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US Navy
America-Art-Prints  US Navy |
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US Naval battleships, aircraft carriers and cruisers from WW2, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf in fine art naval prints. |
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USS North Carolina, Saipan Bound by Anthony Saunders By June 1944 the US Fleet had made a huge leap across the Pacific to the Marianas, a small group of Japanese held islands of which Saipan would prove the most difficult to overcome. The landing were supported by the US 5th Fleet, which included USS North Carolina together with an increasingly powerful armada of battle hardened warships. |
USS Langley by Ivan Berryman Americas first true aircraft carrier, the USS Langley (CV-1) is pictured making way at sea as a pair of Douglas DT-2s pass overhead. |
Flying Cloud by Robert Taylor. The American Clipper Flying Cloud arrives at Hong Kong in May 1860, 97 days out of London. En-route to Foochow, she will load tea for the return voyage. Of all the famous American Clippers Flying Cloud had by far the best record. |
A Chance Encounter by Robert Barbour. On 17th June 1944, 780 miles west of Saipan in Mid Pacific, the Gato class submarine USS Cavalla dives after a lucky sighting of a Japanese Naval Task Force, which included the aircraft carriers Taiho, Shokaku and Zuikaku. The Cavalla then trailed the Japanese, attacking and sinking the Shokaku on the 19th. |
Midway: The Turning Point by Stan Stokes. The Battle of Midway in June of 1942 marked the turning point in the War in the Pacific, and the Douglas SBD Dauntless was the aircraft which provided the punch in this decisive victory for America. The SBD, which earned the nickname Slow, But Deadly, entered service with the USN and USMC in 1940. Powered by a 1,000 HP, 9-cylinder, Cyclone radial engine the SBD was capable of a maximum speed of 250 MPH. The Dauntless could stay airborne for a long time with its 1,300 mile range and slow cruising speed, and it was capable of delivering a 1,200 pound bomb load. Because of its slow speed the SBD needed armament to discourage attack by enemy fighters. Two forward firing machine guns and either one or two rear firing guns mounted in the gunners cockpit behind the pilot, gave the SBD enough firepower to make it a challenging target for enemy fighters. The Japanese plan for invading Midway, a strategically-located small island about 1,100 miles northwest of Hawaii, involved the use of a decoy fleet which would feign an invasion of the Aleutians, while the main fleet consisting of approximately 100 ships and four aircraft carriers would carryout the invasion. Based on intelligence reports the US Navy was ready for Adm. Yamamoto this time. The American force totaled 25 ships including the carriers Hornet, Enterprise, and Yorktown. Air power was about even, because the U.S. could count on nearly 100 land-based aircraft on Midway itself. About 1/3rd of the U.S. air power was represented by SBDs. During the first exchanges, American attacks on the Japanese invasion fleet with both land-based and carrier-based aircraft were repulsed with substantial losses. These low-level torpedo attacks focused the attention of both Japanese fighter pilots and AA gunners on the horizon. Lacking effective radar, the Japanese fleet would prove to be unprepared for a high altitude attack by swarms of SBDs on June 4, 1942. The timing proved perfect as the Japanese carriers were laden with fully fueled and armed aircraft being readied for a second wave. As depicted in Stan Stokes dramatic painting the 1,000 pounder of Paul Lefty Holmbergs SBD penetrates the carrier deck of the Soryu while Holmberg pulls out of his dive. Right behind Holmberg is another SBD of VB-3 from the USS Yorktown. SBDs from the Yorktown and its sister ship the Enterprise destroyed three Japanese carriers in a matter of minutes during this battle. While the Yorktown was later lost in the Battle, all four Japanese carriers were eventually destroyed including many of Japans most experienced naval aviators. The rugged and effective Dauntless, the only USN aircraft to remain in service through the entire war, was responsible for destroying more enemy shipping than any other aircraft during WW II. |
The Constitution by Derek Gardner. The Constitution, with the sloop Hornet in company, sailed from Boston on 26th October 1812. War with Great Britain had broken out in June of that year and the two ships, under Commodore William Bainbridge in the Constitution, headed south down the Atlantic with the intention of joining the frigate Essex in the Pacific. The Constitution had been launched at Boston in 1797. She and her two sister ships, the United States and President were the most powerful frigates of their day and for sixteen years their superiority in their class remained unchallenged. They were built to be an overmatch for those of an enemy and were constructed in such a way that their scantlings (ie. the sizes of their timbers) should be equal to those of a 74 gun ship-of-the-line. This superiority was soon to be shown when the Constitution overwhelmed the British frigate Java off the coast of Brazil on 29th December. Like the Victory, Constitution (old ironsides as she was long ago nicknamed) is still in existence and today remains in special commission at Boston, the oldest warship in the world still afloat and a unique link with the old sailing navy of the United States. |
