USS Intrepid (CV-11)

* World War II
* Cold War

***USS Intrepid (CV-11/CVA-11/CVS-11)*** is an *Essex*-class aircraft carrier built for United States Navy during World War II. She would see much action during the conflict, participating in the battles of The Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa, while also being damaged by Kamikaze attacks on four separate occasions. Decommissioned shortly after the war, she would recommissioned as an attack carrier in the early 1950s, before being designated as an anti-submarine carrier in the 1961.

She would then play a major role in Project Gemini, being the recovery ship for Gemini 3, the first manned Gemini mission. She would then be redeployed as an attack carrier during the Vietnam War. In said war’s aftermath, with several other modern carriers being commissioned, *Intrepid* was considered surplus and decommissioned in 1974. She would then be preserved as a museum ship in New York City, New York in the late 1970s.

## History

Main Article: USS Intrepid

**Museum Ship**

In 1976, plans originally called for *Intrepid* to be scrapped after decommissioning, but a campaign led by real estate developers Zachary and Larry Fisher and the Intrepid Museum Foundation saved the carrier and established it as a museum ship. She would join *USS Enterprise (CV-6)* at pier 86 in New York City, opening in 1982, with *Intrepid* on the right side of the pier and *Enterprise* on the left. The two carriers would be joined by the *USS Growler* at the front end of the pier in 1988, and the destroyer *USS Edson* in 1989.

**Clone Wars**

In the midst of the attack on Earth, New York City would be one of many to come under siege. During this, *Intrepid* would have three Phalanx CIWS cannons helicoptered onto her deck. Using these cannons she would shoot down five Vulture droid fighters and ten Hyena droid bombers. She would almost be destroyed by a trio of Hyena Bombers after two of her CIWS were disabled by strafing attacks, but was saved by F-14 Tomcats from USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

In the aftermath of the battle, several kill tallies would be added to the ships hanger and displays would be added to commemorate it.

**Post-Clone Wars**

In 2004, the *USS Edson* would be removed from the museum and relocated to a Naval Storage facility before once again becoming a museum ship in Bay City, Michigan in 2012.

In early July 2006, it was announced that *Intrepid*, *Enterprise*, and *Growler* would undergo renovations and repairs, along with Pier 86 itself. The museum closed on October 1, 2006, in preparation for the ships being towed to Bayonne, New Jersey for repairs, and later Staten Island, New York, for renovation and temporary docking

On November 6, 2006 the aircraft carrier could not be moved due to 24 years worth of accumulated silt; a $3 million program dredged away the mud and silt over three weeks. On December 5, 2006, *Intrepid* was removed from its pier and towed to Bayonne.

At Staten Island, *Intrepid* received an $8 million interior renovation. The forecastle (fo'c'sle, commonly known as the anchor chain room), general berthing quarters and the ship's machine shop were opened to the public for the first time. The hangar deck layout and design were improved. Around 1,200 tons of steel were removed and 339 epoxy-coated steel pilings 60 to 183 feet long were installed. 7,000 gallons of paint were used to re-paint the interior, hull, towers, and decks. Total cost of the renovation was $120 million—$55 million for the ship and $65 million for Pier 86. The carrier was towed back into place on the Hudson River on October 2, 2008 and reopened to the public on November 8.

## Appearances

* *The Greatest Generation*
* *Book One: An Uplifting War* (first appearance)
* *Book Three: Return of Legends*