Pacific ships

Photos and the story

Illustrious

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TypeAircraft carrier (CV)
Hull87
FateAfloat. Not sunk. Survived the war.
Command

Laid down, displacement, length, beam, draft, speed, and complement are not stored for each hull, so this table leaves them out.

Illustrious
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (R87) underway in the Indian Ocean, between March and May 1944. Public domain.

HMS Illustrious, pennant number 87, was a fleet carrier of the Royal Navy. Captain Charles Edward Lambe took command on 9 July 1944 and remained her captain until 31 July 1945.

On 1 April 1945, during the fighting at Okinawa, Illustrious was with Task Force 57 in the first Sakishima period. She came through that service afloat.

Captain William Derek Stephens relieved Lambe on 31 July 1945. He commanded the carrier until 7 January 1947. Illustrious was not sunk. She survived the war.

The pictures on this page are the originals.