U.S.S. Tarawa (CV-40)
Career (United States)
Namesake: Battle
of Tarawa, 1943
Builder: Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Laid down: 1 March 1944
Launched: 12 May 1945
Commissioned: 8 December 1945
Decommissioned: 30 June 1949
Recommissioned: 3 February 1951
Decommissioned: 13 May 1960
Struck: 1 June 1967
Fate: Sold 3 October 1968 and scrapped at Baltimore
General characteristics
Class & type: Essex-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: As built:27,100 tons standard
Length: As built: 888 feet (271 m) overall
Beam: As built: 93 feet (28 m) waterline
Draft: As built: 28 feet 7 inches (8.71 m) light
Propulsion: As designed: 8 × boilers; 4 × Westinghouse geared steam
turbines; 4 × shafts; 150,000 shp (110 MW)
Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement: 3448 officers and enlisted
Armament: As built: 4 × twin 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns; 4 × single 5
inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns; 8 × quadruple Bofors 40 mm guns; 46 × single
Oerlikon 20 mm cannons
Armor: As built: 4 inch (100 mm) belt; 2.5 inch (60 mm) hangar deck; 1.5
inch (40 mm) protectice decks; 1.5 inch (40 mm) conning tower
Aircraft carried: As built: 90–100 aircraft
MAR 1944 Keel Date: 1 MAR 1944
at Norfolk Naval Shipyard Norfolk Virginia
MAY 1945 Launch Date: 12 MAY 1945
DEC 1945 Commissioned: 8 DEC 1945
OCT 1948 - FEB 1949 world cruise
JUL 1953 - - - Shellback Initiation - 14 JUL 1953 - Pacific Ocean
NOV 1953 - SEP 1954 Circumnavigation around the world
FEB 1954 - - - Shellback Initiation - 7 FEB 1954 - Indian Ocean
FEB 1954 - Shellback Initiation - 7 FEB 1954 - Indian Ocean
FEB 1954 - Shellback Initiation - 7 FEB 1954 - Indian Ocean
FEB 1954 - MAR 1954 Korea
APR 1954 - MAY 1954 First Battle of Midway celebration Sidney Australia and
New Zela
MAY 1956 - JUL 1956 North Atlantic
MAY 1956 - - - Shellback Initiation - 31 MAY 1956 - Atlantic Ocean
NOV 1956 - NOV 1956 North Atlantic
JAN 1957 - MAR 1957 North Atlantic
AUG 1957 - OCT 1957 Blue Nose - Artic Circle
AUG 1958 - Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1958 - Atlantic Ocean
AUG 1958 - Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1958 - Atlantic Ocean
AUG 1958 - Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1958 - Atlantic Ocean
AUG 1958 - Shellback Initiation - 16 AUG 1958 - Atlantic Ocean
MAY 1960 Decommissioned: 13 MAY 1960