USS Hornet CV-8

Of the two USS Hornet aircraft carriers that served in World War II, the USS Hornet CV-8 is best known for the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, where she was attacked by the Japanese Navy and subsequently sunk. The Hornet CV-8 was the eighth ship to carry the name Hornet, after the feared insect, and was built at the Newport News shipyard in Virginia. Sponsored by the wife of the Secretary of the Navy, Frank M. Knox, the Hornet CV-8 was commissioned in October of 1941 and headed towards the island of Midway Atoll with Captain Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, a highly regarded commander, at the helm.

The Hornet CV-8 was a member of the elite Task Force 16, a convoy of American ships that headed to Japan under the command of Capt. Mitscher and Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. With the Enterprise aircraft providing combat air cover, the Hornet CV-8 headed directly into enemy waters carrying sixteen B-25 bombers and planned to launch the very first American air attack on Japan. After the raid, the Hornet CV-8 began her return voyage to Pearl Harbor by way of the Panama Canal, arriving exactly a week later. The mission of the Hornet VC-8 was kept secret for almost a year. After patrols around the island of Hawaii, the Hornet CV-8 headed towards the island of Midway Atoll to assist American forces in a scheduled Japanese air attack, which would later be known as the Battle of Midway. The Hornet CV-8 carried planes that attacked the Japanese on June 6, 1942, and upon the aircraft launch, the Hornet CV-8 assisted in the sinking of the Mikuma and the damage of several other enemy ships.

The Hornet CV-8 would participate in her final strike on October 26, 1942 at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. During the battle, the Hornet CV-8 was attacked by a combination dive bombing and torpedo attack, and in less than fifteen minutes the carrier was hit by five Aichi D3A dive bombers, as well as a fourth unidentified bomb and two torpedoes. After sustaining serious damage, the Hornet CV-8 was towed to safety by the USS Northampton CA-26. During the tow, the Hornet CV-8 was attacked again by torpedo bombers, and an "abandon ship" order went into effect. Survivors were picked up by American Destroyers. U.S. forces attempted to sink the Hornet CV-8 after the carrier was abandoned, but enemy forces continued to launch torpedoes until she sank on October 27, 1942. The Hornet CV-8 was removed from the Naval Vessel Register in January of 1943, but the name Hornet would be used again. The Hornet CV-8 earned four battle stars for service in World War II and one of the torpedo squadrons aboard the carrier earned a Presidential Unit Citation for heroism and distinguished service in the Battle of Midway.

The brave sailors who were aboard the USS Hornet CV-8 certainly faced a number of dangers, including the threat of Japanese forces. Sadly, they were also exposed to a danger they may have been unaware of while going about their duties. Since the Hornet CV-8 was constructed using asbestos-containing insulation around piping and other mechanical features, most the crewmen were exposed to asbestos, which causes a number of respiratory problems, including mesothelioma, a fatal cancer. Veterans who served aboard the Hornet CV-8 should speak with a doctor to determine whether or not they are at risk of developing mesothelioma cancer, and should seek mesothelioma treatment if necessary.

Last modified: December 09 2009.