USS Hornet (CV-8) in dry dock at the Norfolk Navy Yard, 19 November 1941, being inspected for any defects on her hull during her shakedown, a month after being commissioned into the U.S. Navy.
Fate: Hit and immobilized by Japanese carrier aircraft bombs and torpedoes, 26 October 1942 (Battle of the Santa Cruz islands). Two planes made suicide runs: one glanced off the stack and plunged through the flight deck; the second crashed into the port forward gun gallery. Cruiser USS Northampton (CA-26) made three attempts to take the carrier in tow, but the towing line failed and additional Japanese attacks frustrated these efforts. Hornet was hit again and had to be abandoned. Destroyers USS Mustin (DD-413) and USS Anderson (DD-411) tried to scuttle her with torpedoes and 5" gunfire, but had to retire as enemy forces closed in. Hornet was finally scuttled by Japanese destroyers Makigumo and Akigumo with four 24" torpedoes, early on October 27. In all, she took two planes, 7-8 bombs, 16 torpedoes and an unknown number of 5" shells.
One hundred and eleven of her crew were lost with the ship and remain on active duty.
