Heroic Fight to save USS Franklin

19th March 1945: Amidst the terrible carnage of hundreds of dead and dying men, there is an epic struggle to save the ship and the lives of many more

USS Franklin on fire after being struck by two bombs on 19th March 1945.

On 19th March 1945, the carrier USS Franklin was 50 miles off the coast of Japan, participating in air strikes against the main island of Honshu by Task Force 58. On deck were 31 armed and fueled aircraft about to be launched, with more armed and fuelled aircraft were in the hangar deck below. Suddenly a lone Japanese bomber emerged from the clouds and dropped two 250kg bombs.