"Navy's Newest Stinger."

"Rapidly nearing completion the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, Wasp will be launched April 4 [1939] at the Fore River plant of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Mass. The $20,000,000 vessel is 739 feet long and has a 110-foot beam, the largest ever built at the Fore River yard."

Associated Press photo. Bx list wf neg ny. hbr 3/31/39-7pes-pub.

A peacetime photo of USS Wasp (CV-7), location and exact date unknown.

A peacetime photo of USS Wasp (CV-7) taken around 1940. Note the hull scuttles, a feature not seen in later designs, and the fuel pipe running along the outer hull plating. Several ship's boats can be made out.

USN photo from "Aircraft Carriers of the U.S. Navy," by Stefan Terzibaschitsch.

Postcard showing USS Wasp anchored in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, while "dressed" with flags for Navy Day, 27 October 1940. Note the old flush-deck destroyer in the right distance.

LT David McCampbell, Landing Signal Officer, bringing in planes, aboard USS Wasp (CV-7) circa late 1941 or early 1942. McCampbell later became the Navy's top-scoring "ace" in World War II. Behind him is the Assistant Landing Signal Officer, Ensign George E. "Doc" Savage. In the catwalk in the lower center are Len Ford (enlisted man) and LT Hawley Russell. Caption details were provided by CAPT David McCampbell, USN (Ret.), in 1982. Official U.S. Navy photo, now in the collection of the National Archives. Image #80-G-K-687(Color).

USS Wasp (CV-7) off the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, on 8 January 1942, following overhaul.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives (# 19-N-27320).

Two more photos also taken at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, after Wasp's December 1941–January 1942 overhaul. She retained her quadruple 1.1"/75 battery (photo NS020714) but most of her 0.50 machine guns were replaced by 20-mm guns and she received a CXAM-1 air-search radar (photo NS020714a).

A Spitfire Mk.Vc being loaded aboard USS Wasp (CV-7) at Port Glasgow [sic], Scotland, in April 1942, at the start of Operation Calender. Note some F4F Wildcat fighters parked on deck, with their wings folded—Wasp carried twelve Wildcats during the two aircraft ferrying missions she carried out with the Royal Navy to augment the dwindling defenses of Malta (Operation Calender, in April, and Operation Bowery, in May 1942).

USN photo, taken from "Skies of Fire," by Alfred Price.

Charles Mac Kay correctly notes: "The Wasp did not collect the Spitfires from Port Glasgow. They were collected from King George V Dock Glasgow; Port Glasgow is further down the coast. The King George V Dock is beside Renfrew Airport. The Spitfires were taken from Renfrew to the Carrier Wasp at KGV."

A Spitfire Mk.Vc about to start its take-off run. The aircraft that had taken off ahead of it is visible above its starboard wing. Already the lift is on its way down to the hangar to pick up the next fighter.

USN photo, taken from "Skies of Fire," by Alfred Price.

Official caption from the rear of the photo:

"Neg No. OCR-11886 — U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier Wasp ferries British aircraft to Malta. First photographs showing the carrier en route to the British Mediterranean Stronghold."

"(a) Signalman on the bridge of the Wasp on the alert for any signals from escort ships of approaching enemy ships or planes."

NARA San Francisco. (Photo is dated 3 July 1942, which is obviously wrong, since Wasp ferried aircraft to Malta in April and May, and was already in the Pacific by July. This may be the date the photo was developed, or reprinted, or whatever).

Official caption from the rear of the photo:

"Neg No. OCR-11890 — U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier Wasp ferries British aircraft to Malta. First photographs showing the carrier en route to the British Mediterranean Stronghold."

"(a) Comdr. Dickey, Executive Officer, Flight Lieut. Sly, RAF, and Lieut Sims, RAF, Engineer Officer interview Pilot Officer S.A. Smith, RAF, and examine his Spitfire after he made a successful landing aboard the USS Wasp. Pilot Smith, shortly after his take-off, developed engine trouble and signaled he was returning for a landing. Although the Spitfire has no arresting gear, Pilot Smith managed to land the high speed fighter on the deck of the carrier without mishap—a remarkable feat of flying and coordination with the ship."

[According to DANFS entry for Wasp, Smith accidentally released his drop tank and lacked the range to make it to Malta.]

NARA San Francisco. (Photo is dated 3 July 1942, which is obviously wrong, since Wasp ferried aircraft to Malta in April and May, and was already in the Pacific by July. This may be the date the photo was developed, or reprinted, or whatever).

USS Wasp (CV-7) entering Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 26 May 1942. An escorting destroyer is in the background.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-12240).

USS Wasp (CV-7), starboard bow, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., 3 June 1942. Photo serial 3169(42).

USS Wasp (CV-7), starboard quarter, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., 3 June 1942. Photo serial 3170(42).

"U.S.S. Wasp, new [40-mm] gun platform, port side near stern." Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., 3 June 1942. Photo serial 3171(42).

Source: San Francisco NARA, "Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, 1941-45."

USS Wasp (CV-7) in port in June 1942, with a motor launch coming alongside. Probably taken in San Diego Harbor, California. Planes on deck, some with wings folded, include SB2U scout bombers and F4F-4 fighters.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-K-447).

Tracy White (Researcher @ Large) notes: "[The 40-mm gun tub installed during the May–June 1942 refit] does not show in this photo. My guess is that this photo is miss-dated and was shot on the east coast because of this detail."

Wartime photo. Date and place unknown.

Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters and Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers aboard USS Wasp (CV-7), probably in July–September 1942.

Scene on the carrier's port bridge wing, during operations off Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942.

Among those present are (from left to right, in the right center) Commander D.F. Smith (hatless); Captain Forrest P. Sherman, Commanding Officer (wearing helmet); Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes, Commander Task Group 61.1 (facing camera); and Lieutenant Commander Wallace M. Beakley, Commander Wasp Air Group, who is making his report to RADM Noyes.

Note SBD-3 Dauntless scout bombers (one with a rather small National star painted on its fuselage) on the flight deck and .30 caliber machine gun mounted on the bridge bulwark.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-16864).

USS Wasp (CV-7) burning and listing after she was torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I-19, on 15 September 1942, while operating in the Southwestern Pacific in support of forces on Guadalcanal.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-16331).

USS Wasp (CV-7) burning after receiving two torpedo hits from the Japanese submarine I-19 while steaming well to the southward of Guadalcanal, 15 September 1942.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

USS O'Brien (DD-415) is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 during the Guadalcanal Campaign, 15 September 1942. USS Wasp (CV-7), torpedoed a few minutes earlier, is burning in the left distance. O'Brien was hit in the extreme bow, but "whipping" from the torpedo explosion caused serious damage to her hull amidships, leading to her loss on 19 October 1942, while she was en route back to the United States for repairs.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-457818).

Model of USS Wasp (CV-7), on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida. Photos taken on 13 June 2008.