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NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive


Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USS WRIGHT   (CVL-49)
(later AVT-7 and CC-2)

CLASS - SAIPAN
Displacement 14,500 Tons, Dimensions, 683' 7" (oa) x 76' 8" x 28' (Max)
Armament 40 x 40mm, 32x 20mm, 48 Aircraft.
Armor, 4" Belt, 2 1/2" Deck.
Machinery, 120,000 SHP; G.E. Geared Turbines, 4 screws
Speed, 33 Knots, Crew 1787.
Operational and Building Data

Laid down on 21 Aug 1944 at Camden, N.J., by the New York Shipbuilding Corp.; launched on 1 Sep 1945, and commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 9 Feb 1947. Decommissioned on 15 Mar 1956. During her time in reserve, Wright was reclassified on 15 May 1959, an auxiliary aircraft transport, AVT-7. Recommissioned at Puget Sound on 11 May 1963 as a command ship, designated CC-2. Ultimately decommissioned on 27 May 1970, Wright was placed in reserve at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

FATE: Stricken from the Navy List on 1 Dec 1977, and sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping on 1 Aug 1980.

Click On Image 
For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
The Wright Brothers
NS024951		 40k CVL-49 was named after the Wright brothers: Wilbur (1867-1912, right) and Orville (1871-1948, left), aviation pioneers who made the first sustained, controlled, powered airplane flight in history, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, December 17, 1903. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
As a Light Aircraft Carrier, CVL-49
CVL-49 Wright
NS024904		 91k March 27, 1947 Navy photo of the Wright, a month and a half after her commissioning. Her cruiser-inspired hull lines are visible in this photo. While the class was designed using the Baltimore-class heavy cruiser hull, they were intended as light carriers from the time they were laid down. © Green Creek Studios

NS024911
 76k Closeup of bridge and Hellcat, 1948. USN
CVL-49 Wright
NS024901		 102k Undated, probably taken in the early 1950s. USN
CVL-49 Wright
NS024908		 95k Taken in 1949 or 1952 in New York. © George Bartlett
CVL-49 Wright
NS024905		 213k Starboard bow view of the Wright in an undated early 1950s Navy photo after having been converted to an ASW carrier. She carries a tall HF/DF mainmast, necessary for her new role. © Green Creek Studios
CVL-49 Wright
NS024906		 175k Port bow view of the Wright, taken in the early 1950s. © Green Creek Studios
CVL-49 Wright
NS024960		 51k

USS Wright (CVL-49), location and date unknown but probably taken in the early 1950s (note tall mainmast and SPS-6B radar antenna on the foremast).

Official U.S. Navy photo. U.S. National Archives, San Francisco.

 Tracy White, Researcher @ Large
CVL-49 Wright
NS024925		 39k Observation/liaison plane landing and taking off. Probably taken in the early 1950s. Edwin Kaukali
CVL-49 Wright
NS024926		 31k
CVL-49 Wright
NS024927		 58k Date and place unknown (probably taken in the early 1950s). Edwin Kaukali
CVL-49 Wright
NS024928		 138k With F2H Banshees of Experimental & Development Squadron VX-3 (tail code "XC") on deck. Location unknown; taken in the early 1950s. Edwin Kaukali
CVL-49 Wright
NS024924		 244k Undated. Probably taken in the early 1950s. Edwin Kaukali
CVL-49 Wright
NS024929		 127k
As a Command Ship, CC-2
CVL-49 Wright
NS024902		 11k (Small Image) Configured as Command ship (CC-2). USN
CVL-49 Wright
NS024907		 232k The USS Wright (CC-2) as converted to a Command Ship. She was commissioned as CC-2 on May 11, 1963 as part of the National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA) program. The converted Baltimore-class heavy cruiser USS Northampton (CA-125/CC-1) was her fleetmate in this program. The USS Saipan (CVL-48) had originally been slated for this duty and was in the initial stages of her conversion when she was redesignated as a Major Communications Relay Ship (AMGR-2). When the NECPA program was abandoned, the Wright was decommissioned, this occurring on May 27, 1970. She was stricken on December 1, 1977 and scrapped, this beginning in August, 1980. © Green Creek Studios

NS024909
 87k June 1963, showing communications antennas. USN

NS024917
 82k As above. USN

NS024918
 114k As above. USN

NS024921
 82k Arriving in San Diego in June 1963. USN

NS024919
 96k Underway, September 1963. USN

NS024920
 115k As above. USN

NS024922
 85k Off Southern California in September 1963. USN
CVL-49 Wright
NS024903		 52k Configured as Command Ship CC-2, Chesapeake Bay, July 1964. © Richard Leonhardt

NS024923
 53k Stbd bow view taken 14 Oct 1966 in the VACAPES operating area. Photo by PH2 L.A. Bowders, USN, US Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA. photo number 17235-10-66. Gary Priolo

NS024949
 61k From "All Hands" magazine, November 1968 edition. Joe Radigan, MACM, USN, Ret.

NS024950
 87k From "All Hands" magazine, November 1968 edition. Joe Radigan, MACM, USN, Ret.

NS024952
 27k An aerial port side view of the crew manning the rails, 1968. Karl Priest

NS024953
 103k A 3/4 starboard view of the ship underway with some crew members on the A Deck, 1968. Karl Priest

NS024954
 140k After a cruise. Karl Priest

NS024955
 103k Berthing. Karl Priest

NS024956
 77k Entering NYC. Karl Priest

NS024957
 84k Evening at sea. Karl Priest

NS024958
 27k USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) off bow. The photo was taken 8 May 1968, about 180 miles south of Norfolk. Scanned from the ship's magazine. Karl Priest

NS024959
 117k "The antenna deck looked a little like Madison Square Garden as the Wright-Guys witnessed several sparring contests at the May 'Smoker.'" Scanned from the ship's magazine. Karl Priest

NS024916
 86k

Jacket patch of the ship's insignia. Its design is based on the National shield, with an American eagle and globe in the lower right. The lightning bolt in the eagle's talons represents command and communications, Wright's mission. The motto "Vox Imperii" is translated "voice of the leaders." The original patch was received from USS Wright in 1970.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph (# NH 69468-KN).

 NHC

For more photos and information about this ship, see:
USS WRIGHT CVL-49 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)
Crew Contact and Reunion Information
Date:  
Place:  
Contact: Ray Sheridan, President, USS Wright Alumni Association
Address: 2518 Smoldering Wood Dr. — Arlington,Texas 76016
Phone:  
E-mail: Ray.Sheridan@juno.com
Web site: USS Wright (AV-1, AZ-1, AG-79, CVL-49, CC-2) Alumni Association
Remarks:  
Related Links
Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Official U.S. Navy Carrier Website
USS Wright (AV-1, AZ-1, AG-79, CVL-49, CC-2) Alumni Association
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Last update: 27 July 2008