Twenty-four Essex-class aircraft carriers were built for the U.S. Navy during World War II, and only two did not continue their service during the Cold War. One of those was the USS Franklin (CV-13).

Okinawa, Japan, the next year. The U.S. built 24 Essex-class carriers during World War II (an average of one every two months for four years); now it takes the United States a decade to commission a ...

Summary and What You Need to Know: USS Essex (CV-9), the lead ship of the Essex-class aircraft carriers, had a storied career that significantly impacted U.S. naval history. Laid down ...

The Best: During World War II, the United States Navy commissioned 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers, making it the most numerous class of capital warships of the 20th century. These carriers ...