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USS Intrepid

The USS Intrepid was an Essex-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, serving most prominently in the Second World War. The Intrepid was built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. She was launched in April of 1943, and was the fifth such Essex-class carrier to be commissioned by the navy. The Intrepid herself was commissioned in August of 1943, with Colonel Thomas L. Sprague in command. From there she would be sent to the Caribbean for final shakedown and training in the Islands. Her motto upon setting sail was the Latin phrase "In Mare in Caelo", which translates in English "In the Sea in Heaven".

From Naval Station Norfolk, the Intrepid would sail to Hawaii via San Francisco. She would begin, in Hawaii, one of the most storied tenures of any naval vessel in the United States' fleet. From January through February of 1944, the Intrepid served important operations in the Marshall Islands. After some temporary repairs through the beginning of the summer in 1944, the Intrepid began critical operation in the Palau's and the Philippines. From October to December, the Intrepid underwent some brief repairs due to a kamikaze attack on one of the carrier's gun ports.

In mid-February of 1945, Intrepid sailed full steam ahead to Ulithi in preparation for the attack on Kyushu and Okinawa. American pilots flew critical missions from the deck of Intrepid during this period, bombing Japanese airstrips and positions on the island. These advance bombardments proved to be critically important to the invasion of the island. During this campaign, the Intrepid sustained another kamikaze attack with much more damaging consequences. Eight men were killed and many others were injured aboard the vessel during that attack. However, just three hours after the crash, sorties were again flying from Intrepid's deck. In April of 1945, Intrepid sailed towards San Francisco for repairs before returning to the Pacific for the occupation of Japan.

In September of 1956 the Intrepid headed to the New York Navy Yard for a modernization overhaul that would take seven months, which included the installation of a new angled flight deck and a cutting-edge mirrored landing system. Upon completion, she left the U.S. to serve in Operation Strikeback, the largest peacetime naval exercise in history. In 1961, the Intrepid was reclassified as an anti-submarine warfare carrier and received another overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard. She served throughout the sixties, even participating in the recovery of astronaut Scott Carpenter when he returned to earth after the “Project Mercury” space endeavor. In 1968, she was awarded the prestigious Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award.

In 1976, the Intrepid docked at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and participated in the U.S. Bicentennial celebrations. The vessel went on to host a variety of special celebrations, including a 1993 World Wrestling Federation event and New York City’s annual Fleet Week festivities. She also serves as an emergency operations center for New York City officials, and was used as an FBI operations center following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Throughout the past several years, over $60 million dollars has been raised to overhaul and improve the Intrepid. Beginning in 2006, she underwent an interior renovation totaling $8 million dollars. The Intrepid finally arrived back in New York City on October 2, 2008, with almost 400 past and present crew members aboard, and will be reopening to the public in November of this year. Now called The Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum, the vessel is one of New York City’s most-visited tourist sites.

The Intrepid exemplified the might and determination of the United States Navy, and most importantly, demonstrated the resolve of the brave men who served aboard the vessel. Combat was not the only danger these men faced however. In fact, despite the constant threat of kamikaze attacks, men were being endangered otherwise. The presence of toxic materials pervaded all aspects of the ship, particularly asbestos. Asbestos was used in boilers, insulation of piping, and insulation of other materials. These materials were often repaired aboard vessels such as the Intrepid, leaving those who repaired or were in the vicinity of those materials potentially exposed to these materials. Those who worked in the vicinity of these or other materials believed to contain asbestos should consult the direction of a physician and closely monitor their respiratory health as they may develop mesothelioma.

Last modified: December 09 2009.