USS Yorktown CV-5

[Steindaddie]

Never know what someone has in their closet! This guy was on the Yorktown from 1939 until it was sunk at Midway in 1942. Happily enough, he sent a number of items home before his ship went to battle.

Fans of such items will appreciate this: a genuine USS Yorktown cap. I'd never even found the ribbon, much less one on it's original cap.

[Steindaddie]

Some various programs....

[Steindaddie]

couple more....

[Steindaddie]

Photo of a jitterbug contest 11 April 1942 The dancers are named as Sid Flum (in the skirt) and Pete Montalvo - check out the cool bandstands. And one of the Yorktown being torpedoed at Midway in June '42. I've seen the pic plenty of times but what I like about this one is it's dated July 1942 and marked as a classified official navy photo.

[Steindaddie]

Given all their stuff went down with the Yorktown, survivors had the clothes on their backs. The pass makes sense: the warehouses in Hawaii wouldn't be stocked with amounts near enough to replace the uniforms of almost 3,000 men.

[bleujacket34]

I think my jaw about hit the floor when I saw that flat hat hahaha. What an amazing find. I also totally love the picture of the jitterbug competition that is just hilarious and a great piece showing some down time for the sailors. So many great details in a picture like that! You really got your self one gem of a grouping there! I am extremely jealous :jeal0001:

Thank you for sharing this wonderful find!

Andrew

[lritger]

My grandfather helped lay the deck of CV-5 as part of his apprenticeship at the Newport News Shipyard back in the late 30s, and I've always had a soft spot for that ship because of that family connection. He worked on everything from the Yorktown up to the Nimitz, passing away from a heart attack while vaulting up the stairs to the Hull Drawing Room back in August 1975... but the Yorktown was apparently the first ship he worked on, so it's pretty special.

 

My jaw is still sore from hitting the desk when the pics from your new collection loaded... what an absolutely incredible find.

 

Lynn

[spagg]

WoW, that is one heck of a find. Absolutely incredible collection. :thumbsup:

 

Congrats,

Sal

[topdcnut]

The Hat was ubercool as they say but that dungare chow hall pass.............my jaw dropped on that! You open a group like that and time stands still for a moment!

[R Leonard]

Here's one of the very, very few surviving documents from VF-3 on Yorktown at Midway. My father folded this up and shoved it in the pocket of his flight jacket as he left the ready room to be third of the last eight fighter pilots to take off from the ship before she was torpedoed.

 

[Steindaddie]

RAL - That document is great!

 

And folks, here's another item from the same man who owned the hat. I don't know the date this style jumper was was phased out other than sometime in the 1930's. This sailor is a research work in progress and thus far I've learned he served on USS Lexington (CV-2) and a was plankowner on the Yorktown (CV-5). As the Yorktown went to war, he apparently "downsized" his stuff and sent home anything not needed. This of course included phased out clothing items such as the named flat hat and the old style jumper. And for history's sake, we can be glad he did.

[Steindaddie]

Here's his rate.