Which US aircraft carrier launched the Doolittle Raid in April 1942?

The US aircraft carrier that launched the Doolittle Raid in April 1942 was USS Hornet. On April 18, sixteen Army B-25 Mitchell bombers took off from Hornet’s deck to attack Tokyo and several other Japanese cities.

The mission was an extraordinary feat because B-25s were land-based medium bombers, not carrier aircraft. The planes were heavily modified with extra fuel tanks and reduced equipment so they could make the long flight. USS Enterprise accompanied Hornet and provided fighter protection, but Hornet was the carrier that actually launched the bombers.

The raid caused limited physical damage, yet it delivered a major psychological and propaganda blow after Pearl Harbor. The crews planned to land in China, but an early encounter with a Japanese patrol vessel forced them to launch sooner than expected. Most aircraft crashed or were abandoned, and several airmen were captured. USS Saratoga, USS Lexington, and USS Enterprise were important Pacific carriers, but none launched the Doolittle bombers.