Commissioned in November 1943, this Essex-class aircraft carrier played a role in several major chapters of US history. During WWII it destroyed 1,420 aircraft, 42 cargo ships, 10 destroyers, a carrier, a cruiser and a battle ship. In May 1969, it retrieved astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (the crew of Apollo 11) upon their return from the first manned moon mission. The splashdown in the Pacific was witnessed live by President Richard Nixon from the Hornet's bridge.