heard telling his radioman/gunner to get ready to land on the water. Lieutenant C. E. Dickinson and his crewmate William C. Miller, from VS-6, shot down one Japanese plane before they had to jump out after their plane caught fire. Dickinson later went to Ford Island to fly another plane. He took part when the United States were searching for the Japanese fleet.

_Enterprise_ also sent up six F4F Wildcats from Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) during the attack. All of these aircraft except two were shot down by shellshocked AA gunners when they tried to land on Ford Island later that night. _Enterprise_ got her aircraft ready to go on a large search for the Japanese force that attacked Pearl Harbor. They search was to the south and west of Oahu. However, the Japanese had started moving northwest. _Enterprise_ went into Pearl Harbor for fuel and supplies on the night of 8 December. Early the next morning, she went to patrol the rest of the Hawaiian Islands to make sure there were no more attacks. Even though the group did not find any ships, _Enterprise_ aircraft sank Japanese submarine . _I-70_ was sunk at  on 10 December 1941.

During the last two weeks of December 1941, _Enterprise_ and her group moved to the west of Hawaii to make sure those islands were not attacked. Two other groups tried to help at Wake Island at the same time. After the _Enterprise_ group had a short rest at Pearl Harbor, they left on 11 January. They were protecting ships sending help to Samoa. On 1 February, _Enterprise_'s Task Force 8 raided Kwajalein, Wotje, and Maloelap in the Marshall Islands. They sank three ships, damaged eight and destroyed many aircraft.

#### The Battle of Midway

Five days later, _Enterprise_ sailed for the South Pacific to help other U.S. carriers in the Coral Sea. However, the Battle of the Coral Sea was over before _Enterprise_ got there.

On 28 May, _Enterprise_ moved, as Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance's flagship, to Midway. She was ordered to hold Midway and do as much damage to the enemy as possible. USS _Hornet_, six cruisers and 10 destroyers were with _Enterprise_ on that day.

Both the Americans and Japanese launched air attacks. Even though the fighting went on until 7 June, by the end of 4 June the result had been decided. The Battle of Midway began on the morning of 4 June 1942, when four Japanese carriers attacked on Midway Island. The Japanese did not know that the U.S. Navy was in the area. Just three hours after the first bomb hit Midway, planes from the U.S. carriers attacked. _Enterprise_ launched an attack using torpedo bombers, but this failed. Soon after this, _Enterprise_ dive bombers attacked and sank the Japanese carriers  and . Later in the afternoon, bombers from _Enterprise_ and USS _Yorktown_ sank  (aircraft from _Yorktown_ also sank ). _Yorktown_ and USS _Hammann_ were the only American ships sunk, but 113 planes were lost. 61 of these were lost during the attacks. Japanese losses were much bigger. They lost four carriers, one cruiser and 272 planes. Even though she lost many planes, _Enterprise_ returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June 1942 undamaged.

#### South Pacific

After a month of rest, _Enterprise_ headed on 15 July 1942 for the South Pacific. There, she helped support the attack on the Solomon Islands on 8 August. During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the Japanese light carrier _Ryūjō_ was sunk. The Japanese troops that were supposed to land on Guadalcanal was forced back. _Enterprise_ was hit three times. 77 sailors were killed and 91 were hurt. _Enterprise_ was damaged badly.

_Enterprise_ was fixed at Pearl Harbor from 10 September-16 October 1942.

On 13 November, pilots from _Enterprise_ helped to sink . When the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal ended on 15 November 1942, _Enterprise_ had helped to sink 16 ships and damage eight more.

On July 20 1943, _Enterprise_ started being upgraded. These happened over several months. She was given an anti-torpedo blister. This meant that the carrier would be protected more against torpedoes.

### Return to duty

_Enterprise_ was back by November 1943. She helped the U.S. soldiers landing on Makin Atoll from 19–21 November 1943.

_Enterprise_ launched planes to strike the Marshall Islands and helped U.S. soldiers land on Kwajalein from 29 January-3 February 1944. Then she went to strike the Japanese base in Truk Lagoon in the Caroline Islands on 17 February.

_Enterprise_ launched planes to hit Jaluit Atoll on 20 February. She helped troops who were landing on Emirau Island (19–25 March). On 14 April she helped troops to land in Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), in New Guinea.

#### The Battle of the Philippine Sea

On 19 June 1944, _Enterprise_ took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. For over eight hours, American and Japanese pilots fought. Over two days, six American ships were damaged. 130 planes and 76 pilots and aircrew were lost. American aircraft and U.S. submarines sank three Japanese carriers (, , and ). The Japanese lost 426 planes.

_Enterprise_ helped to defend the U.S. ships and to strike the Japanese ships. After the battle, _Enterprise_ helped with the Invasion of Saipan until 5 July. She then went back to Pearl Harbor for a month of rest. She came back on 24 August and attacked the Bonin Islands from 31 August – 2 September.

#### The Battle of Leyte Gulf

In the Battle of Leyte Gulf (23–26 October), _Enterprise_ planes attacked battleships and destroyers. During November, planes from _Enterprise_ hit Manila and Yap. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 6 December 1944.