Okinawa Landing - USS Colorado by Anthony Saunders. The USS Colorado holds the all time record of 37 consecutive days of firing at an enemy and the record of 24 direct enemy air attacks in 62 days both while at Okinawa. |
USS Tennessee During the Landings at Iwo Jima by Anthony Saunders. In February 1945, 850 square miles of volcanic rock became the most strategically important island in the South Pacific. From Iwo Jima heavy bombers would be able to raid Japanese cities almost at will. Even with its overwhelming military might, the Americans would have to pay a heavy price for such a seemingly small island. |
USS Tang, The Life Guard of Truk Atoll by Robert Barbour. On 29th and 30th April 1944, while surfaced close to jagged reefs, and Japanese shore guns, the USS Tang rescued 22 downed flyers from Task Force 58s strikes against enemy positions on the islands - This was the largest rescue of airmen by a submarine in the war. USS Tang (SS-306) would later be sunk by its own torpedo off Formosa, on the 24th of October 1944. |
Pearl Harbor, USS California, by Anthony Saunders At dawn on the 7th December 1941, 350 Japanese warplanes flew from their carriers and attacked the US pacific fleet at Pearl harbor, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. the attack concentrated on Battleship Row which included USS California (Left) and USS Nevada (Right) which was the only battleship to get underway during the attack. However coming under intense bomb attack she was later beached. For the Japanese the success was not total, as the US carrier fleet was out on manoeuvres on the day of the attack. |
USS Indiana, First Tour of Duty by Anthony Saunders To increase the strength of the US fleet in the Pacific during the critical early months of the war, USS Indiana went through the Panama Canal. On the 28th of November 1942 USS Indiana joined Rear Admiral Lee's aircraft carrier screening force. For the next 11 months, USS Indiana helped protect USS Enterprise and USS Saratoga, which had been supporting the US invasion on the Solomon Islands. On the 21st of October 1943 USS Indiana went to Pearl Harbor, but after only a couple of weeks left to support forces designated for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. The battleship protected the carriers which supported the Marines during the bloody fight for Tarawa atoll. Then, in late January 1944, she bombarded Kwajalein for eight days prior to the Marshall Island landings on 1st February 1944. USS Indiana collided with the battleship USS Washington while refuelling destroyers, killing several men. Temporary repairs to her starboard side were made at Majuro and USS Indiana returned to Pearl Harbor on 13th February 1944 for additional repair work. The painting shows USS Indiana with one of the two carriers she protected. |
Destination Tokyo by Stan Stokes. On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle led a group of 16 B-25 bombers on a carrier-launched raid on industrial and military targets in Japan. The raid was one of the most daring missions of WW II. Planning for this secret mission began several months earlier, and Jimmy Doolittle, one of the most outstanding pilots and leaders in the United States Army Air Corps was chosen to plan, organize and lead the raid. The plan was to get within 300 or 400 miles of Japan, attack military and industrial targets in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe shortly after nightfall, and then fly on to a dawn landing at secret airfields on the coast of China. The twin engine B-25 Mitchell bomber was selected by Doolittle for the mission and practice indicated that it should be possible to launch these aircraft from a carrier deck with less than 500 feet of runway. On April 2, 1942 the USS Hornet and a number of escorts set sail from Alameda, California with the 16 B-25s strapped to its deck. This task force rendezvoused with another including the USS Enterprise, and proceeded for the Japanese mainland. An element of surprise was important for this mission to succeed. When the task force was spotted by a Japanese picket boat, Admiral Halsey made the decision to launch the attack earlier than was planned. This meant that the raiders would have to fly more than 600 miles to Japan, and would arrive over their targets in daylight. It also meant that it would be unlikely that each aircraft would have sufficient fuel to reach useable airfields in China. Doolittle had 50 gallons of additional fuel stowed on each aircraft as well as a dinghy and survival supplies for the likely ditchings at sea which would now take place. At approximately 8:00 AM the Hornets loudspeaker blared, Now hear this: Army pilots, man your planes! Doolittle and his co-pilot R.E. Cole piloted the first B-25 off the Hornets deck at about 8:20 AM. With full flaps, and full throttle the Mitchell roared towards the Hornets bow, just barely missing the ships island superstructure. The B-25 lifted off, Doolittle leveled out, and made a single low altitude pass down the painted center line on the Hornets deck to align his compass. The remaining aircraft lifted off at approximately five minute intervals. The mission was planned to include five three-plane sections directed at various targets. However, Doolittle had made it clear that each aircraft was on its own. He insisted, however, that civilian targets be