Which ship was the first aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history?

• A. USS Enterprise (CV-6)
• B. USS Lexington (CV-2)
• C. USS Saratoga (CV-3)
• D. USS Langley (CV-1)

Answer: (D)

The first vessel to carry aircraft for the U.S. Navy was created by converting an existing ship into an aircraft carrier, marking the birth of naval aviation in the fleet. USS Langley (CV-1) began life as the collier Jupiter and was transformed into a flight deck carrier, then commissioned in 1922 as the Navy’s inaugural aircraft carrier. This established the carrier as a new cornerstone of naval power and the procedures for launching and recovering airplanes at sea.

The other ships listed came later: Lexington and Saratoga were converted from battleship-class hulls and entered service after Langley, while Enterprise became famous for its World War II service but was not the first carrier. Thus, Langley holds the distinction as the earliest U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.