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Unlike the Big E the Saratoga was used sparingly during WWII even though she was more armored and more durable. Was the reason for her lack of use the limited amounted of AC operations? She could do 414, the big E 534; the Essex class could do 720. She was eventually used in a separate TF with the big E as night flight TF.

I seem to recall Saratoga's career being rather illustrious. However she did have to spend a fair amount of time in port undergoing repair as she was a favorite of Japanese submarine torpedoes...but hey! That beat the alternative. [;)] If I remember correctly she was once used in a joint raid with the British on Japanese-occupied Sumatra.

Saratoga spent more than half the war in drydock haveing the results of various mishaps
repaired. She could serve as the poster child for a "tough-luck" ship.

Talk about tough luck...consider her end; sunk as a target in the nuclear tests off Bikini atoll.

On the other hand, she is underwater, the queen of her domain, for all to see and enjoy who dare risk the dive...and the unexploded ordnance. Sara is still lethal after all these years. [&o]

There were other problems as well.

The "Sara" and sister ship Lexington were battlecruiser converts that didn't translate particularly well into carriers in terms of the limitations that it forced on the design's disposition of its A/C elevators.

Also, while the fastest U.S. carriers, they turned slowly and were thus more vulnerable to torpedo attack.

What should have been her saving grace was an enhanced armour-belt; this proved to be no more effective than that of the Yorktown or Essex classes in practice.

But, by golly, those were beautiful ships!

TF 38

Saratoga was used very extensively during WW2. She just missed 3 of the 4 1942 CV engagements and ate two sub torps (Jan and Aug 42). She was in on the first major Rabaul raids and basically throughout the rest of the war.

She missed the 2nd Battle of Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. She had some action in Solomons and also operated as a relief carrier in Gilbert. Not involved in Marshall Islands. In 1944 and 1945 campaigns she is sitting in Guadalcanal. The men on her were brave but in comparison to the Big E she saw very little action.

If I recall correctly, the Sara Maru was also the one that ran over the ANZAC DD and cut the thing in half.