Uss Fdr, Cv 42

[Ron Saueracker]

Anyone know what the third unit of the Midway Class was to originally be named before FDR died and his name lent to the CV?

[fcooke]

The FDR was launched as the Coral Sea, so I guess your next question will be what was the name of the Coral Sea before she was renamed - the answer to that I don't know.....

[fcooke]

Coral Sea was CV43 so I guess she didn't need to be renamed from anything.....

[Ron Saueracker]

Originally posted by fcooke
Coral Sea was CV43 so I guess she didn't need to be renamed from anything.....

Yes, but what would the third CV have been named, assuming the pattern adopted for this class was the naming of ships after early war Pacific battles. My guess would be USS Guadalcanal, prior to a CVE being christened as such.

[Admiral DadMan]

It was not yet close enough to launching to be desinated a name yet, apparently.

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From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. II (1969), pp. 444-445 -

Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42)

"Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) was launched 29 April 1945 by New York Naval Shipyard as Coral Sea (CVB-42); sponsored by Mrs. John H. Towers, wife of the Deputy Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet; renamed Franklin D. Roosevelt 8 May 1945; and commissioned 27 October 1945 Captain A. Soucek in command."

__________________________________________________
From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. II (1969), pp. 184-185 -

Coral Sea (CVB-43)

Coral Sea (CVE-57) was renamed ANZIO 15 September 1944.

Coral Sea (CV-42) was renamed Franklin D. Roosevelt 8 May 1945.

"Coral Sea (CVB-43) was launched 2 April 1946 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va., sponsored by Mrs. T. C. Kinkaid, commissioned 1 October 1947, Captain A. P. Storrs, III, in command; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet."

[Ron Saueracker]

It's unlucky, apparently, to rename ships. FDR ended up being a bit of a cripple with regards to her engineering plant, no pun intended, even on a "Family Guy" level.:p