USS Saratoga
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USS
Saratoga was one of many ships that after second world war
got the doubtful honor of ending her days in nuclear tests
at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Saratoga who was
originally built as a Lexington class battle cruiser,
participated during second world war in operations at
Gualdalcanal and the Solomon Islands. Airplanes from
Saratoga were also among them who attacked Japanese
positions at Rabaul, Gilbert Island and the Marshall
Islands, and her last action was support to the invasion
of Iwo Jima and raids over the Japanese mainland in 1945.
She was damaged several times, and was attacked by both
Kamikaze planes and submarines. But despite intense and
hard fighting she survived the war. After the Japanese
capitulation in autumn 1945, she was deemed too old for
further service, and marked as a target for the atomic
bomb testing. In 1946 these tests started, and after the
first test called "Able", she was still afloat. 25.July
1946 at 8:35 the underwater test "Baker" was launched and
she was sunk. The wreck rest today on her keel on a depth
of 15 to 50 meter.
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 Picture: USS Saratoga Courtesy of US Navy  Picture: Operation Crossroads Wikipedia, Public Domain  Notes:
Shipyard: New York Shipbuilding Company. Cambden, New Jersey. ( New York ) Laid down as a Lexington class heavy cruiser. On 1. July 1922 US Congress decided that "Lexington" should be converted to an aircraft carrier. Launched 7.April 1925 in the Delaware river. Commisioned 16. November 1927, then the fastest and largest aircraft carrier in the world |
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