The following photos are official U.S. Government pictures located on the online site of the Department of the Navy's "Naval Historical Center". I've linked to the ones that are most appropriate for this site, and grouped them by the battle or time period in which they occurred. Each link will open a new page on the Navy Historical Center's website, which will list the description as well as the official photo ID number, with a link to the "National Archives photographic reproduction system" (where you can obtain reprints if you want). When you are done viewing the Navy Historical Center page, close that page to return to this website. (NOTE: There are no thumbnail pics on my website for these photos.)
PEARL HARBOR ATTACK, 7 December 1941
View
of Pearl Harbor looking southwesterly from the hills, during the attack
View
from Pier 1010, looking toward the Pearl Harbor
Main page with several photos, and links to related photo pages
JANUARY - MAY 1942
Yorktown (CV-5) SBD-3s
F4F-3
"Wildcat" fighters (of VF-3)
Pilots of VF-6 photographed on board Enterprise, prior to the Marshall
Islands raid
Photographer with aerial camera, in the rear seat of a USS Yorktown SBD-3,
April '42
Lt.
"Butch" O'Hare and Lt.Cmdr. John S. Thach, in front of a F4F on Oahu
THE DOOLITTLE RAID, April 1942
An
Army Air Forces B-25B bombers awaits the takeoff signal on the flight deck of USS Hornet
An Army Air Force B-25 bomber takes off from USS Hornet at the start of
the raid
USS Hornet launches B-25 bombers, seen from the side
USS
Hornet after the Doolittle raid
View
of the rear of Enterprise's flight deck as a destroyer cuts close to her stern.
BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, May 1942
Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, USN, in the cockpit of his F4F
Dauntless bombers fly past USS Yorktown, with Wildcats on her deck
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is attacked by U.S. carrier planes, photo #1
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is attacked by U.S. carrier planes, photo #2
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is attacked by U.S. carrier planes, photo #3
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is attacked by U.S. carrier planes, photo #4
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is attacked by U.S. carrier planes, photo #5
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is hit by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shoho is torpedoed by U.S. carrier planes
View
of Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku from American TBD torpedo plane
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shokaku is attacked by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shokaku is attacked by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shokaku is attacked by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
aircraft carrier Shokaku is attacked by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
Kate torpedo bomber shot down near U.S. ships
American
planes returning to USS Lexington
USS
Lexington under Japanese dive bomber attack
Close
up of USS Lexington's hull damage
USS
Lexington's smoking flight deck with an
explosion amidships
USS
Lexington hit and burning, during the later part of the Japanese air attack
USS
Lexington (CV-2) burning during the afternoon of 8 May 1942
USS Lexington crew prepares to abandon ship
Crewmen
sliding down lines at the stern of USS Lexington
USS
Lexington is abandoned, a destroyer is alongside.
USS Lexington is abandoned
USS
Lexington explodes
Explosion
on USS Lexington causes huge mushroom cloud
PRIOR TO THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
USS
Hornet in the Southern Pacific, 15 May 1942
USS Hornet at Pearl Harbor, 26 May 1942, after the Battle of Coral Sea
USS Saratoga at Pearl before Midway
USS Enterprise entering Pearl Harbor on 26 May 1942, following the Battle
of Coral Sea
USS Yorktown in dry dock repairing the Coral Sea damage
Lt.Cmdr.
