Lake Michigan's Aircraft Carriers (IL) - Historical Photos & Stories | Perfect for Military History Buffs & Book Collectors
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Product Description
This is the story of the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, two Great Lakes excursion ships converted for aircraft carrier training during WWII.Through the duration of the war, the United States Navy qualified 17,800 pilots for aircraft carrier operation. Training the pilots on either the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean would have exposed the training ships to the danger of submarine attack, while requiring the escort of fighting ships that were needed elsewhere. It would also have involved arming and armoring the ships used for training. Commander R.F. Whitehead came up with an idea that solved all of these problems. He suggested doing the training on the protected waters of the Great Lakes.The USS Wolverine and the USS Sable were chosen and became the only fresh water, paddle-wheeled, coal-fired aircraft carriers in the history of the world. Author Paul M. Somers shares his collection of vintage photos and a lifetime of research to detail the history of these two great vessels-from their life as cruise ships to their contributions to the war effort and then to their eventual scrapping.
Customer Reviews
In the early months of World War II, the United States Navy recognized the need for ships to train pilots in carrier take-offs and landings. Realizing that current aircraft carriers already in service could not be used for this task, another approach was taken. Based on the recommendations of Commander R.F. Whitehead, the Navy acquired two Great Lakes pleasure cruisers: the S.S. Seeandbee and the S.S. Greater Buffalo. These ships were coal-fired sidewheelers which passengers rode on pleasure cruises on the Lakes. They were loaded with luxurious staterooms, atriums, and beautiful furniture. But, due to the needs of the war effort, they were purchased, stripped down, and converted into training aircraft carriers for pilots destined to fight in the Pacific War.The S.S. Seeandbee became known as the USS Wolverine, and the S.S. Greater Buffalo became known as the USS Sable. Each was dratically changed from their previous appearance so as to incorporate a flight deck and "island". The flight decks were approximately 500 feet long, but there was no way to store aircraft belowdecks. So, land bases were incorporated to house the planes and pilots. Training consisted of take-offs and landings. After a pilot successfully completed 14 of these, they were carrier-qualified and ready to face the enemy.The primary purpose for designing these ships was so that training would not have to have been conducted in either the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, because the risk of submarine or aerial attack was too great. Plus, escorting ships would have been required. By concentrating training on the Great Lakes, there was no need for escorts or armaments on the carriers. Over 17,000 pilots were qualifed for carrier combat during the war, and many of these pilots, including former President George H.W. Bush, trained on the Wolverine and Sable. These carriers served throughout the war.This is an excellent book and tells the story of two little-known ships of the U.S. Navy. Despite their autonomy, these ships played a vital role in the war effort. The book is packed with vintage photographs and informative text.I recommend this book very highly. If you're interested in naval aviation, then this book is a must-read.
