The History of the USS Hornet

At the decommissioned Alameda Naval Base in Northern California, a ship quietly floats in the water.  It is one of the most highly decorated ships in US Navy history, the eighth US ship to carry the Hornet name.  Commissioned in 1943 during World War II, her pilots and crew reached an impressive record of destroyed enemy planes, battleships and over a million tons of enemy shipping. 27 years of active duty has earned her the right to rest in place.

The horror of human tragedies occurring on the USS Hornet eerily remind visitors of the dangers throughout the ship.  More than 300 people lost their lives, many during combat, some in accidents.  Decapitation by snapping flight arrest cable, getting sucked into plane air intake or blown off the deck by their exhaust, was a horror affecting many sailors. Unfortunately, the USS Hornet had the highest rate of suicide in the US Navy.

over the years visitors and the crew have reported sightings, hearing sounds, mischievous movement of objects, doors opening and closing, toilets that flush by themselves. they have been grabbed and pushed when no one else is around.  unexplainable cold air can mysteriously surround a person on board causing a sense of fear of the unknown.  the spirits are everywhere.  perhaps that is why the uss hornet is often called the most haunted ship in history.

Interviews and Lectures From USS Hornet

Photos From USS Hornet Events