USS Midway (CV-41) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class, and the first to be commissioned after the end of World War II. The Midway participated in the Vietnam War and in Operation Desert Storm. Midway was decommissioned 11 April, 1992, and is the only remaining aircraft carrier of the World War II era that is not an "Essex" class ship.

Midway was laid down 27 October, 1943 by Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia. Her revolutionary hull design was based on what would have been the Montana class battleships and gave her superior maneuverability over all previous carriers. She was launched 20 March, 1945, and commissioned 10 September, 1945.

During her operational lifetime, the Midway was extensively "modernized" twice. In 1957 Midway received an enclosed "hurricane bow," an aft deck-edge elevator, an angled flight deck, and steam catapults.

The second modernization was undertaken from 1966 to 1970. The flight deck was enlarged from 2.8 to 4 acres (11,300 to 16,200 mē). The elevators were enlarged, relocated, and given almost double the weight capacity. Midway also received new catapults, arresting gear, and a centralized air conditioning plant. Massive cost overruns raised the price of this program from $88 million to $260 million, and thus precluded a similar modernization planned for the "Franklin D. Roosevelt" (CV-42). It was also found that the modifications significantly reduced the ship's seakeeping capabilities and ability to conduct air operations in rough seas, which necessitated further modifications to correct the problem.

--source: Wikipedia