Newly completed, USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) is seen underway at Norfolk, May 30, 1944. She was completed with two deck catapults, two bow 40-mm quad gun mounts and four deck-edge radio masts. Around the second radio mast can be seen four outrigger rails (stowed), on which aircraft could be parked with their rear fuselages projecting over the edge of the deck. Note the starboard paint scheme, Measure 33/10A. US Navy photos.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) off Hampton Roads, Va., 26 June 1944 (see above). Official U.S. Navy photo. [80-G-235154].

Note the port side of the flight deck was cut away just aft of a quad 40-mm gun mount, to provide an unobstructed view for a third Mark 37 director that would have been mounted on the former hangar-deck catapult sponson. Only Ticonderoga and Hancock actually had the cut, and it was later eliminated as BuAer considered the cut "a serious hazard to aircraft taking off."

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) heading for the British West Indies, June 29, 1944. Her flight deck is spotted for recovery of aircraft. This photo came from the Chief of Information, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) off San Diego, California, mid-September 1944, loaded with aircraft to be transported to Hawaii. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 33, Design 10A. Photographed from a blimp of squadron ZP-31.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 92242).

Enlisted aircrewmen are briefed in their ready room, 4 November 1944, prior to an air strike on Manila Bay the following morning.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-469512).

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) launching aircraft prior to her first strike against the Japanese, 5 November 1944.

U.S. Navy photo now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-301350).

Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters prepare to take off for strikes against targets in Manila Bay. The two leading planes are F6F-5N night fighters, with wing-mounted radar. Photograph is dated 9 January 1945, but may have been taken during the 5-6 November 1944 attacks.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-305244).

This view taken from Ticonderoga (CV-14), entering Ulithi Lagoon on December 8, 1944 shows the famous "Murderers Row" shot from a different perspective.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) afire off Formosa, January 21, 1945, just after her initial kamikaze hit on the forward flight deck. Photographed from USS Miami (CL-89). A Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplane is on the cruiser's starboard catapult, in the foreground.

Flight deck immediately after Hit #1 showing smoke pouring through deck at point of entry, and, upper right, smoke through #1 elevator opening. Puget Sound Navy Yard photo # 959-45.

Fighting fire from flight deck showing smoke from #1 elevator. Puget Sound Navy Yard photo # 955-45.

Kamikaze Attack, January 21, 1945 — A Personal Account, by C. Vern Higman, VT-80

Puget Sound Navy Yard image # 942-45. Damage in action of 21 January 1945. Estimated paths of planes which struck the ship.

Seattle Branch of the National Archives photo. Record group 181.

Read the War Damage Report at the Researcher @ Large website.

Puget Sound Navy Yard image # 943-45. Damage in action of 21 January 1945. Looking stbd. showing damage to superstructure caused by Hit #2.

Puget Sound Navy Yard. Damage in action of 21 January 1945. Looking fwd. & stbd. at damaged director.

Puget Sound Navy Yard image # 949-45. Damage in action of 21 January 1945. Gallery Deck frame 67, looking to starboard and aft.

Read the War Damage Report at the Researcher @ Large website.

Broad on port bow. April 16, 1945. Puget Sound, Wash. Running trials after repairs from the kamikaze attack (January 21).

Puget Sound Navy Yard, April 20, 1945. Head on view.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) underway after her February–April 1945 repairs. She was painted in Measure 21 and fitted with seven extra 40-mm quad mounts, five on the starboard side and two on the port side. Air search radar was upgraded to SK-2 at this time. US Navy photo.

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) landing planes while USS Ault (DD-698) follows astern as plane guard. July 1945.

U.S. Navy photo now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-470599).

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) in San Francisco Bay, California, following the end of World War II, circa late 1945 or early 1946. A blimp is in the background.

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1973.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 77366).

USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) in SCB-27C configuration, date and place unknown.

Underway, 1960s.

Departing San Diego in the 1960s.

USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) underway in May 1961, turning sharply into the wind to accept aircraft, location unknown. Note how she appears to be towing a decoy.

A photo of USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) with her crew spelling out "SEAFAIR 62" on the flight deck. The photo was taken on 29 July 1962. Official US Navy Photograh, (# CVA-14-677-L-7-62).

A-4 Skyhawk landing on board, after a simulated strike on "enemy" forces during an operational readiness inspection, 18 January 1963. An A-3B Sky Warrior and F-3 Demon are parked on the carrier's after flight deck, and another A-3 is in the upper left distance, making its landing approach.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# KN-5442).

Manatee (AO-58) refueling Ticonderoga (CVA-14), 15 July 1965. US Navy photo.

Mount Baker (AE-4) and Ticonderoga (CVA-14) during an underway replenishment off California, 1 September 1965, prior to Big T's second Vietnam cruise (28 September 1965–13 May 1966.) The A-4 Skyhawk aircraft visible on the flight deck are from VA-56 "Champions" and VA-144 "Roadrunners," at the time part of Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5.) US Navy photo # CVA-14-2854-9-65.

