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It's hard to imagine now in our globalized world, but many of the young American soldiers who headed onto massive ships like the USS Intrepid during World War II had never even seen the ocean before. They’d soon be navigating the Pacific, launching planes off of aircraft carriers and battling Axis enemies.
Now, the stories of those military members are on display in a new permanent exhibit at the Intrepid Museum, the historic aircraft carrier docked along the Hudson River in Hell’s Kitchen, which served from 1943 to 1974. The new 10,000-square-foot exhibit, which opens today, includes 50 never-before-seen artifacts, crew member oral histories, videos, and photos showcasing the ship's history. Plus, you’ll get to see the museum’s newest WWII aircraft acquisition, a legendary fighter-bomber called the FG-1D Corsair. Planes just like it often flew off of Intrepid’s flight deck during the war. Here are five can’t-miss components of the exhibit.
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1. A legendary 1940s fighter-bomber plane
Inside the ship’s hangar deck, the exhibition begins at the Corsair, a fitting place to start considering that Corsairs were among the most frequently flown aircraft from Intrepid's flight deck. This plane is one of the few remaining intact Corsairs worldwide. Newly restored, the plane is painted blue and white, just like it would have been in the 1940s. Notice how the plane’s wings are folded. This feature allowed planes to pack tightly onto the hangar deck, ensuring the military could transport even more aircraft and other vehicles.
2. Real stories from the ship's crew
Though this particular Corsair did not fly off of Intrepid, it is painted for Intrepid's own “ace in a day,” Alfred Lerch. On his first major mission, Lerch downed seven Japanese aircraft in 13 minutes during the Battle of Okinawa on April 16, 1945, earning the Navy Cross.
But you’ll also learn about service members who didn’t return from war. On March 18, 1945, Loren Isley flew a Corsair off of Intrepid to prepare for the Battle of Okinawa. He flew into battle near Saiki, Japan and was shot down on his very first combat mission, just weeks after leaving his home in Missouri–and shortly after getting married to his wife Mary. Five years after his crash, a Japanese fisherman found remnants of what's presumed to be the plane Isley piloted. In the exhibit, you can see the haunting fragments of the plane, along with his military yearbook, medals, and a heartfelt letter from squadron commander to his widow.
Stories like these preserve the legacy of the Intrepid and the brave crew members who served aboard. You’ll even get to hear the voices of several service members, including Raymond T. Stone, an Intrepid radarman who served from 1943 to 1945. “Well, when I finally saw the Intrepid, I was just so overwhelmed,” he said in a video on display in the exhibit. “Standing on the dock and looking up at this big, mighty ship, I said, ‘That thing is humongous.’”
3. A deep dive into how an aircraft carrier works
Much to Stone’s point, you'll get a sense of just how gigantic the aircraft carrier is by seeing two scale models of the ship and learning about its fascinating systems, like the steam accumulator that launched airplanes, hydraulic systems for landing aircraft and the sensitive bomb elevator. The exhibition also shows how Intrepid evolved over the three decades of its service.
“What we really want to do here is introduce visitors to the whole story of Intrepid over the ship’s 30 years in service,” the museum’s head curator Jessica Williams tells Time Out. “The ship first served in World War II, but then the Navy kept modifying it for 30 years for other missions. Part of the story of the ship is how did the ship itself change over time? How did the ship meet the moment in all these different places, from World War II to the Vietnam War? How did the crew experience the ship over that time?”
You’ll see a timeline of the ship’s service, an image explaining different jobs on the ship for thousands of service members, a pilot’s log book, touchable WWII medals, and a variety of uniforms. You can even hear the ship’s sonorous bell ringing. Plus, get a sense of how the ship is constructed by checking out a fragment from the hangar deck that makes up this floating fortress.
4. A peek into life on board
The allure of travel motivated many sailors to join the Navy, and Intrepid’s crew got to see more than 30 countries during its run. The ship’s print shop even created informational booklets to help sailors orient themselves during port visits. See vintage port-of-call booklets from Cannes, Barbados, and Hong Kong.
During World War II, soldiers on the Intrepid spend most of their time supporting the U.S. strategy of attacking Japanese island bases across the Pacific Ocean, of course. But when they had time for rest, they turned the hangar deck into a recreational hall where crew members could play basketball, and other games. Attending events, social gatherings, religious services, movies, and concerts on the ship was a regular part of life at sea.
5. Details of Intrepid's history—and why it matters today
Intrepid arrived in the Pacific in January 1944, created in response to the Pearl Harbor attacks. The long-distance striking power of aircraft carriers proved critical for both Japan and the Allies. Intrepid’s aviators—many of whom had never seen a warship—bombed Japanese military bases, torpedoed ships, and battled enemy pilots in the air. In December 1945, Intrepid returned home. Though victorious, the victory came with heavy costs that deeply changed the crew, their families, and the country.
The ship was decommissioned after World War II, then drawn back into service in 1954 amid the Cold War. After many more years of service, the ship was officially decommissioned in 1974. The museum on board was founded in 1982, and the aircraft carrier has become a National Historic Landmark seeking to advance the understanding of history and innovation.
“I think by coming to see this exhibit, this is going to really give visitors a deeper understanding of what is an aircraft carrier. Why does the Navy operate these? There's that connection to the present. How does this piece of technology connect with these major world historical moments?” Williams says. “The Intrepid saw World War II, the Cold War, the Space Race, the Vietnam War. Here it is in Manhattan. So by coming here, you're getting this immersion in all these important moments—moments that still affect us today.”
Find The Intrepid at Pier 86 (W 46th Street and 12th Avenue). Tickets are on sale here for $38/adult with discounts for kids, seniors, and NYC residents. U.S. military members and veterans get free admission.