#47: USS Intrepid: The Fighting "I" That Refused to Sink
The USS Intrepid (CV-11) survived five kamikaze strikes and one torpedo hit during World War II alone, earning the nickname "The Fighting I," though her crew sometimes darkly called her "The Dry I" because her damage kept sending her back to drydock. Across three wars, this Essex-class carrier served from 1943 to 1974, racking up one of the longest and most decorated service records in naval history.
Beyond World War II, Intrepid served as a primary recovery ship for NASA, plucking Mercury and Gemini astronauts from the ocean after splashdown. She also deployed to Vietnam, launching strikes from Yankee Station. Today she sits at Pier 86 in Manhattan as the centerpiece of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, one of the most visited military history attractions in the United States.
