USS Hancock (CVA-19) underway, circa 1957.Aerial view of USS Hancock (CVA-19) passing under the Golden Gate Bridge on April 17, 1963.USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), with A-4E Skyhawks from VA-153 “Blue Tail Flies” and VA-155 “Silver Foxes,” moored to pier #3 South, U.S. Naval Air Station, Alameda, California, 22–26 July 1967. USS Hancock (CVA-19) is moored to pier #3 North, and USS Ranger to pier #2 North. Other ships present include: USS Bellatrix (AF-62) and USS Aludra (AF-55), moored port side and starboard side, respectively, to pier #2 South; and probably USNS Breton (T-AKV 42), astern of Coral Sea.“Hancock‘s crew pushes a damaged F6F-5 Hellcat overboard on March 1, [1945,] the last day of strikes against the Amami Oshima in the Ryukyu islands area of Japan. This aircraft was damaged in a barrier accident during a strike recovery and there was not enough time to salvage or move the aircraft below for repair. Hancock launched two strikes against the area that day and one photo reconnaissance mission in between, with a regular refresh of Combat Air Patrol throughout the day. She reported three aircraft shot down by her fighters and a lack of significant targets that limited strike results to five small vessels sunk and four damaged. In addition to this Hellcat, one was shot down and the pilot later recovered by USS Tilefish (SS-307). Note the temporary patches to her flight deck in the lower right-hand corner of the photograph; this is from damage received on January 21, covered in photos NS021940–021940e. Hancock remained in action with these temporary repairs until being ordered to Pearl Harbor for repair in early April.”USS Hancock (CV-19) recovering aircraft during operations in the South China Sea, January 1945. Three F6F Hellcat fighters are flying overhead as a TBM Avenger torpedo plane approaches at left. Photographed from USS New Jersey (BB-62) by Lieutenant Commander Charles Fenno Jacobs, USNR.“USS Hancock (CV-19) refueling from an oiler. The latter is believed to be USS Cache (AO-67) in the Philippine Sea (15 15.33N, 130 29.87E), 25 October 1944.” “This photo was possibly taken from USS Brown (DD-546).”USS Hancock (CV-19) in a photo dated 4 June 1944.
CLASS – ESSEX (Long Hull) AKA TICONDEROGA Displacement 27,100 Tons, Dimensions, 888′ (oa) x 93′ x 28′ 7″ (Max) Armament 12 x 5″/38AA, 32 x 40mm, 46 x 20mm, 82 Aircraft. Armor, 4″ Belt, 2 1/2″ Hangar deck, 1 1/2″ Deck, 1 1/2″ Conning Tower. Machinery, 150,000 SHP; Westinghouse Geared Turbines, 4 screws Speed, 33 Knots, Crew 3448.
Operational and Building Data
Built by the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass. Laid down as Ticonderoga 26 Jan 1943; renamed Hancock 1 May 1943; launched 24 Jan 1944 and commissioned 15 Apr 1944. Decommissioned to reserve 9 May 1947.
Reconstructed to SCB-27C design by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash. Work began on 15 Dec 1951; redesignated as an “attack carrier” (CVA-19) on 1 Oct 1952 and recommissioned on 15 Feb 1954. Decommissioned again 13 Apr 1956 she received further modernization (project SCB-125) at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Cal., and was back in service on 15 Nov 1956.
Reclassified as a “Multi-Purpose Aircraft Carrier” (CV-19) on 30 June 1975. Decommissioned for the last time on 30 Jan 1976 and struck from the Navy list the following day, she was sold for scrap by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) on 1 Sep 1976.
