Spacecraft Recovery
9 November 1967: Apollo 4
General Characteristics:
Awarded: 15 December, 1941
Keel laid: 15 Dec 1942
Launched: 26 Feb 1944
Commissioned: 6 Aug 1944 and again 13 Nov 1952
Decommissioned: 8 Nov 1946 and again 15 Jan 1970
Builder: New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Propulsion system: 8 boilers (565 psi, 850°F); 4 steam turbines; 4 shafts; 150,000 shp (design)
Propellers: four
Length: 824.5 feet (251.3 meters) (final full load)
Beam: 101 feet (30.8 meters) (final full load)
Draft: 30.1 feet (9.2 meters) (final full load)
Aircraft elevators: two
Displacement: 30,800 tons standard; 41,200 tons full load (final)
Speed: 32 (max) / 30.3 (sust) knots (final)
Aircraft: ~50 (in CVS role)
Armament: 7 single 5"/38 gun mounts; 4 twin 3"/50 gun mounts (final)
Crew: 2,300+ (ship's company + air wing) (final)
More information on USS Bennington from the United States Navy.
USS Bennington was originally designated CV-20. On 1 October 1952 it was redesignated as an attack carrfier, CVA-20. On 30 June 1959 it was again redesignated as an anti-submarine warfare support carrier, CVS-20. Bennington earned three battle stars for World War II service and five battle stars during the Vietnam conflict. It was sold for scrap, 12 January 1994. Island demolished at Port Angeles, Washington, September-December 1994. Hulk towed across the Pacific; arrived Alang, India for scrapping, early March 1995.
