Not quite on the radar as a main tourist attraction, the USS Hornet is well worth a visit. It’s of particular interest for those interested in the history of World War II and aviation. She was launched in 1941, served in World War II and also served in the recovery of the Apollo 11 and 12 space capsules. The onboard exhibits include an Apollo space capsule and one of the trailers used to quarantine the astronauts once they had returned to earth.
While in service she was instrumental in shooting down 668 Japanese airplanes and in sinking quite a number of ships. She had quite a colorful history.
The Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation preserves the legacy of USS Hornet as a national historic landmark. We visited the Hornet on a Monday afternoon arriving about 2:00 pm. Admission was $15 for seniors. Once onboard we found the docents very knowledgeable and friendly. There were not many visitors that afternoon, so we felt like we had the whole ship to ourselves. Onboard are a variety of aircraft and exhibits, with something for all ages to enjoy. You can even climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet.
We spent about an hour and a half touring the exhibits which gave us a taste for the history. One could easily spend hours here if you wanted to take in the exhibits in more depth. There are also docent led tours to various parts of the ship that are not open for self-guided tours.
The ship was designed for a crew consisting of 86 officers and 1280 men and an air complement consisting of 141 officers and 710 men. I came away from the tour with a greater appreciation for the role of the ship and of the various aircraft that would have flown off the deck of the carrier.
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