This Aircraft Carrier That Fought in the Philippines Was WWII’s Most Decorated Ship

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The USS Enterprise (CV-6) is by far the most decorated ship in the U.S. Navy to come out of World War II. It was originally commissioned in 1938 as a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier, and it would go on to play a significant role in many battles throughout the Second World War. Ultimately its contributions would pave the way for an Allied victory in the Pacific Theater. (These are the newest aircraft carriers in U.S. Navy history. )

The Enterprise would participate in many battles including the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal Campaign, and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. However, one of the most notable battles that the Enterprise fought in was the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

The Battle of the Philippine Sea demonstrated the strategic importance of aircraft carriers and highlighted the Enterprise in particular as a key to the Allies gaining air superiority. Victory here, with the devastation of multiple Japanese carriers, practically ensured the Japanese Navy could not pose much of a threat throughout the rest of the conflict.

Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at the USS Enterprise and all the other carriers that fought in this battle. To identify the aircraft carriers that fought in the Battle of Philippine Sea, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed various military and historical sources. We ordered these warships and submarines chronologically. We included supplemental information regarding type, armament, speed, displacement, and aircraft for each vessel.

We've included both American carriers as well as Japanese, to give a fuller picture of what each side had in its arsenal at the time.  (These are the aircraft carrier fleets of the world's major powers, ranked. )

Here is a look at every aircraft carrier that fought the Battle of the Philippine Sea: Why Are We Covering This?

The Battle of Philippine Sea was one of the largest and most significant battles in the Pacific during World War II, especially in terms of its impact and strategic outcome. It would ultimately shape the outcome of the conflict.

• Class: Independence-class
• Commissioning date: November 17, 1943
• Top speed: 37.0 mph
• Displacement: 16,520 tons
• Armament: 40mm Bofors cannons, 20mm Oerlikon cannons
• Aircraft carried: 30

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