avoided, and under no circumstances was the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to be bombed. About 30 minutes after taking off Doolittles B-25 was joined by another piloted by Lt. Travis Hoover. These two aircraft approached Tokyo from the north. They encountered a number of Japanese fighter or trainer aircraft, but they remained generally undetected at their low altitude. At 1:30 PM the Japanese homeland came under attack for the first time in the War. From low altitudes the raiders put their cargoes of four 500 pounders into a number of key targets. Despite antiaircraft fire, all the attacking aircraft were unscathed. The mission had been a surprise, but the most hazardous portion of the mission lay ahead. The Chinese were not prepared for the raiders arrival. Many of the aircraft were ditched along the coast, and the crews of other aircraft, including Doolittles were forced to bail out in darkness. There were a number of casualties, and several of the raiders were caught by Japanese troops in China, and some were eventually executed. This painting is dedicated to the memories of those airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and the thousands of innocent Chinese citizens which were brutally slaughtered as a reprisal for their assistance in rescuing the downed crews. |
Ocean Monarch Leaving New York by Roy Cross. No text for this item |
Off to the Turkey Shoot by Stan Stokes. At the time of the attack of Pearl Harbor the Japanese had superior aircraft and plenty of experienced pilots fresh from combat in China. By 1944 the roles were reversed. Anxious to commence B-29 bombing missions against the Japanese homeland Rear Admiral Marc Mitschers Task Force 58 was given the assignment of supporting the recapture of the Marianas. This proved to be the last major carrier battle of World War II. On June 11, 1944 large formations of Hellcats were dispatched to lure Japanese land-based fighters into combat. Enough Japanese fighters were destroyed to allow the Fifth Fleet to land 140,000 troops on Saipan and Guam on June 15th. Also on June 15th the Japanese main fleet joined up with its mobile fleet about 300-400 miles from Task Force 58. Vice Admiral Ozawa detached a force to use as bait to lure the Americans within range of the main fleet. His bait not taken, on June 19th Ozawa launched three air strikes with about 250 aircraft. The relatively inexperienced Japanese pilots now flying technically inferior aircraft were decimated by the Grumman Hellcats of Task Force 58. By days end Ozawa had lost 218 aircraft, and while unprotected his fleet had been attacked by American submarines resulting in the sinking of two of his carriers. Late in the afternoon of June 20th American Hellcats, Helldivers, and Avengers were launched at Ozawas fleet, resulting in the loss of one more carrier and severe damage to another two. As his airwings returned after dark Admiral Mitscher ordered his fleet to light-up, which enabled many of the American aircraft to return safely. About a third of the planes were forced to ditch with the loss of thirteen crewman. The Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat pictured, became the Navys primary carrier borne fighter plane during World War II. Over 12,000 Hellcats were produced, and the Hellcat was credited with 4,947 of the 6,477 kills of enemy planes downed by carrier pilots during the War. The Hellcat had a top speed of 375 MPH, a range of 1,089 miles and was armed with six machine guns. The aircraft was powered by an 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney, air-cooled, radial engine which generated 2,000 horsepower. As depicted by Stokes is the aircraft of Squadron Commander David McCampbell of the USS Essex. McCampbell is the highest scoring US Naval aviator of all time. |
Big Tailed Beast by Stan Stokes. On July 24, 1945, Air Group 87 on board the USS Ticonderoga was informed that the Hyuga, anchored off a small island near Kure, Japan, would be its target. The ship, a WW I vintage battleship which had been modernized in 1936, and later converted to part battleship and part sea plane tender, would be a formidable objective with its impressive firepower and the fact that its location would place the attackers in the line of fire of numerous shore batteries. The ship was 704 feet in length, displaced 39,000 tons, and carried a compliment of Aichi E16A1 Zuiun reconaissance aircraft which were code named Paul by the Allies. Lt Cdr. Kanaga would lead the squadrons Curtiss SB2C Helldivers on the attack. Each of the twelve Helldivers would carry a 1,000 pound bomb in the internal bomb bay, a 260 pound fragmentation bomb under one wing and a droppable wing tank under the other wing. The drop tank weighed substantially more than the 260 pounder so it was anticipated that the Helldivers might be a bit unstable on takeoff. The first aircraft launched, that of Lt. Al Matteson, went into a immediate hard right turn given the uneven wing loading, and hit the water hard. The other Helldivers managed to become airborne, and eventually joined up for the outbound leg of the mission. The plan was for the Helldivers to dive bomb the Hyuga while torpedo bombers made glide bombing attacks, as the water was too shallow for use of torpedoes. In Stan Stokes painting entitled Big Tailed Beast, an SB2C-4E piloted by Lt. H. Paul Brehm pulls out over its target. Anti-aircraft fire is fierce, and the Hyuga is