USS Essex (CV-9) Country: USA Type: Aircraft carrier Service: 1942 - 1969 Ordered: 3 July 1940 Laid down: 28 April 1941 Launched: 31 July 1942 Commissioned: 31 December 1942 Decommissioned: 9 January 1947 Recommissioned: 15 January 1951 Decommissioned: 30 June 1969 Struck: 1 June 1973 Fate: Sold for scrap 1975

Essex class aircraft carriers were deployed by the United States Navy during the latter half of Second World War and continued in service during the Korean War and Vietnam. A total of 24 ships were built, including the long-hull Ticonderoga variant, which some consider a separate class. Thirty-two were originally ordered, however six were cancelled before construction, and two were cancelled after construction had begun. The Essex-class aircraft carriers remained in US naval service until the supercarriers began to be deployed in numbers during the 1960s and 1970s.

USS Essex (CV-9) (later designated CVA-9 and CVS-9) was a United States Navy aircraft carrier, the lead ship of her class. She was launched on 31 July 1942 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. Essex was in active service during World War II. On 9 January 1947 she was placed out of commission in reserve. Modernization of Essex during this period resulted in a new flight deck and a streamlined island superstructure.

On 16 January 1951 the aircraft carrier was recommissioned. Essex was deployed during the Korean War. On 1 October 1952 she was reclassified CVA-9. In July 1955 USS Essex was again docked for repairs and extensive alterations, including installation of an angled flight deck. With the modernization completed, the carrier returned to service with the Pacific Fleet in March 1956. On 8 March 1960 Essex was reclassified CVS-9. Not generally known to the Essex crew, at the time, was that the aircraft carrier had been tasked to provide air support to the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961. Essex was the prime recovery carrier for the Apollo 7 mission in 1968. USS Essex was ultimately decommissioned 30 June 1969. She was struck from the Navy List on 1 June 1973, and sold for scrap 1 June 1975.