USS Midway (CV-41) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
USS Midway (CV-41)

USS Midway steaming off the Firth of Clyde in September 1952.
History
United States
Name	Midway
Namesake	Battle of Midway
Ordered	1 August 1942
Builder	Newport News Shipbuilding
Laid down	27 October 1943
Launched	20 March 1945
Commissioned	10 September 1945
Decommissioned	11 April 1992
In service	1945
Out of service	1992
Stricken	17 March 1997
Nickname(s)	Midway Magic
Status	Museum ship at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California
Notes	Only carrier museum in the United States from WWII-era that is not of the Essex class
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Midway-class aircraft carrier
Displacement	45,000 tons at commissioning 64,000 tons at decommissioning
Length	1,001 ft (305 m)
Beam	121 ft (37 m) 136 ft (41 m), 238 ft (73 m) at flight deck after modernization
Draft	34.5 ft (10.5 m)
Propulsion	12 boilers, four Westinghouse geared Steam turbines
Speed	33 kn (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Complement	4,104 officers and men
Armament	As Built: 18 × 5"/54 caliber Mark 16 guns, 84 × Bofors 40 mm guns, 56 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons After Refit: 2 8-cell Sea Sparrow launchers, 2 Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried	137 theoretical, 100 (1940s–50s), 70 (Vietnam–retirement)

The USS Midway (CV-41) was a huge aircraft carrier that served in the United States Navy. It was the first ship of its kind, known as the Midway-class. The Midway was launched just eight days after World War II ended. For a while, it was the biggest warship in the world! It was even too big to fit through the Panama Canal.

This amazing ship was in service for 47 years. During that time, it played a part in the Vietnam War and was a main ship during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. After its long career, the Midway became a museum ship in San Diego, California. Today, you can visit it at the USS Midway Museum. It's the only aircraft carrier from the World War II era that is now a museum, besides the Essex-class aircraft carrier class.

The USS Midway's Journey

Starting Out: Early Missions

Midway after commissioning in September 1945

The Midway was built in Newport News, Virginia. Its construction began on October 27, 1943, and it was launched on March 20, 1945. The ship officially joined the Navy on September 10, 1945.

After some initial training trips in the Caribbean Sea, the Midway joined the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. It became the main ship for Carrier Division 1 in 1946. That same year, it took part in "Operation Frostbite." This was a test to see how well planes and rescue helicopters could work in very cold weather in the Labrador Sea.

In September 1947, something very unusual happened. A captured German V-2 rocket was launched from the Midway's flight deck. This was called "Operation Sandy." It was the first time a large rocket was launched from a moving ship. The rocket lifted off, but then broke apart high in the sky.

Adventures in the Mediterranean

Starting in October 1947, the Midway began making yearly trips to the Mediterranean Sea. There, it worked with the U.S. 6th Fleet. Between these trips, the ship trained its crew and was updated to handle newer, heavier aircraft.

In June 1951, the Midway was involved in tests for the F9F-5 Panther jet. During one of these tests, a plane crashed on the deck. Parts of the plane broke off and slid down the deck. Footage of this crash has been used in several movies.

In 1952, the ship joined "Operation Mainbrace," which were military exercises with NATO forces in the North Sea. Around this time, the Midway also tested a new idea: an angled flight deck. This design made it much safer and easier for planes to land on aircraft carriers. Because of its success, angled flight decks became standard on future carriers. On October 1, 1952, the ship's designation changed to CVA-41.

In December 1954, the Midway began a trip around the world. It sailed to Taiwan and became the first large carrier in the United States Seventh Fleet. During its time there, Midway pilots helped protect the evacuation of 15,000 Chinese troops and 20,000 civilians from the Tachen Islands.

Modernizing the Ship

Midway in 1965 after SCB-110

Deck plans for Midway: 1945, 1957 and 1970

In June 1955, the Midway went to a shipyard for a big upgrade. This modernization added an enclosed "hurricane bow," a new elevator for planes, the angled flight deck, and powerful steam catapults. It returned to service in September 1957.

After this, the Midway was based in California. It continued its yearly trips to the Western Pacific. In 1962, the ship reached a milestone: its 100,000th successful arrested landing. This means a plane landed on the deck and was stopped by the ship's wires.

Vietnam War Operations

In March 1965, the Midway sailed to the Far East again. From April onwards, its planes flew missions against military targets in North Vietnam and South Vietnam. On June 17, 1965, two F-4 Phantom II jets from the Midway shot down two MiG-17 planes. These were the first confirmed MiG kills for U.S. forces in the Vietnam War. A few days later, four A-1 Skyraider planes from the Midway used an old World War II tactic to shoot down another MiG-17.

