From the Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company-- Wikipedia.
During World War II, there was a great need for aircraft carriers to train the huge number of pilots needed in their service. It was too dangerous for "practice" carriers on the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, but the Great Lakes were safe from enemy attack.
This company's ship, Greater Buffalo, 598 feet, was converted into the aircraft carrier USS Sable. On its first day of service, 59 pilots became qualified after nine hours of operating planes with each doing eight landings and take-offs from the new carrier.
Landings and take-offs took place seven days a week. One of the pilots who trained on the Sable was future president George H.W. Bush.
The Buffalo Line's See and Bee became the USS Wolverine aircraft carrier, also used on the Great Lakes.
Another Detroit and Cleveland Navigation Company ship, the Greater Detroit, was not taken by the Navy and during the war saw its passenger revenue increase dramatically, partly due to gas rationing. But business fell off tremendously after the war and the ship was soon retired.
--GreGen
My Cooter's History Blog has become about 80% World War II anyway, so I figured to start a blog specific to it, especially since we're commemorating its 70th anniversary and we are quickly losing this "Greatest Generation." The quote is taken from Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Curre, who was on the USS Tennessee that day. He died Dec. 7, 2011, seventy years to the day. His photo is below at right.
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