Eastern Fleet: USS Saratoga with HMS Illustrious 

This is fantastic footage. I read a book by Norman Hanson called Carrier pilot. He served on HMS Illustrious flying Corsairs. I have a lot of respect for everyone involved in naval aviation

Just watching this film roll by, and I know this is highly improbable, but at around 3;26 there's a scene with damaged craft in deck, and there's a sailor in dark clothing on the right rear (our perspective) who seems to be attempting to free something up. He grabs something on the craft with his left hand, then as the film rolls, you can see he has a small mallet and begins striking the part. My father had a very distinctive silhouette, he had a pronounced strong brow ridge, a strong nose and his most distinctive feature were his protruding ears, which gave him the nickname "Mickey" from Michael. Dad never spoke about the war unless I pressed and pressed when I was a young boy, and even when he got tired of my constant bugging he only gave very vague details. Even Mum knew very little about his WWII service, and the only way we discovered he was even on a naval vessel during the war, was when Mum caught him acting uncharacteristically odd, and early one morning before he walked the five miles to work, he threw a large box to the curb for garbage pick up. Mum bolted out there before the truck arrived and brought the box to the kitchen. As a young boy, I was very struck by her reaction upon finding the contents, and it drove her to sobbing, which I had never witnessed from Mum, she went through the war assembling bomb components, at locations which were obviously very high priority Luftwaffe targets. She was in many close calls, with civilian building struck, and collapsing all around her. One of the stories Mum told me about was a time during a bomb raid, where her close friend and mum had been stuck in a building, which collapsed and they both tried in vain to stop the girl's father from bleeding to death with a large neck wound, which ended his life. My Mum was a very strong, honest and loving woman, and seeing her all messed up like that was scary. In the box to my best recollection was Dad's "officer's log book" a large folder full of what I now believe were WWII documents, can't be certain - a bunch of medals and a bunch of championship boxing trophies. Apparently Dad was defeated just once in the Navy boxing club, or whatever they called it. Mum knew absolutely nothing about any of this. I vaguely remember reading through the log book, and there was a narrative which alluded to Dad having "achieved the highest standard of academic" something or another. I am so blessed and grateful that my mother gave me at least some of those medals, after I had my first son of three in my early 20s. I asked her to keep them for me, and I cannot recall exactly when I picked them up and I have them today. Dad managed to get rid of some of the medals, and other items, but I believe his log book is still around, and I think one of my sisters may have it. Unfortunately the family wants nothing to do with her, and so I may never get to see that log book again. Seeing that sailor just now set me aback, and I am a bit shook up, which is very much NOT like me. Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you all, knowing how much you respect, and honor these incredible men, who we are losing, and are dwindling in numbers. I raised all my boys to have the highest respect, and thankful hearts for the WWII vets in particular, but also they respect and understand that ALL of our precious soldiers, sailors, pilots etc who served in battle are incredible brave, and heroic men and women. And "heroic" does NOT mean fearless, that is a fantasy regarding ALL of us. Rather, these brave men and women went into battle, bled, and died for ALL OF US! I have also made very certain my boys honor ALL our military men and women including those who are ready and willing to take the fight to the enemy, but have not been in combat. ALL of the vets who have been in combat were that exact position, where they were trained, and ready to go anytime they were called upon!! And so right here right now I am thanking every single one of the men and women who serve us, and fight to make sure we can ALL live in freedom, and have the right of freedom of speech and the right to voice even the most vile of their personal paradigm! We won't agree with everything others say, but it is an extremely dangerous thing for ANY of us to demand our freedoms be limited to any one specific paradigm. You cannot set a third of your house on fire without burning down the entire house! Thank you ALL for you service, your honor, and life! Thank you also to all the families and loved ones who either have, or risk losing one of their dearly loved family and friends. The families all too often get overlooked, and not purposefully, but we must try to not leave these wonderful people out of our thanks, hearts, and prayers. Jack - Canada

Little known fact HMS Victorious one of the Illustrious class carriers was lent to the US and served in the US navy for 9 months mainly along side Saratoga.

My father served on HMS Illustrious, a fantastic ship.

My father was on that carrier at the time these video were shot.

My grandfather was on the Saratoga in this film, probably near or on the bridge.

Remember those men so far from home in a very dangerous and unforgiving environment.

Cool footage. My grandfather was out there on the Sara at that time. I think I saw him wave!

I had a very rare photo (burned in a house fire), with a Gloster Meteor on the Illustrious. Was taken shortly after WW2 by my sister's boyfriend who was stationed on the Illustrious. Wish I still had it :(

Courage and Bravery does not mean an absence of fear.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Been brothers in arm's for some time now what brave lads on that ship

As a kid, I remember my dad taking me and my brothers (ca., 1958-59-60?), to the jetties at Mayport Naval Station to watch The Saratoga come in or leave out, along with The Roosevelt and one other I cannot remember the name of. Later on, after they built more onto the base, I played music for sailors at the EM Club, and in playing the Acey Duecey Club, I saw The Boxer, loaded with helicopters, bound for Vietnam.

There was a time when the Royal Navy was able to see the US Navy eyeball to eyeball.

Brits showed Corsair could land on carriers with curve approach.

Shoulder to shoulder

There's nothing better than US AND UK fighting side by side we have the best troops in the game!

Cool to see the UK flying Hellcats. All this looks comparatively early since the insignia is since a rounded. I’ve never seen Corsairs with such heavily-framed cockpits, either.

My grandpa was on deck of the USS Saratoga when the kamakaze pilot crashed into the ship. I wonder if one of these brave men in this video is him.

Somewhere on the old Sara is my dad feel like I should wave thank you

historic film

British carriers could stand Kamikaze attacks because of the steel decks.

A nice lot of film footage. .

Saratoga was sunk in the operation crossroads atomic bomb tests at bikini atoll in 1946

If the Royal Navy is flying Corsairs, that has to be the Saratoga!

That right there is how the Germans and Japenese lost.

No sound???

Love the old Brit tow tractor!! Ex ABH3 V1 Div

This is the way he faught in USS Saratoga

Search BAE Illustrious

8:48 That looks like a De Havilland Hornet, which is impossible for the time and theatre of operations. Suggestions, anyone?

I can see a KGV class battleship. What ship it is? King Georg V? Hanson? Howe? Duke of York? Of course can´t be Prince of Wales because it was be sunk in 1941...

Norman Hanson probably one of the Corsair pilots. His book is excellent. Man, those Barracudas have some hair-raising takeoffs. Terrible aeroplane. US really crapped over us in terms of WW2 carrier aircraft development (except the Stringbag, of course, but that’s more out of sentimentality).

No ara ara?

Brits had to love the Corsairs and Hellcats those Barracudas look awful.

My grandpa faught in the Korean conflict war

Which year which occasion

Barracuda 2 probably one of the ugliest aircraft of all time :)

Ну и зачем надо было взрывать последний в мире линейный корабль, сохранившийся со времён Наполеона? Неужели нельзя было его сохранить для потомков???

Remember the US didn't want them out there.