This Powerful US Warship Carried Nearly 100 Aircraft During World War II

"The United States Navy saw unprecedented expansion during World War II, growing from just 790 active ships in 1941 to an outstanding 6,768 in 1945. Of course, numbers aren't the only factor when it comes to military might - the power behind each ship also played a significant role during the war. (These are the most mass-produced U.S. naval ships in WWII.)"

"To find which American warships were the most powerful in WWII, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the World War II Database, an online collection of data regarding the people, events, equipment, and ships of WWII. We then identified the American ships that were the most heavily armed during the war, ranking aircraft carriers above other classes, according to their capacity for aircraft. Other vessel classes were ranked based on their largest caliber gun. Our list is comprised of aircraft carriers, cruisers, and battleships."

"One notable member of the list, the Iowa-class battleships were some of the most heavily armed ships on the seas . Iowa-class battleships participated in every conflict from WWII to the first Gulf War in 1991. A famous Iowa-class ship, the , also called the "World's Greatest Naval Ship," was commissioned in 1943 and continued to operate for the next 50 years. (These are the most highly decorated U.S. Navy ships of WWII .)"

The United States Navy expanded from 790 active ships in 1941 to 6,768 in 1945. Ship power was assessed by armament rather than numbers alone. Aircraft carriers were ranked above other classes by aircraft capacity, while other vessel classes were ranked by their largest caliber gun. The compiled list comprises aircraft carriers, cruisers, and battleships, with production runs verified using the World War II Database and third-party military and historical sources. Iowa-class battleships were among the most heavily armed and served in every conflict from WWII through the 1991 Gulf War. Armament clarifications and class counts were noted for several ship classes.

Read at 24/7 Wall St.