Naval Research Book III: Operation AZUR LANE

Bio #2: U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11)

Ship Bio #1: Class and Service

U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11) is the 3rd sister ship of the Essex-class aircraft carriers. The Essex-class are the new class of aircraft carriers, they're constructed during the naval incidents of the two Yorktown-class aircraft carriers and the near-loss of USS Missouri in the Battle on the Santa Cruz Islands.

U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11) is the fourth ship to bear the name "Intrepid". The adjective, Intrepid means "characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance".

The Intrepid participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history and WW2.

Because of her prominent role in battle, she was nicknamed "the Fighting I", however, she had a rouge career during dry dock due to her bad luck and time spent for repairs. She was torpedoed once and hit in separate attacks by four Japanese kamikaze aircraft—earned her the nicknames "Decrepit" and "the Dry I".

Throughout the 2nd World War in the Pacific Theater, U.S.S. Intrepid (CV-11) earned 5 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

Unlike her older sisters, she didn't fought in the Korean War. The carrier was reduced in status to "commission in reserve" on 15 August, and she was decommissioned on 22 March 1947. After her decommissioning, Intrepid became part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. On 9 February 1952, she was recommissioned and on 12 March began the voyage to Norfolk, where the carrier would receive SCB-27C modernization to operate jet aircraft as an attack aircraft carrier.

She was decommissioned then went through extensive modifications such as more-advanced technologies, an angled flight deck, and new aircraft. She was then reclassified as an antisubmarine carrier (CVS-11). 

After her modifications, she was recommissioned and she served mainly in the Atlantic, but also participated in the Vietnam War.

Aside from her service in the 2nd World War, getting modernized, and recommissioned, she also served a different purpose for the age of science. That is studying the concept of the world or space outside of planet Earth. She is selected as recovery ships for recovering and rescuing astronauts and spacecraft that returned from their mission in space.

Intrepid was selected as the principal ship in the recovery team for astronaut Scott Carpenter and his Project Mercury space capsule, Aurora 7. Shortly before noon on 24 May 1962, Carpenter splashed down in Aurora 7 northeast of Puerto Rico and several hundred miles from Intrepid. Minutes after he was located by land-based search aircraft, two helicopters from Intrepid, carrying NASA officials, medical experts, Navy frogmen, and photographers, were airborne and headed to the rescue.

In early 1965, Intrepid began preparations for a role in NASA's first manned Gemini flight, Gemini 3. On 23 March, Lieutenant Commander John Young and Major Gus Grissom in Molly Brown (the Gemini 3 spacecraft) splashed down some 50 nmi (90 km) from Intrepid, after the first controlled re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere ended their three-orbit flight aboard Gemini 3. A Navy helicopter flew the astronauts to Intrepid for medical examination and debriefing. Later, Intrepid retrieved Molly Brown and returned the spacecraft and astronauts to Cape Kennedy.

Though she went a long career throughout 1943 to 1974, she was decommissioned for the final time on March 15, 1974 and was stricken from the Navy List on February 23, 1982.

In 1976, Intrepid was moored at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia and hosted exhibits as part of the United States Bicentennial celebrations. She was planned to be scrapped after decommissioning but a campaign led by Michael D. Piccola, president of the nonprofit organization Odysseys in Flight saved the carrier and established it as a museum ship.