With World War II finally over, the United States still had multiple ships in development that had to be deployed. As a result, this video looks at the launch of the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany, the first ship launched after Germany and Japan surrendered.
At 27,000 tons, the Oriskany was set to be launched in 1945, but with the war’s end, it wasn’t commissioned until 1950. You can keep this in mind as you watch the full video to see the christening and launch of the Oriskany.
War Is Over
In this image, troops are welcomed home as part of a parade behind the United News logo. While work on the USS Oriskany was originally suspended after the war ended, it would be rebuilt as part of the United States peacetime navy.
Hull Shot
This first image from the video shows off the incredible size of the 27,000 Oriskany hull. While aircraft carriers are four times larger today, the size of the Oriskany was notable for its scale. The ship was named for the Battle of Oriskany, which took place during the Revolutionary War.
Size of Ship
Advance a few seconds in the video, and you can see this still shot, which better shows the size of the hull compared to the people on the ground. There is no question the Essex-class ships were still very large for their day.
Many Onlookers
Even with the war over, the launch of the USS Oriskany resulted in hundreds of onlookers arriving to watch the ship enter the ocean. As you can tell from the crowd, there are many Navy personnel in the crowd who are identifiable by their Navy caps.
Christening the Ship
Like many large ships launched, the USS Oriskany is christened and offered good luck by smashing a champagne bottle on its hull. Unfortunately, the video doesn’t identify the person doing the christening.
Waving Goodbye
The footage is clearer in the video, but in this still image, members of the Oriskany crew at the top of the ship wave goodbye to all the onlookers. It’s a wonderful scene as the ship gently floats into the water.
Watching the Ship
This still shot provides additional footage of military members watching as the Oriskany is put to sea. Some army members are stretching their necks to watch the launch over the people in front of them.
Senior Officers
This view gives you a better look at two senior officers enjoying the ship’s launch with a few lucky onlookers, including the woman responsible for christening the ship before it moved into the water.
On Her Way
With the bottle smashed and the ship’s crew ready, the USS Oriskany moves out to sea. The first steps of a ship leaving dry dock are always the most nerve-wracking.
Into the Water
There she goes as the USS Oriskany is into the water and heading out to sea. At this point, the ship will look to join its fleet and be one of the flagships of the peacetime United States Navy.
USS Oriskany
As seen in this image provided by the Navy, the USS Oriskany is in all of its glory. With multiple planes on board ready to fly, the Oriskany participated in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Watch the Full Video
As part of the USS Oriskany launch, the full video gives you a better sense of the excitement around this launch. Plus, seeing the champagne bottle smashing through video rather than still images is much more fun.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©United States Government.
