The USS Bennington, part of the U.S. Navy's Essex-class aircraft carriers, played a pivotal role during World War II and beyond. With a displacement of 34,000 tons and capable of speeds up to 17 miles per hour, the Bennington was a formidable presence, enhanced by innovative deck-edge elevators that increased flight deck area and operational efficiency.
The USS Constellation (CV-64), affectionately known as “America’s Flagship,” served as a Kitty Hawk-class supercarrier introduced in the early 1960s during the U.S. Navy's expansion of advanced carriers post-World War II. She was built to defeat America's enemies anywhere on the planet.
In 1960, fire broke out on the hangar deck of the nearly completed aircraft carrier USS Constellation at the New York Naval Shipyard; 50 civilian workers were killed.