USS Franklin (CV/CVA/CVS-13, AVT-8), nicknamed "Big Ben," was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy, and the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in January 1944, she served in several campaigns in the Pacific War, earning four battle stars. She was badly damaged by a Japanese air attack in March 1945, with the loss of over 800 of her crew, becoming the most heavily damaged United States aircraft carrier to survive the war. Movie footage of the actual attack was included in the 1949 film Task Force starring Gary Cooper.
After the attack, she returned to the U.S. mainland for repairs, missing the rest of the war; she was decommissioned in 1947. While in reserve, she was reclassified as an attack carrier (CVA), then an antisubmarine carrier (CVS), and finally an aircraft transport (AVT), but was never modernized and never saw active service again. Franklin and Bunker Hill (damaged by two kamikazes) were the only Essex-class carriers not to see active service as aircraft carriers after World War II.
Best Friends CO, Marine Detachment, Major Elliott
Lt. Newland
MGSgt Winfred Kiser
Sgt Wooten
Cpl. Carey
Pfc. Steve Nowak
Pfc. Andy Traus
Pfc. Mike Cunningham
Pfc. Mears
Pfc. Dischino
Pfc. Cipricano
Pfc. Woody Franklin
Pfc. Lloyd Charnstrom
Best Moment Rescue from life raft by DD 674, USS Hunt.
I was standing watch on 40mm quad mount #14 on the port side of the ship when the Japanese dive bomber hit us with 2 500-pound bombs. Since smoke and debris was coming down on us, we abandoned the mount and went aft on a catwalk just below flight-deck level. I was preparing to go down a line to the water when a 20mm ready service room exploded behind me, blowing me away from the ship. I was guided by one of our pilots to an empty life raft---he kept flying over me and pointing me in the right direction. During five hours on the raft, I picked up another Marine, Andy Trauss, two sailors, and two pilots. We were finally rescued by the USS Hunt DD 674, which we rode back to Ulithi where I rejoined the Franklin.
Worst Moment 19 Narch 1945. Ship was hit off coast of Japan by Jap bomber, 2 direct hits with 500 lb. bombs. I was blown off the ship by an explosion and spent 5 hours on a life raft.
