Intense photos show the USS Enterprise, the decorated WWII aircraft carrier that the Japanese...

Tough old lady!

The Big E really gave back huge dividends to the American taxpayers during World War 2. The incredibly huge spaces in the Pacific Ocean made distance itself an enemy for America while the Japanese despite fighting for its life against the industrial might of its enemies enjoyed interior lines that kept shrinking. The use of aircraft carriers became indispensable to project power. America's air fleet steadily grew in well trained pilots & maintenance crews while in Japan's case her pilot cadre that started the war was almost entirely killed after the June 1942 Battle of Midway, the next trained group was killed during 1943, and the June 1944 Battle of the Mariana's [Great Mariana's Turkey Shoot] killed nearly all of Japan's trained naval aviators. Japan was unable to train further air crews due to a lack of fuel in the home islands. The Mighty E participated highly throughout the huge battle against Japan.

COL Mikel J. BurroughsSFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSLSMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas [~563704:LTC Stephen FordSGT David A. 'Cowboy' GrothCPT Jack DurishPO1 William "Chip" NagelTSgt Joe C.SP5 Mark KuzinskiMaj Marty Hogan MSG (Join to see) SSgt (Join to see) LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) SN Greg Wright Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS SSG Warren Swan Cynthia Croft SPC Margaret Higgins 1SG Carl McAndrews