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Ship's History

Hornet's Legacy
USS Hornet CVS-12 is the eighth ship of the United States Navy to bear the name Hornet.

World War II
In April 1942, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet CV-8 departed Alameda, California, carrying Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and 16 Army B 25 bombers to raid Tokyo in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. Just six months after the Doolittle raid CV-8 was sunk in the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. USS Hornet CV-12 was commissioned in early 1943. CV-12 was a major factor in our victory in the war in the Pacific.

The Cold War
With the rise of the Soviet submarine threat during the 1960's, Hornet engaged in a new kind of war - a game of hide-and-seek with Soviet submarines.

Apollo 11 & 12
On July 24, 1969, President Nixon was aboard to observe the recovery of the Apollo 11 space capsule and the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong. In 1970, Hornet was chosen for the successful recovery of the Apollo 12 and the all Navy crew of the second Lunar mission.

The Twilight Years
USS Hornet CVS - 12 was decommissioned on June 26, 1970. She remained in storage and reserve status until 1989 when she was stricken from the records and made ready to be sold as scrap. In 1991 Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and in 1995 she was turned over to the Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation. In 1998, the USS HORNET museum opened at Alameda.

Unit Awards, Campaign and Service Medals and Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right

Top Row: Presidential Unit Citation / Meritorious Unit Commendation (3)
2nd Row: China Service Medal (extended) / American Campaign Medal / Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (7 stars)
3rd Row: World War II Victory Medal / Navy Occupation Service Medal ("Europe" clasp) / National Defense Service Medal (2)
4th Row: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2) / Vietnam Service Medal (6 stars) / Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
5th Row: Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal with Palm) / Philippine Liberation Medal (1 star)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

 

To learn more about the USS Hornet visit the
USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum

USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum



Supporting and preserving the USS Hornet Museum Ship CVS-12 and its History through Amateur Radio Communications