Lance E. Massey (Commanding Officer of VT-3) in his Douglas TBD-1
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, June 4-6, 1942
Midway Atoll Aerial photograph of the island, showing airstrips, 24
November 1941
A6M2 Model 21 "Zeke" - ready for takeoff from a Japanese
aircraft carrier, 1942
USS
Yorktown underway with her air group on the flight deck
A
Douglas "Dauntless" scout bomber warming up on USS Yorktown
A
Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" takes off from USS Yorktown
Torpedo Squadron Six TBD-1 aircraft are prepared for launching on USS
Enterprise
A
Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo plane en route to attack the Japanese carriers
USS
Enterprise steaming at high speed after having launched VS-6 and VB-6
An
SBD Dauntless passes low over USS Yorktown, possibly to drop a message
Max
Leslie's (of VB-3) SBD-3 Dauntless ditches alongside USS Astoria
A
Japanese Type 97 attack aircraft flies near USS Yorktown
Two
Japanese aircraft fly past USS Yorktown, after dropping their torpedoes
More
Japanese aircraft fly near USS Yorktown, under torpedo attack
Kate
torpedo bombers approach the drop point, during the attack on USS Yorktown
Torpedo attack on USS Yorktown
USS Yorktown is hit on the port side by a torpedo
Japanese
aircraft is shot down
USS
Yorktown afire and dead in the water, with several of her escorts steaming nearby
USS
Yorktown on fire after Japanese bombing attack. SOC floatplane in the foreground
Closeup
of above, from a different angle (no escort or SOC visible)
Similar to above, different angle, more smoke visible
Scene
on board USS Yorktown, shortly after she was hit by three Japanese bombs
View
of the upper after end of USS Yorktown's battle-damaged island
Firefighters try to contain the fires on USS Yorktown
Scene
in the smoky hangar of damaged USS Yorktown
Repairing bomb damage on board USS Yorktown
Wounded
Aviation Ordnanceman is carried from the flight deck of Enterprise
Corpsmen
treating casualties on listing deck of USS Yorktown
USS Yorktown dead in the water
Damaged
USS Yorktown's flight deck tilts
The listing flight deck of USS Yorktown after she was hit by two torpedoes
USS Yorktown lists, and is abandoned
USS
Yorktown lists heavily after she was abandoned during the afternoon of 4 June 1942
Destroyers stand by to pick up survivors as USS Yorktown (CV-5) is
abandoned
American SBDs dive on Japanese cruiser Mikuma
The burning Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma
Wrecked
Jap heavy cruiser Mikuma, photographed from a SBD
DIORAMAS MADE OF THE MIDWAY BATTLE
Diorama:
the sighting of the Japanese minesweepers by a Midway-based PBY
Diorama:
the moonlight torpedo attack made by four PBY-5A patrol bombers
Diorama: Marine Wildcats from Midway intercept Japanese bombers
Diorama:
Marine Wildcats and Buffalos intercept Japanese bombers
Diorama:
the the Japanese carrier air attack on Midway
Diorama:
the dive bombing attack on the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga and Soryu
Diorama:
the attack by USS Enterprise and USS Yorktown dive bombers
Diorama:
combat air patrol intercepting the Japanese dive bomber raid on USS Yorktown
Diorama:
attacks by U.S. Navy carrier dive bombers on the Japanese carrier Hiryu
Diorama:
the attack by U.S. dive bombers on the Japanese cruisers Mogami and Mikuma
Diorama:
USS Hammann (DD-412) assisting damaged USS Yorktown (CV-5)
Diorama:
The torpedoing of USS Hammann and USS Yorktown by a Japanese sub
Diorama:
the explosion of depth charges from USS Hammann (DD-412) as she sank
AFTER MIDWAY
After
the battle, the sole surviving TBF Avenger from Midway Island, photo #1
After
the battle, the sole surviving TBF Avenger from Midway Island, photo #2
Close-up
of damage to Midway's sole surviving TBF turret
After
the battle: a damaged Marine F4F Wildcat on Midway Island
The
crew of the U.S. Navy PBY Catalina crew that found the Japanese fleet
Sole
survivor of Torpedo Eight squadron, Ensign George Gay
Marine
Aviator Survivors of the Battle of Midway, on Oahu, 22 June 1942
VMF-221 pilots pose on Oahu, 14 July 1942. Most are survivors of
the Battle of Midway
Pilots of the four PBY-5A Catalinas that flew the torpedo attack
mission against the Japanese
Lt.Cmdr.
