The survivor of the most devastating attack on a U.S. aircraft carrier

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In March 1945, a single Japanese dive bomber struck the USS Franklin with two bombs. The resulting carnage was so intense that of the men in the hangar deck, only two survived. Despite being the most heavily damaged U.S. carrier to survive the war, the vessel's story is one of incredible resilience.

Nicknamed "Big Ben," the USS Franklin (CV-13) was among the 24 Essex-class carriers commissioned throughout World War II. She received four battle stars during various Pacific operations, but her most significant event took place in March 1945. A lone Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bomber hit the vessel with two 550-pound (250 kg) semi-armour-piercing bombs during strikes against the Japanese mainland.

The damage was catastrophic. At the time of the strike, 31 armed and fueled aircraft were warming up on the flight deck. The bombs ignited these planes, releasing 13 to 16 tons of high explosives that detonated progressively. The explosion was compounded by "Tiny Tim" air-to-surface rockets, whose 138 lb (63 kg) warheads detonated as they ricocheted around the hangar deck. The devastation was so absolute that in the hangar deck, only two men survived the blast.

The attack resulted in the loss of 807 crew members. Throughout the war, the Franklin's complement suffered 924 killed in action, the highest number for any surviving U.S. warship and the second-highest overall, surpassed only by the USS Arizona. Though she returned to the U.S. mainland for repairs and missed the end of the war, she remains a testament to the sheer scale of naval combat in the Pacific theater.

The ship's history is often subject to naming misconceptions. While some erroneously report she was named for the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, she was actually named in honor of the founding father Benjamin Franklin.

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