The Huge WWII Mystery Aircraft Carrier USS Shangri-La!

Why is this massive WW2 Essex-class fleet aircraft carrier still a mystery to so many? And how did the USS Shangri-La get its very strange name? Believe it or not, it was named for James Doolittle and the famous Doolittle raid. The WWII aircraft carrier USS Hornet was the seventh Unites States Navy ship christened with that name. The USS Hornet’s sister carrier, USS Wasp, was the eighth American ship to carry that name. Both aircraft carriers would be lost in the Pacific theater in 1942 against the Japanese Imperial Navy. Through World War Two, American fleet aircraft carriers were named in succession after previous ships of the line…. Enterprise, Independence, Intrepid, Essex, Hornet and Wasp and later Bon Homme Richard, Cabot, Franklin, Kearsarge and Randolph Carriers were also named after notable historic American battle victories… Saratoga, Princeton and Yorktown, Bunker Hill, Antietam, Bennington, Ticonderoga and Bellau Wood. Therefore, battles won during WWII in the Pacific theater became the names of carriers meant to finish the Japanese off at the end WW2—USS Midway, Leyte and Coral Sea. The USS Shangri La seemed to defy all US Navy naming conventions of the day. If you enjoy learning obscure facts about World War II ships, like the aircraft carrier USS ShangriLa, then please consider subscribing to this channel because in a future video next we’ll talk about the extraordinary carrier landings that occurred only aboard the USS Shangri-La. My name is Ken Stano. Thank you for checking-out History X! Photo & Video Credits: -National Archives https://www.archives.gov -Naval History & Heritage Command https://www.history.navy.mil/research... -USS Shangri-La Reunion Association http://cva38.havoc-creative.com/ -Vintage Wings of Canada "Revenge of the Shang" https://www.vintagewings.ca/stories/r... COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1976, ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR “FAIR USE” FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. FAIR USE IS A USE PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT STATUTE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE INFRINGING. Screen captures and motion clips used in this video are protected by the Fair Use Law, section 107 used for commentary, criticism, news reporting or education for transformative use. https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/mo...