Saratoga had a much longer combat career: she was torpedoed twice, and her aircraft sank the Japanese light carrier Ryujo in mid-1942. Her later service included Southwest Pacific operations and an Indian Ocean deployment alongside HMS Illustrious under Admiral Somerville. After serving as a training carrier, Saratoga returned to combat for Iwo Jima. The kamikaze damage she survived there is presented as more than some purpose-built carriers could have endured. Her survival offers evidence for the structural strength inherited from the Lexington battlecruiser design.
Notable Point · 30:52-31:45
Saratoga's combat career and survival
Saratoga's torpedoings, carrier strike, overseas deployments, and kamikaze damage reveal the converted hull's resilience.