James H. Flatley, Jr. with Lt. Stanley W. Vejtasa and Lt. John A. Leppla, with an F4F
THE GUADALCANAL/SOLOMONS CAMPAIGN (Aug. - Dec. '42)
Loading
a bomb on an SBD Dauntless at the beginning of the Guadalcanal invasion
Looking
down on the deck of the USS Wasp, aircraft on deck
USS
Wasp on fire and listing after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine
Looking
directly down on a bomb blast on the USS Enterprise
BATTLE OF THE SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS, 26 October 1942
USS
Enterprise and USS South Dakota firing at attacking Japanese aircraft
USS
South Dakota (BB-57) fires her anti-aircraft guns as a Kate flys by
A
Japanese bomb explodes off the port side of USS Enterprise during the action
A
Val dive bomber dives toward USS Hornet as other Vals and Kates fly nearby
Damage
to the smokestack and signal bridge of USS Hornet after being hit by an aircraft
SPRING - WINTER 1943
Looking down on the USS Essex, underway with a deck load of F6Fs, SBDs,
and TBFs
USS
Yorktown (CV-10): Ordnancemen working on bombs amid F6F-3 fighters on the carrier's hangar
deck, circa Oct-Dec 1943
USS Enterprise (CV-6): F6F "Hellcat" fighters taxiing forward on
the flight deck
THE GILBERTS OPERATION, 22 Nov. 1943.
Grumman
F6F-3 Hellcat goes over the side of USS Barnes (CVE-20), 22 October 1943
USS
Enterprise: crash landing of Hellcat into the carrier's 20mm gun gallery, Nov. 10 '43
USS
Enterprise (CV-6): Underway on 24 November 1943, during the Gilberts Operation.
USS
Enterprise (CV-6) Landing Avenger torpedo bombers
A
F6F-3 "Hellcat" of Fighting Squadron Sixteen (VF-16) gets the take-off flag on
the USS Lexington (CV-16)
CARRIER RAIDS ON THE MARIANAS, February 1944
A
Japanese bomber explodes as it crashes into the sea near USS Belleau Wood
Deck
crewmen fold the wings of Hellcats on USS Enterprise, as others land behind them
Vought
OS2U-3 "Kingfisher" is recovered USS Baltimore (CA-68)
BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA, 19 June '44
Japanese
carrier Zuikaku maneuvering, while under attack from U.S. Navy planes
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17) is near-missed by a Japanese bomb during the air attack
OCTOBER 1944 ACTIONS
USS
Langley (CVL-27): Scene on the flight deck as the carrier shoots down a Japanese plane
BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF, 24 October 1944
USS
Princeton (CVL-23) burning, but still underway
Crewmen
on USS Birmingham (CL-62) play fire hoses on the burning USS Princeton
USS
Birmingham (CL-62) assists the burning USS Princeton with fire fighting
Heavy
explosion aft on USS Princeton (CVL-23), 24 Oct. 1944.
USS
Belleau Wood (CVL-24) Burning aft after she was hit by a Kamikaze, Oct. 30, 1944
BATTLE OFF SAMAR, 25 October 1944
Japanese
battleship Yamato in action with U.S. carrier planes off Samar.
BATTLE OF THE SIBUYAN SEA, 24 October 1944
A
Japanese battleship and other warships maneuver while under attack by U.S. planes
Same
subject as previous, different photo
Japanese battleship Yamato in action with U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
battleship Yamato is hit by a bomb near her forward main turret.
Japanese
battleship Musashi under attack by Task Force 38 aircraft
Japanese
battleship Musashi is hit
BATTLE OFF CAPE ENGANO, 25 October 1944
Japanese
carriers Zuikaku and Zuiho under attack by Task Force 38 aircraft
Japanese
carriers Zuikaku and Zuiho under attack, second photo
Japanese
carriers Zuikaku and Zuiho still under attack, third photo
Japanese
aircraft carrier Zuikaku listing after being hit
OPERATIONS OFF THE PHILIPPINES, 25 November 1944
USS
Essex: Japanese Kamikaze explodes after crashing into the carrier's flight deck
OPERATIONS OFF OKINAWA, 11 May 1945.
