National Museum of Naval Aviation

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July

Exhibits & Collections > History Up Close > July

Some of the earliest experiments involving U.S. naval aviation involved attempts to spot submerged submarines from the air, and antisubmarine operations have been an important part of naval air operations ever since. Aircraft carriers saw their first extensive employment in hunting enemy submarines during the Battle of the Atlantic, the bitterly contested, wide-ranging campaign in which German U-boats sought to disrupt the convoys transferring war material and troops between the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere and the front lines in Europe and Africa. Among the most notable achievements in this campaign was the capture of the German submarine U-505 by the escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE 60) and her escorts in June 1944.

The end of World War II proved but a prelude to the Cold War, which pitted East against West on land, in the air, and at sea. In the latter arena, nowhere was the Soviet threat greater than in its submarine force. In 1949, the Soviet Navy embarked upon a program to develop a submarine launched ballistic missile, and by 1961 it boasted a fleet of more than 400 submarines. In response to this bolstering of its Cold War adversary’s underwater strength, the U.S. Navy altered the composition of its fleet of Essex-class carriers, on 8 July 1953, creating the designation Antisubmarine Support Aircraft Carrier (CVS) for assignment to ships devoted exclusively to that particular mission. All told, twenty-two carriers received the CVS redesignation, though some, notably the storied World War II carrier Enterprise, never put to sea in the role.

In operational service, the CVS concept reached its apex as the centerpiece of specialized task groups devoted to the antisubmarine warfare mission. The first of the these “hunter-killer” groups, Task Group Alpha under the command of Rear Admiral John S. Thach, was formed in 1958 and included the carrier Valley Forge (CVS 45), eight destroyers, two submarines. From the carrier’s deck flew S2F Trackers and HSS Seahorse helicopters, each platform carrying specialized equipment and weaponry for the purpose of tracking and destroying enemy submarines. The CVS concept ended with the final cruise by Intrepid (CVS 11) during 1972–1973, the decision having been made to integrate the antisubmarine mission into air wings operating from large-deck carriers in order to cut costs.

At right, a view of Task Group Alfa at sea and a flight deck scene showing HSS Seabat helicopters preparing to launch.  Antisubmarine aircraft carriers performed service as recovery ships for the earliest space missions, including Gemini VI pictured here.