U.S.S. Franklin (CV-13) Attack and Aftermath

U.S.S. Franklin (CV-13) burns after being struck by kamikazes on March 15, 1945.

Pre-Attack Operations

Prior to the attack, Franklin was conducting air operations over the Japanese mainland, launching fighter sweeps against Honshū and later a strike against shipping in Kure Harbor. In fact, Franklin was operating just 50 miles off the coast of Japan, closer than any other American carrier during the war.

But on that morning, the vessel was attacked by a lone Japanese bomber that had managed to slip through the radar screen and dropped two armor-piercing bombs onto her flight deck. This could not have happened at a worse time, as the carrier was in the process of prepping aircraft for launch. This meant there were thousands of pounds of aviation fuel, bombs, ammunition, and a lot of other stuff that you would not want to catch fire.

The Attack

The first bomb struck the flight deck centerline, penetrating to the hangar deck, causing destruction and igniting fires through the second and third decks, and knocking out the combat information center. The second bomb hit aft, tearing through two decks before exploding. As you can guess, the Franklin erupted into a massive fireball, as multiple explosions ripped through the ship. Cruisers USS Pittsburgh and USS Santa Fe with destroyers USS Miller, USS Hickox, USS Hunt, and USS Marshall left the task group formation to assist Franklin, evacuating the wounded, and using their own fire hoses to battle the fires. Some even came right up to the burning carrier to allow survivors to abandon ship.

Casualties and Damage Control

Out of a crew of 2600+, 807 men were killed in the attack, with 400+ more wounded. This was the worst for any U.S. warship, only second to that of battleship USS Arizona. But not only did the carrier remain afloat, Franklin was able to make it back to Pearl Harbour and eventually, the Brooklyn Navy Yard under her own power no less.

Post-War Service

She would be repaired, and after a brief stint in the mothball fleet, Franklin would continue to serve first as an “Attack Carrier” and later as an ASW Carrier, among other roles. But eventually, she was led to the breakers in 1966.