USS Hancock

USS HANCOCK was one of the ESSEX - class aircraft carriers. Originally named TICONDEROGA, the carrier was renamed HANCOCK on May 1, 1943, becoming the fourth ship in the Navy to bear the name. In the mid 1950s, the HANCOCK was the first carrier of the United States Fleet with steam catapults capable of launching high performance jets. Redesignated as attack aircraft carrier CVA 19 on October 1, 1952, and multi-purpose aircraft carrier CV 19 on June 30, 1975, the HANCOCK was decommissioned on January 30, 1976, and stricken from the Navy list the following day. She was sold for scrap by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) on September 1, 1976.

General Characteristics: Awarded: 1940
Keel laid: January 26, 1943
Launched: January 24, 1944
Commissioned: April 15, 1944
Decommissioned: May 9, 1947
Recommissioned: February 15, 1954
Decommissioned: January 30, 1976
Builder: Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.
Propulsion system: 8 boilers
Propellers: four
Aircraft elevators: three
Arresting gear cables: four
Catapults: two
Length: 888.5 feet (270.8 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 191.9 feet (58.5 meters)
Beam: 101 feet (30.8 meters)
Draft: 30.8 feet (9.4 meters)
Displacement: approx. 44,700 tons full load
Speed: 33 knots
Planes: 80-100 planes
Crew: approx. 3448

http://www.navysite.de/cv/cv19.htm

I served aboard Hancock from August 1974 until August 1975. We took part in Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind.

USS "Hancock" - CVA 19
Essex Class, Attack Aircraft Carrier, US Navy.
- photographed in Manila Bay, August 1975 -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)

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USS Hancock(CVA 19) photo taken in 1975. I served aboard Fightin' Hanna from August 15 1974 to August the 8th 1975.

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I was sure Hanna was one of your drafts @bdpopeye

We called her Fightin' Hanna..

She was the Queen of the seas..