Ordered on 1 July 1940 as a Cleveland-class light cruiser, this ship was assigned hull number CL-61 and named Tallahassee, for the capital of Florida (NS022349).

Designated for completion as an aircraft carrier, was reclassified CV-23 on 16 February 1942; reordered from New York S.B., 18 March 1942. Renamed Princeton, 31 March 1942, after a borough in west central New Jersey (NS022349a), scene of a famous Revolutionary War battle (2–3 January 1777, NS022349b) and birthplace of Captain Robert F. Stockton, who commanded the first Princeton.

Previous ships that had borne the name:

1. A screw steamer, 1843–1849, the first screw steam warship of the US Navy.
2. A screw steamer, 1852–1855.
3. A gunboat, 1898–1919.

NS022349: Map courtesy of Hamstermap.com.

NS022349a: Map courtesy of Google Maps.

NS022349b: Washington Rallying the Americans at the Battle of Princeton, oil on canvas by William Ranney (1848), courtesy of the Princeton University Art Museum.

Tallahassee (CL-61) under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, on 1 July 1941. View shows the inner bottom, looking aft.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 19-N-44097.

Tallahassee (CL-61) under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, on 1 July 1941. View shows keel and bottom plating, with some double bottom structure worked in, looking aft from beyond the bow.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 19-N-44098.

Tallahassee (CL-61) under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, on 1 October 1941. View shows bottom plating and lower hull structure, looking aft from frame 79.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 19-N-44096.

Tallahassee (CL-61) under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, on 1 January 1942. View shows structure of the lower hull of the ship, looking aft from frame 91.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 19-N-44091.

CV-23 under construction on 1 April 1942, the day after she was renamed from Tallahassee to Princeton. The main deck is being installed but can be seen to be incomplete near the stern.

Photograph from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD, # 19-N-44086.

Princeton (CV-23), two days before launch. Forward gun tub is for a 5"/38 gun that was originally planned for the class and was replaced with a smaller tub with a quad 40MM mount before her shakedown cruise. The band stand that will be used as part of the launching ceremony has been built up around the bow.

Photograph from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD, # 19-N-46449.

Two days before launch, showing the aft 5"/38 gun tub the class was originally designed with. When the quad 40MM was in place, this tub always had the underside of the platform enclosed and the guns did not survive long enough to make it on to Princeton's shakedown cruise.

Photograph from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD, # 19-N-46450.

Mrs. Lillian Fay Brakeley, wife of Princeton University Vice President and Treasurer George Brakeley, and Matron of Honor; Rear Admiral Mylo F. Draemel, Commandant of the 4th Naval District; and Mrs. Margaret Dodds, wife of University of Princeton President Harold Dodds, sponsor, after the successful launch of the light carrier Princeton (CV-23), 18 October 1942.

(Special thanks to Sean Hert, who was able to find out Lillian Brakeley's first name via her husband's draft card.)

Photograph from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD, # 19-N-46448.

Launching, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, Camden, New Jersey, on 18 October 1942.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives (# 19-N-46451).

Yard tugs push the captured carrier hull up to dock for her immediate post launch cleanup. Note openings for exhaust stacks.

Photograph from the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, MD, # 19-N-46452.

USS Princeton (CV-23) underway in the Delaware River, off the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, 28 March 1943.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives (# 19-N-42899).

Another view, as above (photo # 19-N-42904).

Underway in the Atlantic area, during her shakedown cruise, 31 May 1943.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-65969).

Underway in the Atlantic area, during her shakedown cruise, 31 May 1943. Planes parked aft include nine SBD scout bombers and twelve F4F fighters.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (photo # 80-G-65971).

USS Princeton (CV-23) with dark paint work to Measure 14 or 21, on 31 May 1943, about three months after commissioning. Whip radio antennas may be seen on the port side of the flight deck. She has F4F Wildcat and SBD Dauntless aircraft on her flight deck aft. Photo USN.

Photo and text from Aircraft Carriers of the U.S. Navy, by Stefan Terzibaschitsch.

