Explosion on USS Princeton (CVL-23)

Explosion on USS Princeton (CVL-23)
Here we see the hanger deck explosion at 10.05 on 24 October 1944 which started fires that eventually sank the Independence class light carrier USS Princeton (CVL-23). The explosion came a few minutes after the Princeton was hit by a bomb which caused the fire that triggered the explosion.
USS Princeton, The Life and Loss of ‘Sweet P’, David R. Leick. Looks at the career of the light carrier USS Princeton, one of a class built on cruiser hulls in an attempt to get new carriers into service quickly, and which made a valuable contribution to the war in the Pacific before suffering fatal damage during the battle of Leyte Gulf. Looks at the reason for her construction, the effectiveness of these smaller carriers and the Princeton’s own impressive combat record, before ending with the prolonged efforts to save her after she was hit by Japanese bombs, and the cost of its eventual failure, tragically felt heavily on the cruiser USS Birmingham as she attempted to aid the carrier. (Read Full Review)
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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (12 May 2023), Explosion on USS Princeton (CVL-23), https://www.historyofwar.org/Pictures/pictures_USS_Princeton_CVL23_explosion.html

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