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17): Afire after being hit by two "Kamikaze" suicide planes
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17): Burning after being hit by a "Kamikaze" attack
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17): view of flight deck, while her crew was fighting fires
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17): Aircraft wreckage on the flight deck, after most fires were out
CARRIER RAIDS ON JAPAN, 19 March 1945
Three
Japanese carriers in Kure Bay, under attack by U.S. carrier planes
Japanese
battleship Yamato maneuvers while under heavy air attack by T.F. 58 planes
A
Japanese "Judy" bomber passes near USS Bataan
LIFE AT SEA, spring - summer of 1945
USS
Cabot (CVL-28) Underway at sea, 26 July 1945
USS
Enterprise (CV-6) L.S.O guides in an Hellcat during flight operations
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17) At sea during strikes against targets on Kyushu, Japan
"TEN-GO" OPERATION (NORTH OF OKINAWA), April 7 1945
Japanese
battleship Yamato (top) and a destroyer in action with U.S. Navy carrier planes
Japanese
battleship Yamato blows up after receiving massive bomb and torpedo damage
OKINAWA CAMPAIGN, May 1945
Flight
deck of U.S. escort carrier while nearby ships spread an anti-kamikaze smoke screen
USS
Essex (CV-9) Underway at sea during the Okinawa Campaign, 20 May 1945
SURRENDER OF JAPAN, 1945
Over
1000 U.S. Third Fleet carrier planes fly in massed formation
A
Curtiss "Helldiver" bomber on patrol over Tokyo, 28 August 1945
Curtiss
SB2C-5 "Helldiver" of VB-10, Flies over Tientsin, China, 5 September 1945
A
Grumman F6F-5N "Hellcat" fighter over Japan, 12 September 1945
COLOR PHOTOS
USS
Saratoga (CV-3) Underway at sea, circa 1942. Planes include F4Fs, SBDs, TBFs
USS
Wasp (CV-7) Lt. David McCampbell, LSO, bringing in planes
USS
Essex (CV-9) Scene on the flight deck, showing F6Fs and SBDs, 20 March 1943
Douglas
Dauntless after being "waved off" by the LSO on USS Ranger (CV-4), June 1942
Radioman-Gunner
of an SBD "Dauntless" aims his plane's twin .30 caliber machine guns
USS
Enterprise (CV-6) TBM "Avengers warming up on the after flight deck, May 1944
Curtiss
SC-1 floatplane taxiing up to USS Alaska, 6 March 1945, the Iwo Jima operation
Curtiss
SC-1 on recovery mat next to USS Alaska, 6 March 1945, the Iwo Jima operation
USS
Missouri (BB-63) Recovering a Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane, circa August 1944
USS
Missouri (BB-63) launches a Vought OS2U floatplane from her catapult, August 1944
USS
Missouri (BB-63) A Kingfisher is hoisted on board after a flight, circa August 1944
USS
Missouri (BB-63) Close-up of a Vought OS2U floatplane on catapult, August 1944.
USS
Bunker Hill (CV-17): Burning after being hit by Kamikazes, 11 May 1945.
USS
Saratoga (CV-3) Hellcats on the flight deck, as a TBM approaches to land
U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT PHOTOS (each page has several photos)
Grumman F4F "Wildcat" fighters (general views)
Grumman
F4F "Wildcat" fighters (part II)
Grumman F4F "Wildcat" fighters (part III)
General
Motors FM-2 "Wildcat" fighters
Brewster
F2A Buffalo Fighters -- general views
Brewster F2A Buffalo Fighters -- Ground & Shipboard Views
Douglas
TBD-1 "Devastator" Torpedo Planes -- General Views
Douglas
TBD-1 "Devastator" Torpedo Planes -- Combat Views
Douglas
TBD-1 "Devastator" Torpedo Planes -- Torpedo Launching Practice
Douglas
TBD-1 "Devastator" Torpedo Planes -- On Board Ship
Douglas
TBD-1 "Devastator" Torpedo Planes -- Miscellaneous Views
and crew photos
Curtiss
SOC "Seagull" Scout-Observation Planes (includes links for more SOC pages)
U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER PHOTO HISTORIES (each page has
several photos)
USS Franklin (CV-13): a photo history from 1944-1966
USS Lexington (CV-16): a photo history from 1943-1992