This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
World War II Carrier Franklin Doomed to Destruction
Norfolk residents overlook the aging USS Franklin at the naval base as cranes strip her deck. Once a storied Essex carrier launched in 1943, she suffered catastrophic damage in 1945, killing 724 crew and leaving her a drifting hulk. Sold for scrap in 1947, a Norfolk bridge memorial will anchor a new naval museum valued at 1.7 million dollars.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Norfolk, Va
Franklin
New York Harbor
Hampton Roads
Big Ben
Forrestal
Vietnam
Norfolk
Newport Wews Gel
Pacific
United States
Bayonne
Virginia Salvage Company
Fiel
Norfolk Civic Center