Carrier bows must suit their operating ocean

Why did U.S. carriers move between open and closed bow arrangements?

The best choice depends on operating seas and flight-deck demands; North Atlantic operations make a closed bow far more attractive.

Pacific and mid-Atlantic operations impose different demands from harsh North Atlantic conditions. An open bow can be acceptable in calmer operating areas and can support deck-parking arrangements. A strengthened flight deck and repeated exposure to heavy northern seas make a closed bow more attractive. Postwar American experience operating with the Royal Navy made that environmental trade-off harder to dismiss. The design choice follows intended waters and flight-deck demands rather than a simple progression from old to new.