USS Enterprise
The USS Enterprise (CV-6), one of the most famous American aircraft carriers of World War II, was an intricate and formidable vessel. Its main deck was actually the hangar deck, not the flight deck, which is typically found on other ships. The internal layout below the hangar deck is referred to as decks, while everything above, including the island structure, is referred to as levels. The island housed critical areas like the Navigation Bridge, Flag Bridge, air and radar control, and later the Combat Information Center.
Flight Operations:
The flight deck itself had nine arresting wires aft and four crash barriers to safely land aircraft. Enterprise could carry around 80 aircraft, and during the Battle of Midway, it embarked a mix of F4F Wildcats, SBD Dauntlesses, and TBD Devastators. The island also supported anti-aircraft gun mounts and the CXAM-1 radar for early-warning detection.
Deck and Maintenance:
One level below the flight deck was the gallery deck, where the ship’s captain and embarked admiral had their quarters. This deck also contained the ready rooms for the squadrons and housed various machine guns for defense. The hangar deck, the ship’s operational core, was open on both sides and used for the maintenance and servicing of aircraft. Three elevators connected it to the flight deck above, and roller curtains shielded it from weather.
Crew and Living Quarters:
Below the hangar deck, the second deck accommodated a large portion of the crew, who slept in bunks stacked three high. Officers had their quarters on the first, second, and third decks, with bunks stacked two high, and shared spaces ranging from two to eight officers per room. The wardroom mess and officer’s lounge were located on the second deck, while the third deck was home to storerooms, mess halls for various ranks, and the ship’s sick bay.
Engineering and Storage:
The fourth deck was primarily used for storage, including supplies, ammunition, and food. The lower decks housed the ship’s vital engineering spaces, including the boilers and machinery that powered the ship’s four propeller shafts, ensuring the Enterprise could maneuver effectively during combat.