USS Midway's 80th Birthday & 4th Annual Multi-Cultural Celebration

History of the USS Midway (CV-41)

The USS Midway (CV-41) was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. Named after the climactic Battle of Midway of June 1942, Midway was built in only 17 months but missed World War II by one week when commissioned on September 10, 1945.

Midway was the first in a three-ship class of large carriers that featured an armored flight deck and a powerful air group of 120 planes. In 1946, it became the first American carrier to operate in the midwinter sub-Arctic, developing new flight deck procedures. Midway became the only ship to launch a captured German V-2 rocket the following year.

On April 11, 1992, the Midway was decommissioned in San Diego. It remained in the inactive ship fleet in Bremerton, Washington, until 2003, when it was donated to the 501(c)3 nonprofit San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum organization. It opened as the USS Midway Museum in June 2004.