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USS ''Coral Sea'' (CV/CVB/CVA-43), a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of the Coral Sea. She earned the affectionate nickname "''Ageless Warrior''" through her long career. Initially classified as an aircraft carrier with hull classification symbol CV-43, the contract to build the ship was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport News, Virginia on 14 June 1943. She was reclassified as a "Large Aircraft Carrier" with hull classification symbol CVB-43 on 15 July 1943. Her keel was laid down on 10 July 1944. She was launched on 2 April 1946 sponsored by Mrs. Thomas C. Kinkaid, and commissioned on 1 October 1947 with Captain A.P. Storrs III in command. Before 8 May 1945, the aircraft carrier CVB-42 had been known as USS ''Coral Sea''; after that date, CVB-42 was renamed in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the late President, and CVB-43 was named ''Coral Sea''. ''Coral Sea'' was the last U.S Navy carrier to be completed with a straight flight deck, with an angled flight deck added on during later modernizations. All other U.S Navy carriers since have had the angled deck included as part of the ship's construction. ==Early milestones== The ship promptly began a series of career milestones when, on 27 April 1948, two P2V-2 Neptunes, piloted by Commander Thomas D. Davies and Lieutenant Commander John P. Wheatley, made jet assisted take-offs (JATO) from the carrier as she steamed off Norfolk, Virginia. This was the first carrier launchings of planes of this size and weight. ''Coral Sea'' sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 7 June 1948 for a midshipmen cruise to the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and returned to Norfolk, Virginia 11 August. After an overhaul period, ''Coral Sea'' was again operating off the Virginia Capes. On 7 March 1949, a P2V-3C Neptune, piloted by Captain John T. Hayward of VC-5, was launched from the carrier with a 10,000-lb load of dummy bombs. The aircraft flew across the continent, dropped its load on the West Coast, and returned nonstop to land at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Following training in the Caribbean, ''Coral Sea'' sailed 3 May 1949 for her first tour of duty in the Mediterranean with the Sixth Fleet, returning 28 September. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Coral Sea (CV-43)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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