The USS Saratoga (CV-3), commissioned in 1927, was an Lexington-class American Aircraft carrier measuring 268 meters (880 ft.) in length and weighting 39,000 tons. Originally she was designed as a battlecruiser, but was later converted into one of the Navy’s first aircraft carriers during construction to comply with the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.
During her World War II service she first patrolled in the vicinity of Midway Atoll and was later involved in numerous battles including responding to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of Iwo Jima and countless assaults along the Japanese coast. Surviving various heavy attacks which included being torpedoed, a bombed out flight deck, hanger deck fires, and 2 starboard side bomb detonations.
For her service she was rewarded with 7 Battle Stars for her service before de-commissioning in 1945 at the end of the World War 2.
Mid-1946, the ship was used as a target for nuclear weapon tests (“Operation Crossroads”). She survived the first test with little damage, but was sunk by the second test.
The shipwreck of the “Sara” rests in Bikini Atoll at a depth of 52 meters (190 ft.). Her bridge is easily accessible at 18 meters (40 ft.), her deck at 28 meters (90 ft.).
USS Saratoga (CV-3) Shipwreck
Deck guns. (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Deck of the USS Saratoga. (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Image of the bridge of the USS Saratoga shipwreck lying in Bikini Atoll (Credits: Jan Kocian)
The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) moored at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (USA), circa in June 1945. Bridge is also visible.
Deck guns of the Saratoga (Credits: Jan Kocian)
USS Saratoga (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Forklift on the shipwreck of the USS Saratoga (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Another view of the forklift. (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Twin guns of the USS Saratoga (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Bombs are still to be found on the wreck! So be cautious at all times. (Credits: Jan Kocian)
Read also:
- USS Indianapolis, sinking and horrors of the USS Indianapolis.
- Airplane graveyard, over hundred of US aircraft wrecks lying on the bottom of Kwajalein Atoll, Pacific Ocean.
- Shipwrecks in Truk Lagoon, in 1944-45 dozens of Japanese vessels from the Imperial Japanese Navy were sunk by US forces.
- Airplane wrecks in Truk Lagoon, next to dozens of Japanese vessels also Japanese airplane wrecks can be found in Chuuk Lagoon.
Literature:
- Doyle, David: USS Saratoga – Squadron at Sea. Squadron/Signal Publications.
- Fry, John: USS Saratoga CV-3: An Illustrated History of the Legendary Aircraft Carrier, 1927-1946. Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
- Stahura, Barbara: USS Saratoga, CV-3 & CVA/CV-60. Turned.
My dad was on the Saratoga during the nuclear testings in the Marshall Islands – Operation Crossroads. His job was to board the ships to check the radiation levels (after the bombs detonated). The USS Nevada was the ‘target’ ship and the USS Saratoga had moved in a little closer. A Baker atom bomb was detonated underwater in the midst of target ships. A massive water wave overwhelmed the ship and sunk it. It was not torpedoed…the crew would not leave their belongings onboard.
There was no crew after decommissioning. CV-3 was towed to detonation site. Any personal effects on board were deliberately placed there for testing purposes only.
I’m curious if she’s giving off any rads?
Amazing photos! It’s ashame she was used in the testing and not have been saved as living history considering her fame, service, and military standing with the United States Navy.
Some extra info on the guns:
These two are of the twin 5″/38 on the flight deck:
https://i0.wp.com/www.argunners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Bikini-Sara-gun-draw-comS-.jpg
https://i1.wp.com/www.argunners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Bikini-1980-Sara-gun-superstr-x.jpg
In the background of this one is a single 5″/38, located on sponsons under the flight deck:
https://i1.wp.com/www.argunners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Bikini-Sara-1981-forklift-x-.jpg
This is a twin Bofors 40mm:
https://i0.wp.com/www.argunners.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Sara-1980-twin-guns-2-x.jpg
Thanks, Timoty Choi!
no the 2nd blast did sink her if u look @ the pics of the wreck it shows theres no damage done to the ship and y did they have a forkleft on the ship
my father was on cv3 and he told me it was never sunk during the 2nd atomic test it took 6 torpedoes to sink her the govt didn’t want people to think that the bomb was weak and couldn’t sink a ship
Could not “Edit” my comment. I see now that CV3 ferried planes June 8th for the carriers at Midway. Sorry
USS Saratoga CV-3 was never in the “Battle of Midway”. Only Hornet, Enterprise & Yorktown was.