Stern view of USS Princeton (CV-23) underway on 31 May 1943, during her shakedown cruise. Nine SBD Dauntless and twelve F4F Wildcat aircraft are parked on her flight deck.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-65972.

Bow view of USS Princeton (CV-23) underway on 31 May 1943, during her shakedown cruise. Nine SBD Dauntless and twelve F4F Wildcat aircraft are parked on her flight deck.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-65973.

A Grumman F6F-5P Hellcat of VF-23 that crashed on landing on the flight deck of USS Princeton (CVL-23), breaking into two pieces. USN photo.

Independence class. ONI 54-CV, Division of Naval Intelligence, Identification and Characteristics Section, 11-43.

Photos of USS Princeton (CVL-23) and USS Cowpens (CVL-25).

USS Princeton (CVL-23) at Puget Sound Navy Yard, 1 January 1944, with radar antennas noted. Bow view, starboard side.

Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC) photo, # NH 64657.

USS Princeton (CVL-23) off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 1 January 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC), # NH 95647.

Another view, as above (photo # NH 95648).

Another view, as above (photo # NH 95649).

USS Princeton (CVL-23) steaming off Seattle, Washington, 3 January 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Historical Center (# NH 95650).

USS Princeton (CVL-23) steaming at 20 knots off Seattle, Washington, 3 January 1944.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Historical Center (# NH 95651).

Seen here sporting a solid Measure 21 camouflage scheme, she was repainted into Measure 33/Design 7A either at Bremerton (Jan. 1944) or at Pearl Harbor (May 1944). She was lost in October 1944 wearing the latter scheme.

Although ships of this class had only one catapult as original equipment, around 1945 some were fitted with a second one. Note that Princeton is carrying SK and SC-2 radars.

(Thanks to Robert Hurst, who provided additional info).

USS Princeton (CVL-23) underway. BuAer photo # 321679. Photo is undated, but judging from ship's camouflage it must have been taken in 1943 or, perhaps, early (January–May) 1944.

USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)—right foreground—steaming in formation with USS Lexington (CV-16) and a DD-348-class destroyer, during pre-invasion operations in the Marianas area, 13 June 1944. Both carriers belonged to Task Group 58.3.

Note: Even though the CVL in this photo is generally identified as San Jacinto, details of her camouflage paint suggest she might actually be USS Princeton (CVL-23).

Carrier raids on Formosa, October 1944 — A Japanese airplane crashes near USS Princeton (CVL-23), during an air raid off Formosa, 14 October 1944. Battleship in the left distance is probably USS South Dakota (BB-57) or USS Alabama (BB-60).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-285050).

Fighting Squadron 27 was established as VGF-27 on 22 April 1942 and operated F4F-4 Wildcats from USS Suwannee (ACV-27) between October 1942 and February 1943. Redesignated VF-27 on 1 March 1943, the squadron operated ashore at Guadalcanal until July, except for a brief period at sea in June. After reforming with F6F Hellcats, VF-27 embarked in USS Princeton (CVL-23) for one of the most spectacular CVL cruises, May–October 1944. FitRon 27 made its last war cruise aboard USS Independence (CVL-22), July–September 1945, and was disestablished 26 October 1945.

Text adapted from U.S. Navy Fighter Squadrons in World War II, by Barrett Tillman.

"Capt. John M. [('Peg-leg')] Hoskins, who had been prospective commanding officer of CVL-23 and lost his right foot with her, but who, despite the loss, would become the 1st commanding officer of the fifth Princeton (CV-37)."

"Designed by 'Disney' for the Princeton"

"USS Princeton (CVL-23), sunk 24 October 1944 in the Battle of Leyte Gulf"

Ernest John Schirmer was a Photographer's Mate on USS Princeton (CVL-23) when she was sunk.

USS Princeton, The Mighty "P", a poem. Typed on onion skin paper.

USS Princeton, The Mighty "P", a history. Typed on onion skin paper.

Box art for model of USS Princeton (CVL-23), from Dragon Models.