"Click" on designated images for a larger version of the photo.
From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships:
The ninth Wasp (CV-18) was laid down as Oriskany on 18 March 1942 at Quincy, Massachusetts, by the Bethlehem Steel Co.; renamed Wasp on 13 November 1942 and launched on 17 August 1943; sponsored by Miss Julia M. Walsh, the sister of Senator David I. Walsh of Massachusetts ...
(Courtesy of William A. Grant, Jr.)
Click!
".... AS SHE SLID DOWN THE WAYS"
(Courtesy of LeRoy W. Jones)
(Courtesy
of Joe Beck)Click! CV-18 draped in patriotic garb to become the ninth USS Wasp. Boston, Massachusetts.
(Courtesy of LeRoy
W. Jones)Wasp's Commissioning Ceremony on 24 November 1943
(Courtesy
of Joe Beck)There was a good crowd at the commissioning, ready to help send another spankin' new carrier out to destroy the enemy. Eleanor Roosevelt and Rear Admiral Robert Theobald did the honors. Other dignitaries included Wasp's first commanding officer, Captain C.A.F. Sprague; Leverett Saltonstall, Governor of Massachusetts; Maurice Tobin, Mayor of Boston; and Rear Admiral Dewit Ramsey.
Click! Eleanor Roosevelt delivered her blessings to the Wasp and crew.
(Courtesy of Joe Beck)Click! The Admiral no doubt made it clear that CV-18 followed a long list of proud fighting ships christened "Wasp."
(Courtesy of Joe Beck) Click! Aboard Wasp, pilots were ready, props were turning, the deck crew bents to pull chocks ... . and one guy needed a rest. *
(Courtesy of William A. Grant, Jr.) Click! "NO WHEELS - NO FLAPS - NO NOTHING" * (Courtesy of William A. Grant, Jr.) Click! "PLENTY OF TROUBLE" (Courtesy of William A. Grant, Jr.) Click! "BUT A HAPPY ENDING"
(courtesy of Pete Sneed)
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Wasp, loaded for bear and going to war.
(Courtesy of LeRoy W. Jones)
You may not be aware of how difficult it is to come by good quality photographs of Wasp from the World War II era. I'm always looking and rarely finding. I stumbled onto a 1997 paperback book written by one of Wasp's own aviators. The book is entitled "MEMOIRS OF A NAVY FIGHTER PILOT WWII," By Lt. William A. Grant, Jr., USNR (Ret.). Grant flew with Air Group 81 while aboard Wasp. Mr. Grant, it turned out, lived a few short blocks from me in Kansas City, Missouri, but I was never able to contact him. I contacted the publisher and found that the book was now out of print. I also learned that the author has passed on, so I am sorry to say that I have no idea how you can obtain a copy of this book.
Even so, I "borrowed" some graphics from the book and I hope Mr. Grant's family and his publisher will not take offense. The quotes under each image are the author's words, lifted right from the book.
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