The WWII-era Essex-class aircraft carriers were a pivotal development that served as a historic bridge to the modern carrier ...

The Best: During World War II, the United States Navy commissioned 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers, making it the most numerous class of capital warships of the 20th century.These carriers were a ...

The Essex-class carrier could displace an average of 34,000 tons when fully loaded and travel about 17 miles per hour. Their actual tonnage displaced was about 36,960 and the later modified ...