The Midway returned to California in November 1965 for another major upgrade. This project was very expensive, costing over $200 million. The flight deck was made much larger, and the angle of the landing area was increased. The plane elevators were also made bigger and stronger. However, after the ship was recommissioned in January 1970, it was found that these changes made the ship less stable in rough seas. More work was needed to fix this problem.

Midway en route to Southeast Asia in April 1972

USS Midway underway in the Pacific Ocean on April 19 1971

The Midway went back to Vietnam in April 1972. In May, planes from the Midway and other carriers began dropping naval mines near North Vietnamese ports. This was to stop enemy ships from moving. The ships in port were warned that the mines would become active after 72 hours.

The Midway continued its missions during "Operation Linebacker" in 1972. In August 1972, a helicopter from the Midway rescued a downed pilot deep inside North Vietnam. This was a very dangerous mission, as the helicopter was under heavy enemy fire. By the end of 1972, this helicopter unit had rescued 48 pilots, 35 of them in combat.

In October 1973, the Midway moved to Yokosuka, Japan. This was the first time a full U.S. carrier group was based in a Japanese port. This allowed sailors to live with their families and helped keep more carriers in East Asia. For its service in Vietnam, the Midway received the Presidential Unit Citation from President Richard Nixon. This award is given for extraordinary heroism.

The Midway was involved in both the first and last air-to-air victories for U.S. forces in the Vietnam War.

Operation Frequent Wind: Evacuating Saigon

On April 19, 1975, as North Vietnam took over South Vietnam, the Midway and other U.S. ships were sent to the waters off South Vietnam. Ten days later, U.S. forces carried out "Operation Frequent Wind." This was a large evacuation of people from Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam.

The Midway took on eight U.S. Air Force CH-53 helicopters. As Saigon fell, these helicopters flew hundreds of U.S. personnel and Vietnamese people to the Midway and other U.S. ships.

Major Buang's O-1 touching down

On April 29, 1975, a South Vietnamese pilot, Major Lý Bửng, flew his small two-seat Cessna O-1 plane to the Midway. He had his wife and five children squeezed into the plane! He circled the carrier, trying to get attention. He dropped a note onto the deck asking if the helicopters could be moved so he could land.

Captain Larry Chambers, the ship's commanding officer, made a brave decision. He ordered that the ship's landing wires be removed and that any helicopters on deck that couldn't be moved quickly should be pushed overboard. About $10 million worth of helicopters were pushed into the sea to clear the deck for Major Buang.

Despite difficult weather, Major Buang landed his small plane perfectly on the Midway's deck. The crew was so impressed that they started a fund to help him and his family settle in the United States. Major Buang's plane is now on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

After the evacuation, the Midway went to Thailand and then to Guam. It took on almost 100 aircraft and helicopters from the former South Vietnamese Air Force. These were offloaded in Guam. The Midway then helped in the rescue of the SS Mayagüez ship. On June 30, 1975, the Midway's designation changed again, from CVA-41 to CV-41.

Post-Vietnam Missions

In August 1976, the Midway led a Navy group off the coast of Korea. This was a show of force after North Korean soldiers killed two U.S. Army officers. This event was called "Operation Paul Bunyan."

In April 1979, the Midway was sent to the Indian Ocean. This was an unplanned trip because another carrier had collided with a tanker. The Midway helped maintain a strong American naval presence in the oil-rich region of the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf. In November, it sailed to the North Arabian Sea because of the Iran Hostage Crisis. American citizens had been taken hostage at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The Midway stayed there until February 1980.

Missions in the 1980s

In May 1980, the Midway was on standby near Jeju Island in the Sea of Japan due to possible unrest in South Korea.

In July 1980, a merchant ship called Cactus collided with the Midway near Borneo. Two sailors working on the Midway were killed, and three were injured. The Midway had minor damage, and three F-4 Phantom jets on the deck were also damaged.

In August 1980, the Midway began another long deployment in the Indian Ocean. It spent 118 days there in a row.

In March 1981, a plane from the Midway spotted a downed civilian helicopter in the South China Sea. Helicopters from the Midway immediately rescued all 17 people on board. The helicopter itself was also pulled from the water onto the Midway's flight deck.

On March 25, 1986, the last F-4S Phantom II jet was launched from a Navy carrier off the Midway. These older jets were replaced by the newer F/A-18A Hornet planes.

