The USS Antietam’s (CV-36) Short Service in WWII Turned Into a Surprising Comeback Story In Korea

The USS Antietam (CV-36) belonged to the Essex -class of American aircraft carriers built during World War II. This class was extremely successful, with many ships serving long and productive careers in the Pacific Theater and beyond. The USS Lexington (CV-16), in particular, continued her service until 1991.

Unfortunately, the Antietam was commissioned too late to see action in the war and was decommissioned shortly after her construction. Nevertheless, she received a second chance in the early 1950s when she was reactivated for the Korean War.

USS Antietam (CV-36)

The USS Antietam was one of 24 Essex -class carriers constructed during the Second World War . Larger and more modern than the Yorktown -class, known for the USS Enterprise and Hornet , the Essex -class carriers had more room for aircraft and better defensive capabilities. Its vessels were known for their great upgrade potential, which allowed some to be modified beyond recognition and serve for decades longer than expected.

Despite being the most numerous class of capital ships in the 20th century and acting as the backbone of the US Navy , no Essex -class carriers were lost to enemy action.

The Antietam was built quickly

Construction of the Antietam began in March 1943, and remarkably, the 271-meter-long ship was completed by August 1944. She was named in honor of the Battle of Antietam from the American Civil War . Upon completion, she displaced 27,100 tons and could accommodate up to 100 aircraft.

Her armament featured eight quadruple Bofors 40MM automatic guns , along with four twin and four single Mark 12 5-inch/38 caliber guns, and 46 single Oerlikon 20mm cannons.

Although her construction was quick, she was not commissioned until January 1945. She still needed to be fitted out, undergo a shakedown cruise, and complete training before she could join the war effort.

Service at the end of World War II

Antietam reached Pearl Harbor on June 19, 1945, for training, and departed to join the conflict on August 12. Yet, merely three days into her journey, her crew learned of the Japanese surrender and was redirected to participate in the occupation of Japan . Before she could get there, she was reassigned to the waters around China, where she spent most of the next three years.

In early 1949, just four years after her commissioning, Antietam returned home for decommissioning. She was put into reserve status but was soon recalled to service with the start of the Korean War .

Service during the Korean War

The reactivation process began in early December and the ship was back in service in January 1951. After a shakedown and some training, she began her journey across the Pacific to Korea. In November, Antietam started her first and only combat deployment. Operating from the Korean peninsula, her aircraft supported the vicious fighting happening on the mainland, strafing trains, supply routes and carrying out anti-submarine missions. In total, her aircraft flew around 6,000 missions.

She left the region in March 1952, having earned two battle stars.

After Korea

Following the Korean War, Antietam briefly operated with the Pacific Reserve Fleet, before joining the Atlantic Fleet. In October 1952, she began upgrades to transform her flight deck. When the changes were completed, she became the world's first carrier with a true angled flight deck. This distinction made her valuable for trials with this new system, and both the US and British performed tests on the vessel.

The rest of Antietam 's career was rather uneventful, especially compared to her sister ships.

In 1955, Antietam - now classed as an anti-submarine warfare vessel - participated in a goodwill tour of America's allies in Europe, but this trip was cut short by the Suez Crisis . She left the Netherlands and made her way to the Mediterranean, collecting American citizens being evacuated from Egypt.

For the rest of her career, Antietam served as a training ship off the coast of Florida, although tests of new technologies were tried out on her. In May 1961, the world altitude record balloon flight completed by Commander Malcolm D. Ross and Lieutenant Commander Victor A. Prather left from her deck.

Are you a fan of all things ships and submarines? If so, subscribe to our Daily Warships newsletter!

In 1962, her role as a training ship was taken over by her sister, the USS Lexington , and Antietam was placed in reserve. She remained this way until 1973, and a year later was sold to the Union Minerals & Alloys Corp. and scrapped.