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| USN Independence Class Light Carrier 10,662 Tons (standard) 14,751 Tons (loaded) 623' x 71.5' x 24.3' 26 x 40mm AA guns 30 Aircraft including 9 x Dive Bombers 9 x Torpedo Bombers 12 x Fighters  USN September 24, 1944 |
Ship History Built by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, NJ. Laid down May 1, 1941 as a light cruiser USS Amsterdam CL-59. Launched August 22, 1942 sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy Warner, wife of Rawleigh Warner. Commissioned January 14, 1943 into the U.S. Navy (USN) as USS Independence (CVL-22) as the first light carrier of the Independence Class Light Carrier with Captain G. R. Fairlamb, Jr., in command. Independence conducted a shakedown cruise and training in the Caribbean then via Panama Canal to San Francisco arriving July 3, 1943 then departs for Pearl Harbor arriving July 14, 1943. The next day, redesignated light aircraft carrier CVL-22. and conducted training exercises with USS Essex (CV-9) and USS Yorktown (CV-10). Wartime History Departed for a raids against Japanese islands in the Central Pacific. On September 1, 1943 her carrier planes strike Marcus Island. On October 5-6, 1943 her planes strike Wake Island. On October 21, 1943 departs Pearl Harbor bound for Espiritu Santo then northward with aircraft carriers. On November 11, 1943 her carrier planes strike Rabaul and defend against attacking planes, claiming six shot down. Afterwards, returns to Espiritu Santo to refuel then departs as part of Operation Galvanic. On November 18, 1943 her carrier planes begin pre-invasion strikes against targets in the Gilbert Islands. On November 20, 1943 while supporting the U.S. landings at Tarawa (Betio) targeted by Japanese Type 97 torpedo planes and her gunners claims six shot down. The attackers released five torpedoes and one hit the starboard quarter and caused serious damage at Lat 01°30'N, Long 172°40'E. Afterwards, withdraws to Funafuti arriving three days later for emergency repairs then departs across the Pacific to San Francisco arriving January 2, 1944 for months of permanent repairs and an additional catapult was installed. On July 3, 1944 returns to Pearl Harbor and resumed training for night carrier operations. During August 1944 embarks Night Air Group 41 (NAG-41) and steams to Eniwetok. On August 29, 144 departs with Task Force 38 (TF 38) to support the U.S. landings in Palau and her carrier planes provide night reconnaissance and night Combat Air Patrol (CAP). During September 1944 her planes support operations in the Philippines. On September 24, 1944 refueled at sea by USS Mississinewa (AO-59) receiving the equivalent of 4,857 barrels of fuel. PARTIAL HISTORY Postwar Independence was moored at San Francisco and was used to study decontamination until the carrier's age and risk of sinking resulted in the decision for her to be scuttled. Sinking History On January 26, 1951 towed from San Francisco and scuttled off Farallon Islands at at approximately Lat 37°30′00″N Long 123°05′00″W. Shipwreck During 2009, Independence was located upright with a slight list to starboard and most of the flight deck intact, although there are gaping holes leading to the hangar deck below on the sea floor at a depth of 2,600' (790m) off the Farallon Islands in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. During March 2015, scientists and technicians from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) embarked aboard the sanctuary vessel RV Fulmar used the autonomous underwater vehicle Echo Ranger to make a survey of the wreck, employing the echoscope three-dimensional imaging sonar to make a series of images of it. What appears to be an airplane on the hangar deck is visible through the forward aircraft elevator hatch. No signs of radioactive contamination were detected, and a NOAA spokesman described the wreck as "amazingly intact." In 2016, a team from the Ocean Exploration Trust and and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) led by Dr. Robert D. Ballard used robotic exploration vehicles (ROVs) to make a closer inspection and survey of the shipwreck while streaming the footage online. During their survey, they located at least one F6F Hellcat inside the hangar and documented anti-aircraft guns aboard. References Dive Training "50 Years After Sinking, Aircraft Carrier 'Amazingly Intact'" June 2015 page 18 NOAA Sanctuaries USS Independence Contribute
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