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From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: CV/CVA Classification
Message-ID: <1991May21.024336.13483@amd.com>
Date: 20 May 91 13:08:14 GMT
References: <1991May17.063307.1690@amd.com> <1991May18.050719.10295@amd.com>
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From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams)


schweige@taurus.cs.nps.navy.mil (Jeffrey M. Schweiger) writes:
>If I recall correctly, there was a WWII era 'heavy carrier' designation, which
>was 'CVB'.

This was Large Aircraft Carrier.  You are talking about the MIDWAY
class (USS MIDWAY, USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, & USS CORAL SEA).

These carriers were the largest US carriers constructed during World
War II.  Completed too late for service in that conflict, they were
the backbone of US naval strength for the first decade of the Cold War.
 Beginning in 1949 they were modified to store, assemble, and load nuclear
weapons, making them the world's first warships with a nuclear strike
capability.  P2V-3C Neptunes and AJ-1 Savages were the first delivery
aircraft.

These ships were initially classified as Large Aircraft Carriers CVB
41-43, respectively, reclassified as Attack Aircraft Carriers (CVA)
in 1 October, 1952.  USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT was decommissioned (date 
of decommission not sure) and USS MIDWAY AND USS CORAL SEA were reclassified 
as Aircraft Carriers (CV) on 30 June 1975.  USS CORAL SEA was decommissioned
in April 1990.  I'm not sure about the status of USS MIDWAY today.