Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, probably on April 23, 1948 (Official US Navy photo, National Archives # 80-G-428458.) Bremerton Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet. The six "mothballed" carriers are, front to back: Essex (CV-9), Yorktown (CV-10), Ticonderoga (CV-14), Lexington (CV-16), Bunker Hill (CV-17), and Bon Homme Richard (CV-31, in the background.)

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, April 22, 1949 (photo # NY8-3351.) USS Essex (CV 9) in Drydock #5. Bow on view.

Photo from the Seattle Branch of the National Archives.

Underway during her first Korean War deployment, circa August 1951-March 1952. Two F2H-2 "Banshees" of Fighter Squadron 172 (VF-172) are flying by in the foreground, preparing to land. Nearest plane is Bureau # 124954. The other is probably Bu # 124969.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (photo # NH 97270).

Essex (CV-9), with planes on deck, operating with UN forces in Korea, 25 August 1951 (photo # USN-432873).

Essex (CV-9) operating in the Sea of Japan with Task Force 77, 6 September 1951 (photo # 80-G-433978).

McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee jet fighter (Bureau No. 124968), piloted by LTJG Keller, heads toward planes parked on the starboard side of the flight deck, forward, after clearing three barriers at 1823(I). The accident took place while Essex was operating off Korea on 16 September 1951.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-433492).

McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee jet fighter (Bureau No. 124968) crashes into aircraft parked on the starboard side of the flight deck (see above).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-433493).

Explosion on the flight deck near the starboard bow, after a McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee jet fighter (Bureau No. 124968) crashed into parked aircraft in a deck landing accident (see above). The accident resulted in the loss of seven lives and four aircraft: two F2H-2s (Bureau Nos.124966 & 124968) and two F9Fs (Bureau Nos. 125128 & 125131).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-433494).

Flames and smoke billow up from fires on the flight deck near the starboard bow, after a McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee jet fighter (Bureau No. 124968) crashed into parked aircraft in a deck landing accident (see above).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-433497).

Fire on the flight deck near the starboard bow, after a McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee jet fighter crashed into parked aircraft (see above). Photographed from USS Boxer (CV-21), which was steaming ahead of Essex. Note other planes in the area, including a F9F at right, and plane guard destroyers steaming nearby.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-433507).

Official US Navy photograph of the flight deck crew of USS Essex (CV-9) commemorating the ship's 40,000th landing, made on October 25, 1951 by LT W. Bryant, VF-54 "Hell's Angels," in an AD Skyraider.

Crewmen clear snow from the carrier's flight deck, off the coast of Korea. Photo is dated 18 January 1952. Aircraft closest to camera is an AD, with two F4U-5Ns immediately behind it.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-437709).

"Carrier-based planes give support to UN forces. Here USS Essex (CV 9) plows through Korean waters, loaded with Skyraiders, Corsairs and F2H jets." From All Hands magazine, July 1952 issue.

Official US Navy photo of USS Essex (CVA-9) underway in the Pacific, 1956.

"Summer of '57." USS Essex (CVA-9) moored at the Yokosuka Naval Station, Japan, in 1957. Painting by Wayne Scarpaci.

Entering San Francisco Bay, June 1957, shortly before departing for the Atlantic.

USS Allagash (AO-97) refueling USS Essex (CVA-9) and an unidentified radar picket destroyer (DDR), place and date unknown (probably taken in 1958.)

US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, April 1959.

"1958 Peace Patrol." On 14 July 1958 Essex, with ATG-201 embarked, was alerted to the Middle East crisis and she sped to support the US Peace Force landing in Beirut, Lebanon, launching reconnaissance and patrol missions until 20 August.

USS Essex in a photo apparently taken circa 1958, location unknown.

Underway with CVG-10 aboard, circa 1959-1960.

Official US Navy Photograph of the Attack Aircraft Carrier USS Essex (CVA-9) underway, with the crew assembled on the forward part of the flight deck for what looks to be an inspection. Circa 1959–1960, location unknown.

USS Essex (CVA-9) with her crew manning the rail, December 16, 1959. She is followed by USS Boston (CAG-1) and two unidentified destroyers.

USS Des Moines (CA-134) and Essex hosted President Eisenhower for three days during the presidential 3-week, 22,000-mile, 11-nation trip in December 1959 (Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Greece, Tunisia, France, Spain and Morocco.)

Official US Navy Photograph (#USN-10463789) from the Chief of Information, Department of the Navy, Washington 25, D.C.

Underway as an ASW carrier, date and location unknown.

Record Group 428-GX, NARA II (College Park, Maryland).

"As the anti-submarine warfare carrier USS Essex (CVS-9) steamed toward a nine-day visit to Rotterdam, Holland, for the Christmas Holidays, crewmen formed the traditional Dutch equivalent of America's 'Merry Christmas' on the flight deck."

"Essex, the oldest carrier still in operation, is deployed in the Eastern Atlantic as Flagship of Task Group 83.3. Through her visits to English, Dutch and German ports, 'The Fighten'est Ship in the Fleet' is giving our allies a chance to get a first-hand look at an example of America's naval strength."

Photograph and caption were released by the ship's PIO under date of 29 December 1961. Destroyer in the middle background is USS Robinson (DD-562).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (photo # NH 97273).

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, December 1962.

Record Group 428-GX, NARA II (College Park, Maryland).

Underway with Antisubmarine Carrier Air Group 60 (CVSG-60), circa 1964–1965.

In June 1964 Essex took 312 midshipmen for a 7-week training cruise to Europe. Liberty calls were made at Le Havre, France; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Portsmouth, England. Here she is seen in the harbor of Copenhagen, on July 4th, 1964.

Underway at sea during a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Mediterranean cruise, 22 June 1967. Photographed by PHCS(PJ) W.A. Jackman.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. (photo # 97274).

An E-1B "Tracer" airborne early warning aircraft leaves the carrier's port catapult, during flight operations at sea in November 1967. Five S-2 "Tracker" anti-submarine aircraft are parked on the flight deck's starboard side.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# K-41696).