USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)

USS Bunker Hill (CV/CVA/CVS-17, AVT-9) was one of 24 Essex Aircraft Carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War and was commissioned in May 1943.

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) at sea in 1945
History
United States
Name	Bunker Hill
Namesake	Battle of Bunker Hill
Builder	Fore River Shipyard
Laid down	15 September 1941
Launched	7 December 1942
Commissioned	25 May 1943
Decommissioned	9 January 1947
Reclassified	CV to CVA 1 October 1952 CVA to CVS 8 August 1953 CVS to AVT May 1959
Stricken	2 November 1966
Motto	Never Surrender, Never Sink
Nickname(s)	Holiday Express
Honors and awards	Presidential Unit Citation American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (11 stars) World War II Victory Medal Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Philippine Liberation Medal
Fate	Sold for scrap in 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	Essex-class aircraft carrier
Displacement	27,100 tons standard 36,380 tons full load
Length	820' (250m) waterline 147'6" (45m) overall
Beam	93' (28m) waterline 147'5"(45m) flight deck
Draft	28'5" (8.66m)light 34'2" (10.41m) full load
Installed power	8 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers 150,000 shp (110,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × shafts; 4 × geared steam turbines
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	14,100 nmi (26,100 km; 16,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	2,600
Armament	4 × twin 5 in (130 mm)/38 caliber guns 4 × single 5 inch (127 mm) 38 caliber guns 8 × quadruple 40 mm 56 caliber guns 46 × single 20 mm 78 caliber guns
Armor	2.5 to 4 inch (60 to 100 mm) belt 1.5 inch (40 mm) hangar and protectice decks 4 inch (100 mm) bulkheads 1.5 inch (40 mm) STS top and sides of pilot house 2.5 inch (60 mm) atop steering gear
Aircraft carried	90–100

While covering the invasion of Okinawa, Bunker Hill was struck by two kamikazes in quick succession, setting the vessel on fire. Casualties exceeded 600, including 346 confirmed dead and an additional 43 missing,