Entertainer Bob Hope tees-off on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), December 26, 1965 during his visit to the ship off the coast of Vietnam. Bob Hope and other entertainers were on a Christmas Tour of U.S. Military installations throughout Vietnam. U.S. Navy file photo.

USS Haleakala (AE-25) rearming USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875) left, and USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) right, off the coast of Vietnam, possibly in the first quarter of 1966. US Navy photo.

USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) refueling from USS Ashtabula (AO-51), while operating off the coast of Vietnam, circa early 1966. Although seas were running very high, the ships completed replenishment and Ticonderoga received 175,000 gallons of black oil. The original print was received by the "All Hands" magazine Editorial Department on 14 February 1966.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (# NH 97487).

USS Sacramento (AOE-1), center, replenishing the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), right, and the destroyer USS Basilone (DD-824) in the South China Sea, 13 April 1966.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class J.L. Rivera, USN, (# USN 1117062).

"Three scans of the Ticonderoga shot during an UNREP with my ship, Bausell (DD-845) in WestPac[, first half of] 1966. Ironically the Tico was my first ship after recruit training in 1963."

Air Wing was Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5), tail code "NF." (NS021477a) Visible on the flight deck and starboard elevator are F-8E Crusaders from VF-51 "Screaming Eagles" and VF-53 "Iron Angels," as well as A-1H Skyraiders from VA-52 "Knight Riders."

(NS021477b) The tail of an A-3B Skywarrior, aka Whale, from VAH-4 "Fourrunners," tail code "ZB," can be seen just abaft the island.

USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) underway, 10 November 1967.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

Chicago Sunday Sun-Times, April 27, 1969.

"U.S. shifts fleet to Yellow Sea"

"Washington (UPI) — The powerful carrier-led armada formed to protect U.S. intelligence flights was shifted abruptly from the Sea of Japan to the other side of the Korean peninsula Saturday. The move may be aimed at bettering relations with the Russians."

(Click on the thumbnails to read the full story.)

Subic Bay, on her 25th Anniversary, 8 May 1969.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph.

USS Firedrake (AE-14) replenishing USS Buchanan (DDG-14) off her starboard side and Ticonderoga (CVA-14) off her port side, 14 May 1969. US Navy photo.

Tico in Hong Kong harbor, June 19–24, 1969.

VA-87 "Golden Warriors" A-7B Corsair IIs rearming for next launch.

"Willie Fudd" (E-1B Tracer from VAW-111 "Hunters," Det. 14) launching.

VA-87 "Golden Warriors" A-7B Corsair II folding wings after recovery.

VA-112 "Broncos" A-4C Skyhawk landing.

North Island, San Diego, CA, September 3, 1970 — US President Richard M. Nixon passes USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) on his way to meet Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.

(Special thanks to Kenneth E. Ratcliff, S-6 Div. aboard Ticonderoga; Denny Segar; and Chester Morris, aboard Ticonderoga 1967–1969, who helped research this photograph.)

USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) with her rails manned, circa 1970-72, following conversion to an anti-submarine warfare support aircraft carrier.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center (photo # NH 97488-KN).

Joe Cross adds: "I was aboard the USS Bronstein, an escort ship of the Ticonderoga. We were going through the Sunda Straits and had a memorial service for two cruisers that were sunk 28 February 1942 [USS Houston and HMAS Perth]. I have an identical picture in my cruise book but it includes all the escorts. The calm seas that day are a dead giveaway that the picture was taken on April 24th 1971. It was such a calm day that the seas were almost like glass. A rarity."

How not to launch an aircraft in heavy seas: an S-2E Tracker is launched from USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14). As Brian Wolfe and Gil Sharp recall, this happened circa May-April 1971, en route from the Philippine Islands to Japan.

Format: WMV (Windows Media Audio/Video file) (silent)  Duration: 15"   Size: 320 x 240

USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) at sea with ASW Carrier Air Group 59 (CVSG-59), possibly in 1971.

Photo by Marine Photos & Publishing Co., Spring Valley, California.

Three S-2E Tracker aircraft, of Antisubmarine Squadron 33 (VS-33) fly past USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14), off San Diego, California, circa late 1971. At that time VS-33 had completed eleven years of accident-free flying. Photo was received by the Naval Photographic Center in November 1971.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# USN 1149754).

USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) underway off San Diego, California, after departing Naval Air Station, North Island, for her final Western Pacific deployment, 17 May 1972.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph (# USN 1152586).

S-2E Trackers of VS-29 "Dragonfires" (modex NS-200 & NS-201) and VS-35 "Boomerangs" (modex NS-303.) Summer–fall 1972.

Summer–fall 1972.

Summer–fall 1972.

S-2E Trackers of VS-38 "Red Griffins." Summer–fall 1972.