USS Wright
The USS Wright was Saipan-class Aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, which was later converted to the command ship CC-2. She was the second ship named “Wright,” named after aircraft pioneer Orville Wright. Wright’s keel was laid down at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in August of 1944 and was launched in September of 1945. Wright was commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in February of 1947 with Captain Frank. T Ward serving as her maiden commander.
After her shakedown and initial training, Wright would begin an arduous schedule of pilot and carrier training, operating up and down the East coast of the United States. She would operate frequently out of Pensacola, Florida and Norfolk, Virginia, completing in total, 40 operational cruises. After her training regimens, Wright would sail with the 6th Fleet, operating out of the Mediterranean Sea off Gibraltar and Algeria.
Wright would join the 7th fleet in 1953 after repairs and overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, joining the patrol in Southeast Asia off the coast of Okinawa, Yokosuka, and Pearl Harbor with the Marine Attack Squadron. She would participate in the atomic bomb test “Wigwam” during her tenure with the Seventh Fleet. Wright was decommissioned at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in March of 1956 and assigned to the Bremerton group of Pacific Reserve Fleet. Wright would later be reclassified as a reserve Command ship.
Those who served aboard the Wright served an important role in post-war operations and training. Unfortunately, many of these vessels were associated with toxin exposure and subsequent illness among those who worked on them. Among the many toxins associated with naval vessels is asbestos. Asbestos was used as an industrial insulation aboard all vessels, but particularly those serving the US Navy. Asbestos was later found to be carcinogenic and many of those who worked in proximity of the material are now suffering from asbestos-related health complications, such as mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer known only to be caused by asbestos exposure. Those who believe they may have been exposed should consult with their physician about possible adverse health complications.
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
