USS Saratoga: A Gallant Ship

Of the eight U.S. aircraft carriers placed in service prior to 7 December 1941, the longest-serving as a carrier was USS Saratoga (CV 3). She was placed in commission in 1927 and after a career of two decades the "Sara" had the dubious distinction of being the only carrier sunk by an atomic bomb. Saratoga and sister ship USS Lexington (CV 2) were the world's largest aircraft carriers until late in World War II and the "Sara" was the world's fastest capital ship of her era, reaching 34.99 knots. Shortly before the United States' entry into World War I Congress authorized the construction of six large battle cruisers--each to be 35, 300-ton, 874-foot warships mounting 10 14-inch guns. Massive turboelectric machinery, with exhaust gases carried away by seven funnels, was to drive the ships at 35 knots. None of the six ships had commenced construction before hostilities ceased in November 1918, and none had been launched when construction was halted on 8 February 1922, in accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The treaty, however, permitted two capital ships to be converted to aircraft carriers. On 1 July 1922, Congress authorized the completion of the battlecruisers Lexington (33.8 percent complete) and Saratoga (35.4 percent) as carriers. Their four unfinished sister ships were scrapped on the building ways.