Ever wonder what the USS Enterprise was?
The USS Enterprise CV-6 which should come as no surprise to anyone was the most decorated warship the US Navy sailed during World War 2. She was called the Big E for a reason with her WW2 career beginning after America’s entrance into the war following the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor and leaving the war on May 14th, 1945 when she was attacked by Kamikazes (Divine Wind) leaving a gaping hole in her flight deck but not before being awarded 20 battle stars, a Presidential Unit Citation and a Navy Unit Commendation. She changed the course of the war and inspired millions of Americans.
Why was she called the Gray Ghost?
Well she sank 3 times didn’t she? Not really but the naval forces of the Empire Of Japan certainly thought so and announced it had gone down thus labeling her the Gray Ghost. The Big E was struck on numerous occasions and refused to go down. She had no stomach for quitting.
Name the battle and she was there.
With over 20 major naval engagements during the WW2 in the Pacific the USS Enterprise fought in all but 2. A short list of her battles and accomplishments came from action seen at Notable battles include Battle of the Eastern Solomons; Battle of Santa Cruz Islands; Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; Battle of Midway; Battle of Leyte Gulf; and Battle of the Philippine Sea.
With her planes and guns she downed 911 enemy aircraft, 71 enemy ships were sunk from her dive bombers and an additional 192 were damaged or destroyed. That was be a very decent butcher’s bill by anyone’s standards.
To Boldy Go Where No Warship Had Gone Before!
The crew of the USS Enterprise years later would be joined by another -warship bearing her name, Enterprise NC-1701. She was a Federation Starship featured in the production of Star Trek a famous science fiction made for TV series. That Enterprise was named after the USS Enterprise of the US Navy because of the amazing career the United States Navy warship has as the most decorated ship and aircraft carrier of WW2.
You will see amazing differences in each ships bow lines but nevertheless each had an illustrious career as a battle hardened dreadnought.
USS Enterprise CV-6 
The Starship Enterprise flies over an orange planet in ‘The Man Trap,’ the premiere episode of ‘Star Trek,’ which aired on September 8, 1966. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
The End Of An Amazing Naval Career.
After the war, her story became public knowledge and her name was emblazoned across newspaper headlines throughout the country. On Oct. 17, 1945, Enterprise rejoined the fleet in New York Harbor for Navy Day celebrations on Oct. 27. Moored to Pier 26 on the Hudson River, she welcomed more than a quarter million visitors, and rendered “passing honors” to President Harry S. Truman when he inspected the ships at anchor. That night, Night Air Group 55 flew in formation to salute the “Big E.”
Magic Carpet Voyages
On her last active missions, Enterprise took part in multiple Magic Carpet voyages delivering thousands of Sailors, Marines and Soldiers home to their families. She was moored at Bayonne, New Jersey, on Jan. 18, 1946, and would never sail under her own power again. Enterprise was decommissioned on Feb. 17, 1947, and stricken from the List of Naval Vessels on Oct. 2, 1956. There was a collective effort to have Enterprise established as a national memorial in Washington, D.C., but the repairs were deemed too expensive and ultimately doomed the project. Enterprise was fully scrapped by February 1960.
The World War 2 Diamond Anniversary
Never again will we have the experience of remembering the US military that fought in World War 2 like we will have in the year 2020. This year marks the 75th Anniversary of World War Two and with it the memories of the millions of Americans who proudly served on the European continent, in the Pacific and across the globe. There will never come another diamond anniversary nor will we have the opportunity to honor the men and women who served with the years pressing on.
Navy Crow and its singular vision of honoring the history, the traditions and our United States Navy Sailors both past and present listened to their sea stories, collected from the thousands of requests sent to us and requests to have a collection of US Navy fighting ship commemorative challenge coins designed and crafted. We listened. The USS Enterprise CV-6 aircraft carrier coin is 1 of the first three World War Two 75th Anniversary coins that will soon be available to be owned by all of us who cherish our freedoms and honor those who came before us that sacrificed everything to ensure our way of life. These coins were designed for them and for you.
The USS Enterprise CV-6 challenge coin is the first of 3 US Navy coins with the USS Missouri and USS Iowa battleships arriving with it. These coins will signal in a full fleet of US Navy challenge coins and a collection to be cherished for lifetimes. It is an honor for us to have designed these WW2 warship coins for you.
