Below is the cover page of the new 4th Edition of "Joining the War at Sea 1939-1945" Order Book ------- While serving as Gunnery Officer on the USS Edison, Dailey was confronted with the aviation technology used by German bombers attacking his ship and others. After transitioning to naval aviation, he experienced first hand many of the innovations in instrument flight that led to the book below. Order Book Now, for illustrated readings, see linked pages: SO3C by Curtiss Operation Torch Navy Aerial Reconnaissance Warships at Morocco-1942 Aircraft Carriers for Torch Battle for Morocco Bridging World Wars Supply and Support Husky, Palermo, Messina Bloody Salerno Luftwaffe Standoff Weapons Aircraft of World War II-"friendlies" Long "slog" at Anzio USS West Point AP23 War Cruise-part 1 USS West Point AP23 War Cruise-part 2 Part I, Briggs on Casablanca, Sicily Part II, Briggs on Anzio

Ships and Aircraft of World War II USS Ranger CV-4 led air assault for Casablanca; earlier ferried fighters to Iceland, Malta, Contact Author Copyright 2009 Franklyn E. Dailey Jr., Capt. USNR (Ret), appears in episodes of the History Channel series, "Patton 360:" He is the author of "Joining the War at Sea 1939-1945," which provides detail on World War II invasions at Casablanca and Sicily recounted in Patton 360:. Return to Table of Contents The USS Ranger CV-4, was the U.S. Navy's first fleet carrier built as a carrier from the keel up. She could make 29 knots. This view shows her elevator on the stern slightly depressed below the flight deck. The three stacks on each side would fold down during flight operations. Ranger led a contingent of four Sangamon class escort carriers (ACVs) during the North African operation, Nov. 8-12, 1942. Chenango carried 76 P-40s to be flown off to the airfield at Port Lyautey once captured, to act as Casablanca's defensive fighter force once that city was secured. That left Ranger, and ACVs Sangamon, Suwannee, and Santee to suppport the landings; their fighters were F4-Fs; their torpedo planes were TBFs; their divebombers were SBDs. In periods when the wind was light the ACVs (their best speed was under 20 knots) could not launch their aircraft. F4F, carrier fighter by Grumman, with RAF markings TBF, carrier torpedo plane, by Grumman SBD, divebomber, by Douglas French defending aircraft were a factor in the opening hours. Anti-aircraft fire was a factor that persisted until the final units of the French Navy, including its shore defense forces, agreed to put down their arms on November 11. Task Force 34's heaviest losses occurred after the French resistance ended. Ranger, built in the early 1930s, was scrapped after the war.

In series, left to right, the Mediterranean regained in WW II. The first link is the index page for this series:| SO3C by Curtiss | Operation Torch | Navy Aerial Reconnaissance | Warships at Morocco-1942 | Aircraft Carriers for Torch | Battle for Morocco | Bridging World Wars | Supply and Support | Husky, Palermo, Messina | Bloody Salerno | Luftwaffe Standoff Weapons | Aircraft of World War II-"friendlies" | Long "slog" at Anzio |USS West Point AP23 War Cruise-part 1 | USS West Point AP23 War Cruise-part 2 |