partially obscured by the incredible amount of smoke being generated by its AA guns. Lt. Brehm has decided to make his dive without dive flaps, hoping to make himself a faster moving target for the Hyugas gunners. During Brehms dive, the SB2C of Lt. Vaughn, which was immediately in front of him, went straight down, crashing next to the Hyuga in a great splash of white foam. Brehm released his bomb and pulled out very low over the target. He momentarily blacked out, and his windscreen fogged over. Brehm and his gunner W. Tommy Thompson, could feel the jolt from their 1000 pounder as it scored a direct hit. Returning to their Task Force low on fuel and in bad weather, Brehm was forced to ditch his Helldiver, but he and Thompson were rescued within minutes by the USS Chauncey. The mission was successful, but was not without cost as more than half the attacking Helldivers failed to return safely. The Curtiss SB2C was the last combat aircraft produced by Curtiss-Wright for the US Navy. The aircraft entered service in late 1943 supplementing the Navys SBD Dauntless dive bomber force. More than 7,000 of these large single engine aircraft were produced, with the most widely produced variant being the SB2C-4. Helldivers were capable of carrying a 2,000 pound bomb load, and could also be modified to be used in the torpedo bombing role. Referred to as The Big Tailed Beast by many of its pilots, the Helldiver had a top speed approaching 280-MPH, but also had the reputation of being one of the most difficult carrier based aircraft to land. As a result, many of the Helldivers lost during the War were victims of landing accidents. |
The Calm Before the Storm by Robert Taylor. Dawn had broken to reveal another glorious day in paradise, and on board the USS Arizona and the repair ship USS Vestal alongside, the crew were taking it easy. All next week they would be hard at work preparing for sea, but today was Sunday, and that meant light duties. On the Arizona, the duty crew were preparing the stern of the battleship, erecting the awnings for the ships band at Morning Colors. The young officer in charge smiled approvingly, it was an inspiring scene and he thought that the recently overhauled battleship had never looked more impressive. But within the hour he would glance skyward, and a frown of puzzlement crease his forehead as, out of nowhere, Japanese carrier-based aircraft were descending on the unsuspecting naval base. As he registers the bright red circles on their wings, the blood froze in his veins. He realized that hell had come to Pearl Harbor! Then, just before 08.10hrs, the unthinkable happened. A bomb from a Nakajima B5N Kate high-altitude bomber penetrated the ship's armor plated deck and exploded in the forward magazine. Within seconds a cataclysmic blast ripped through the Arizona, devastating the mighty ship which would burn for two days, taking with her the lives of nearly twelve hundred men. In tribute to all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor on that infamous day Robert Taylor has created his poignant new landmark painting. The Arizona has since become the focal point for the memorial at Pearl Harbor and this moving piece portrays this proud ship as those who survived would surely like to remember her - in all her glory prior to the attack. |
Battleship Row - The Aftermath by Robert Taylor. No text for this item |
The Element of Surprise by Robert Barbour. On 20th October 1943, Wildcat and Avenger aircraft from the Carrier US Core, on patrol north of the Azores, surprised U378, a type VIIC U-boat which had been active in that area. The element of surprise was so complete that the submarines guns remained unmanned throughout the action. |
Mission Beyond Darkness by Robert Taylor Following the attack against Admiral Ozawas Japanese carrier fleet on June 20, 1944, Admiral Mitscher defies all rules of naval engagement: In total darkness, with the ever-present danger of enemy submarines, he orders every ship in his Task Force 58 to switch on lights to guide over 100 returning carrier-borne aircraft, all desperately low on fuel. Amid the confusion, unable to get a landing slot aboard the USS Lexington, and now out of fuel, a pilot and his gunner scramble from their ditched SB2B Curtiss Helldiver, as a Fletcher class destroyer manoeuvres to make the pick up. |
Night of the Hunter, USS Wahoo by Anthony Saunders. Known as the Silent Service, the men of the United States Submarine Force were the unsung heroes of the US Navy. In World War Two, Submarine Force alone was responsible for sinking over fifty percent of Japanese Shipping - but the success came at a high price - one in five submarines did not survive the war. Here USS Wahoo, arguably the most famous US Submarine of the war, is seen surveying a kill during her fifth war patrol in 1943. USS Wahoo (SS-238) would also fall victim, sunk by Japanese aircraft and Japanese submarine chasers 15 and 43 in Soya Strait, Japan on the 11th of October 1943. |
Kearsarge Sinking The Alabama - June 19th, 1864 by Henry Alexander Ogden The USS Kearsarge sank the CSS Alabama on June 19, 1864, off the coast of Cherbourg, France, during a fierce naval battle in which the Kearsarge's superior firepower proved decisive. This victory marked a significant blow to the Confederate naval campaign and helped diminish the effectiveness of Confederate commerce raiders. |
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