#### Operation Magic Carpet

_Enterprise_ sailed to Pearl Harbor with 1,100 soldiers. She then started sailing to Europe. She brought 10,000 soldiers home. During the Enterprise’s last trip, the ship was caught in very high winds in the Atlantic. The crew almost abandoned ship. _Enterprise_ had to go back to New York.

_Enterprise_ got a British Admiralty Pennant. The pennant was given to _Enterprise_ as a gift from an ally. _Enterprise_ is the only non-Royal Navy ship to get the award in more than 400 years.

### The end of the "Big E"

_Enterprise_ went into the New York Naval Shipyard on 18 January 1946 to be deactivated. In 1946, she was going to be given to the state of New York to be a memorial. However, this plan was cancelled in 1949. The "Big E" was sold on 1 July 1958 to the Lipsett Corporation to be scrapped. Scrapping was done in May 1960.

### Successor to the "Big E"

In November 1961, USS _Enterprise_ (CVA(N)-65) was brought into service. This was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The  was decommissioned on 1 December 2012. Another _Enterprise_ would be a , CVN-80.

## Awards

_Enterprise_ was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for her service during World War II. The citation says:
_Enterprise_ also got the Navy Unit Commendation and 20 battle stars for World War II service. This means that she is the highest decorated US ship ever.

## References

- _The Big E: The story of the USS Enterprise_, by Edward P Stafford, (1962) comprehensive, well-researched account
- _"Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World War II,"_ by Barrett Tillman.  The first to last history (2012).

## Other websites

- Interactive guide on the deck of USS Enterprise (CV-6)
- history.navy.mil: USS _Enterprise_
- history.navy.mil: Pictures
- navsource.org: USS _Enterprise_
- CV6.org: USS _Enterprise_ website
- USS Enterprise History

## Infobox (ship begin)


## Infobox (ship image)

- **ship image**: USS Enterprise (CV-6) in Puget Sound, September 1945.jpg
- **ship caption**: Aerial view of _Enterprise_ at sea in 1945


## Infobox (ship career)

- **ship name**: USS _Enterprise_
- **ship country**: United States
- **ship builder**: Northrop Grumman Newport News, Newport News Shipbuilding
- **ship ordered**: 1933
- **ship laid down**: 16 July 1934
- **ship launched**: 3 October 1936
- **ship commissioned**: 12 May 1938
- **ship decommissioned**: 17 February 1947
- **ship fate**: Scrapped 1958–1960
- **ship identification**: hull classification symbol, Hull number: CV-6
- **ship nickname**: _The Big E_

_Lucky E_

_The Grey Ghost_

_The Galloping Ghost_
- **ship honors**: * 20 Service star#Navy warships, Battle Stars
* Presidential Unit Citation (United States), Presidential Unit Citation
* Navy Unit Commendation
* American Defense Service Medal
* American Campaign Medal
* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
* World War II Victory Medal
*Task Force 16 Citation (United States), Task Force 16 Citation
*British Admiralty Pennant (United Kingdom), British Admiralty Pennant
* Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
* Philippine Liberation Medal


## Infobox (ship characteristics)

- **header caption**: (as built)
- **ship displacement**: *19,800 tons standard
*25,500 tons full load
*From October 1943:
*21,000 tons standard
*32,060 tons full load
- **ship length**: * waterline
* overall
*From July 1942:
* overall length
- **ship beam**: *
* overall
*From October 1942:
* overall width
*From October 1943:
* waterline
- **ship power**: *
*9 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers
- **ship propulsion**: 4 × shafts; 4 × Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Parsons geared steam turbines
- **ship range**: at
- **ship complement**: 2,217 officers and men (1941)
- **ship sensors**: CXAM RADAR, CXAM-1 RADAR
- **ship armament**: *8 × single 5"/38 caliber gun, 5 in/38 cal guns
*4 × quad 1.1"/75 caliber gun, 1.1 in/75 cal guns
*24 × .50 caliber machine guns
*From April 1942:
*8 × 5 in/38 cal
*4 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
*30 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
*From mid-June 1942 to mid-September 1942:
*8 × 5 in/38 cal
*5 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
*32 × 20 mm Oerlikons
*From mid-September 1942:
*8 × 5 in/38 cal
*4 × quad Bofors 40 mm gun, 40 mm Bofors guns
*1 × quad 1.1 in/75 cal
*44 × 20 mm Oerlikons(46 from 11/42)
*From October 1943:
*8 × 5 in/38 cal
*40 × 40 mm Bofors (8×2, 6×4)
*50 × 20 mm Oerlikon
*From September 1945:
*8 × 5 in/38 cal
*54 × 40 mm Bofors (5×2, 11×4)
*32 × 20 mm Oerlikons (16×2)
- **ship armor**: *2.5–4 in belt
*60 lb protective decks
*4 in bulkheads
*4 in side and 2 in top round conning tower
*4 in side over steering gear
- **ship aircraft**: 90 aircraft
- **ship aircraft facilities**: * 3 × elevators
*2 × flight deck hydraulic catapults
*1 × hangar deck hydraulic catapults