CVA-40 USS Tarawa WESTERN PACIFIC CRUISE 1953-1954

Namesake. Battle of Tarawa, was fought on 20-23 Nov 1943 at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, and was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilberts
Builder. Norfolk Naval Shipyard, VA
Laid down. 1 Mar 1944
Launched. 12 May 1945
Commissioned. 8 Dec 1945
Decommissioned. 30 Jun 1949
Recommissioned. 3 Feb 1951
Decommissioned. 13 May 1960
Reclassified:
CVA-40, 1 Oct 1952
CVS-40, 10 Jan 1955
AVT-12, May 1961
Stricken. 1 Jun 1967
Fate. Scrapped, 3 Oct 1968
Class and type. Essex-class aircraft carrier
Displacement. 27,100 long tons (27,500 t) standard
Length. 888 feet (271 m) overall
Beam. 93 feet (28 m)
Draft. 28 feet 7 inches (8.71 m)
Installed power. 8 × boilers, 150,000 shp (110 MW)
Propulsion:
4 × geared steam turbines
4 × shafts
Speed. 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Complement. 3448 officers and enlisted
Armament:
12 × 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns
32 × Bofors 40 mm guns
46 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons
Armor:Belt: 4 in, Hangar deck: 2.5 in, Deck: 1.5 in, Conning tower: 1.5 inch
Aircraft carried. 90–100 aircraft