If you’re interested in the history of some of America’s battleships and are curious about the lives of the USS America and the USS Pope, simply continue reading to discover a few fascinating facts about each ship.
She was launched in 1964:
The USS America was launched in 1964 after being commissioned in 1961.
It was the only US supercarrier to be sunk:
You may be surprised to learn that the USS America is the only US supercarrier that has even been sunk, either intentionally or during combat.
The USS America cv 66 sinking was controversial:
The USS America sinking was controversial as originally the plan was for the supercarrier to be scrapped for parts, which would then be sold. However, in the end, the decision was made to sink the carrier during a live-fire test, in order to aid the future design of supercarriers. However, former crew members and supporters were unhappy with the decision and felt that the decision to sink a ship that was named the USS America was disrespectful and instead lobbied to turn the USS America into a museum ship. Ultimately the USS America was sunk as it was seen as a less costly option than turning the USS America into a museum or scrapping it.
The USS America now lies in its final resting place which is located approximately 250 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras. It is located a staggering 16,860 feet under the sea.
Everything that you need to know about the USS Pope:
It was commissioned in 1919, which was the year that the Treaty of Versailles was signed and marked the end of WWI. While the USS Pope was not a part of WWI it did serve during WWII.
It was used during WWII:
The USS Pope served during WWII and was a Clemson class destroyer. During the early stages of WWII, the USS Pope was engaged in fighting in the Dutch East Indies. For example, it was one of the five ships that was ordered to escort the Bloemfontein to safety. One of the USS Pope’s greatest accomplishments was delaying the Japanese landings at Balikpapan.
She was named after John Pope:
John Pope, for who the USS Pope was named, was a famous naval officer who served in the Mediterranean, the West Indies, Brazil, and Africa. John Pope actually had the honor of having not one but two military ships named after him.
She evacuated Americans from China:
She was charged with the responsibility of helping evacuate Americans from China when the Japanese invaded the region of Manchuria.
She was eventually sunk by a Japanese aircraft:
The USS Pope met its end in 1942 when it was sunk by a Japanese aircraft.
In conclusion, if you love learning about historic American warships, hopefully, you found learning about the USS Pope and the USS America interesting. Especially if you have an interest in learning about WWII and the US participation in WWII.
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