USS Essex CVS-9

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Spacecraft Recovery
    22 October 1968: Apollo 7

General Characteristics: Awarded: 1940
Keel laid: April 28, 1941
Launched: July 31, 1942
Commissioned: December 31, 1942
Decommissioned: June 30, 1969
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va.
Propulsion system: 8 boilers
Propellers: four
Aircraft elevators: three
Arresting gear cables: four
Catapults: two
Length: 876 feet (267 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 191.9 feet (58.5 meters)
Beam: 101 feet (30.8 meters)
Draft: 30.8 feet (9.4 meters)
Displacement: approx. 40,600 tons full load
Speed: 33 knots
Planes: 80-100 planes
Crew: approx. 3448
Armament:  
1943: 12 5-inch (12.7 cm) 38 caliber guns, 32 40mm guns and 44 20mm guns
1951: 8 5-inch (12.7 cm) 38 caliber guns and 28 3-inch (7.6 cm) 50 caliber guns
1957: 7 5-inch (12.7 cm) 38 caliber guns and 14 3-inch (7.6 cm) 50 caliber guns
1959: 7 5-inch (12.7 cm) 38 caliber guns
1964: 4 5-inch (12.7 cm) 38 caliber guns

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