Figure 1.-- |
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The immediate problem for the U.S. Navy after World War I was to decommission naval vessels. The U.S. Navy like those of every other navy were convinced that the next naval war would be won by big-gun battle ships.
The Washington Naval Treaties did not limiit aircraft carriers like battleships. Naval commanders continued to see battleships s the Navy's principal strike force. Even so, the Navy despite severe bugetary contraints did create a significant carrier arm in the inter-war period. The Navy also created an important submarine force. Both the carriers and submarines were considered support arms of a fleet centered on battleships. They would prove to be the two most important striking forces of the fleet in the upcoming war.
The Naval Act of 1936 authorized the first new American battleship since 1921. The Act was known as Vinson-Trammell Act (First Vinson Act). Carl Vinson, a Democratic Congressman from Georgia who was Chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee. The Act authorized the construction of the first American battleships in 17 years. It authorized the construcrion of six battleships (BB-55 to BB-60). It vshould be noted that casrrierswere still unproven. The bttleship was rtill seen as the primary arbitor of naval power. The first of these ships USS North Carolina was laid down (October 1937). These ships would play a key role in the first year of the Pacific War, before the Arsenal of Democracy fully kicked in to create the Big Blue Fleet that ovewehalmed the Japanese Imperial Fleet. A key figure in the naval building programs was Adm. Leahy The 1938 Act specifically authorised the construction of 105,000 tons of battleships (this meant the first three Iowa-class battle ships),
Military planners were unsure how to use aircraft before World War I and naval aviation was even more primitive. American aviators worked on taking off and landing on naval ships (1910-11). World War broke out when the airplne was still in its infancy (1914). Naval planners saw the utlity of aircraft fo scouting. The first true carrier was the HMS Argus (1918). America entered the War (1917) and American ships served with the Royal Navy in the Atlantic. American naval planners quickly saw the potentual of naval aviation. The first American carrier was a converted vessel--the CV1-Langley (1922). It was slow and unable to match that of the battle fleet. Many of the modern carrier techniques and launching procedures were developed on the Langley. The next two American carriers were the CV2-Lexington and CV3-Saratoga. They were based on the hulls of battle cruisers which because of the Washingtn Naval Treaties were not built. They were huge closed-hanger carriers which could carry 80 planes. And the Lexingtons had the spped to keep up with the fleet. They joined the fleet in 1928 and began to work out carrier tactics during the annual Fleet Problem (war games). American naval planners were not yet sure about the importance and most effective design of carriers. Some planners argued that smaller carriers would be more effective. So the next carrier was the small CV4-Ranger in 1934. It was the first purpose-built carrier, but its small size limited its effectiveness. It soon became obvious that larger carriers were more effective. The next two carriers, CV5-Yorktown and CV6-Enterprise (1937 and 38). These were larger open-hanger carriers. Both would play key roles in the Pacific War. CV8-Hornet followed 3 years later (1941). The Yorktowns were based on the design of the Ranger, but larger. The Washington Naval Conference limited the United States to 135,000 tons. The American carriers totaled only 120,000 tons. This provided the margin for building a sixth carrier, albeit a small one--CV7-Wasp (1940). It carried a substantial air group, but was slow.
The 1938Act autorized 68,754 tons of cruisers (expended on 4 Cleveland and 4 Atlanta-class light cruisers).
The 1938 Act authorized 38,000 tons of destroyers.
The 1938 Act autorized 13,658 tons of submarines (eight boatswere built under this authorisation – SS-204 to SS-211).
Unlike major fleet units, PT boats could be built quickly amd in large numberts. The The U.S. as t began eeceiving real funding sponsored a design competition for a brand new boat type (1938). They wanted a highly mobile small attack boat. Prizes were awarded for the winning designs. As a result there were afew PT-boats on hand when the Japanese invaded hePhilippine Islands (December 1942). After the nset of the War, cmstruction began in large numbers. And as they were made out of ply-wood, there wee no shortage of materials. Manufacturers in the United States, Canada and Britain delvered PT-boats to the U.S.S Navy. The Elco (Elco Motor Yachts) Bayonne, New Jersey and Higgins Industries in New Orleans, Louisiana emerfed as the pimary builders. The U.S. Navy eventually standardized design and construction. There were primarily two different, destinct types. The most imprtant types were the 80-foot long 'Elco" boat and the slightly smaller 78-foot long 'Higgins' boat. Elco built almost 400 and Higgins built about 200. They we primrily deployed in the Pacific with President Kenndy's PT-109 the mot famous. The Japanese had no anser to ghem, but in Europe the German E-boats were a chllenge.
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