What Is the Length of the USS Intrepid's Anchor Chain?
The USS Intrepid (CV-11) is an Essex class aircraft carrier built in 1943 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock company. Known as "the Fighting I," she is best known for her World War II combat record, which includes the sinking of two Japanese battleships during "the Battle of Leyte Gulf" in 1944.
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Additional Combat Contributions
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The USS Intrepid proved battle-ready in many other significant World War II battles where she destroyed over 600 enemy aircraft. In addition, she was called to combat during Vietnam and served as a NASA recovery ship prior to her decommissioning in 1974.
Intrepid Dimensions
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At 898 feet in length, the USS Intrepid is the size of almost 9 football fields. She weighs 27,100 tons and carried a variety of armament along with 100 aircraft and a crew of 3,400 commissioned and non-commissioned naval personnel.
According to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, the ship houses two anchor chains. The center anchor chain is 225 fathoms (1,350 feet or 15 shots) and the starboard side anchor chain is 135 fathoms (810 feet or 9 shots). Each anchor chain link weighs approximately 250 pounds.
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Intrepid Museum
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The USS Intrepid is preserved at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City on Manhattan's Westside waterfront. It is part of an interactive display that chronicles the ship's history from launch to decommission.
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References
- Photo Credit aircraft carrier image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