"Rock'n Roll carrier": Midway heavily rolling after her 1986 refit

The Midway continued to serve in the western Pacific throughout the 1980s. To fix problems with its stability in rough seas, the ship had "hull blisters" added in 1986. These were supposed to make the ship more stable, but they actually made it worse! The ship would roll a lot in moderate seas, making it hard for planes to take off and land. Because of this, it earned the nickname "Rock'n Roll carrier." Despite this, the Midway survived a 26-degree roll during a typhoon in 1988, even though it wasn't supposed to handle more than 24 degrees.

On October 30, 1989, an F/A-18A Hornet from the Midway accidentally dropped a 500-pound bomb on another ship, the USS Reeves, during training. This caused a hole in the Reeves' bow, started small fires, and injured five sailors.

A tragedy struck the Midway on June 20, 1990. While flying planes near Japan, two explosions happened on board. This led to a fire that burned for over ten hours. Two crew members were killed, and nine others were injured; one of the injured later died. All of them were part of the ship's firefighting team. This incident received a lot of media attention. Many thought the ship would be retired because of its age, but the Midway was kept for one more big conflict.

Operation Desert Storm

Four US Navy carriers form "Battle Force Zulu" following the 1991 Gulf War; Midway (top left) cruises with Ranger (bottom left), Theodore Roosevelt (top right) and America (bottom right)

NF-104, an F/A-18A Hornet from VFA-195 as it appeared on 13 February 1991 when it destroyed an Iraqi Super Frelon helicopter with a Walleye I

On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. U.S. forces moved into Saudi Arabia to protect it. On November 1, 1990, the Midway was in the North Arabian Sea as part of "Battle Force Zulu," a group of warships from different countries. The United Nations gave Iraq a deadline of January 15, 1991, to leave Kuwait.

"Operation Desert Storm" began the next day, January 16, 1991. At 2:00 AM on January 17, the Midway launched the first carrier strikes of the Gulf War. Planes from the Midway attacked Iraqi air bases. They faced heavy anti-aircraft fire, and after these first attacks, the Midway's pilots avoided flying at low levels for the rest of the war. No Midway aircraft were lost that day. The Navy launched many missions from the Midway and other carriers.

Later, an F/A-18 Hornet from the Midway used the first AGM-62 Walleye television-guided bomb in combat. This bomb destroyed a building at an Iraqi naval base. On February 13, 1991, a pilot from the Midway successfully destroyed an Iraqi Super Frelon helicopter that was a threat to U.S. carriers. This allowed the Midway and other carriers to move closer to Kuwait.

Desert Storm officially ended on February 28, and the Midway left the Persian Gulf on March 11, 1991, returning to Japan.

Final Missions and Retirement

Midway departing Yokosuka for the last time in August 1991

In June 1991, the Midway went on its last deployment. It sailed to the Philippines to help with "Operation Fiery Vigil." This was the evacuation of 20,000 military members and their families from Clark Air Base after the Mount Pinatubo volcano erupted. The Midway and other U.S. ships took the evacuees to the island of Cebu. After this, the aircraft carrier returned to Japan.

In August 1991, the Midway left Japan for the last time. It sailed to Pearl Harbor, where another carrier, the USS Independence, took its place. The Midway then visited Seattle before making its final trip to San Diego.

The USS Midway as a Museum Ship

10 January 2004, ex-Midway prepares to moor at Navy pier in San Diego

Aerial view of the USS Midway Museum in 2011

The Midway was officially taken out of service on April 11, 1992. During this ceremony, the ship, its sailors, and their families were filmed for a documentary. The ship was removed from the Navy's list of vessels on March 17, 1997.

On September 30, 2003, the former Midway began its journey from Washington state to San Diego, California. It was being prepared to become a museum and memorial. On January 10, 2004, the ship arrived at its final home in San Diego. It opened to the public as a museum on June 7, 2004. In its first year, the museum had over 879,000 visitors, which was twice as many as expected!

On November 11, 2012, a college basketball game was played on the Midway's flight deck between the Syracuse Orange and the San Diego State Aztecs.

On July 15, 2015, museum staff had to leave the Midway because of smoke. The fire department quickly responded, but no fire was found, and the museum opened on time that day.

Awards and Honors

The USS Midway received many awards and decorations during its long service. These awards recognize the ship's bravery, excellent performance, and important contributions to the United States Navy.

See also

In Spanish: USS Midway (CV-41) para niños

• List of aircraft carriers
• List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy