America's First Aircraft Carrier

David F. Winkler, PhD, an adjunct professor with the Naval War College, retired as a commander after serving twenty-eight years on active and Navy Reserve duty as a surface warfare officer. He holds a PhD in history from American University. Winkler was the staff historian with the Naval Historical Foundation and the Charles Lindbergh Chair of Aerospace History at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. He resides in Northern Virginia.

"The biography of a ship, let alone a coal freighter, is not often a page-turner. But, in the hands of a master historian such as David Winkler, the saga of the USS Langley, is perfect for everyone who loves naval history and the Top Gun movies. It is the tale of not only the ship, but also the visionary aviators and leaders who used it in crisis and combat to mold a Navy that could command the seas."—John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy, author of Oceans Ventured and Winning the Cold War at Sea"David Winkler has delivered, by far, the most comprehensive and fascinating history of America’s first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley. His superb analysis and extensive research into every aspect of the ship and its crew make you feel as if you are on deck. This historical narrative exposes all the challenges, feats, and personalities associated with the birth of U.S. Navy carrier aviation. America’s First Aircraft Carrier is an absolute must for anyone who has a personal or professional interest in the history of naval aviation." —Capt. Stan Fisher, USN, PhD, Professor, U.S. Naval Academy and author of Sustaining the Carrier War"Dave Winkler has written more than a ship’s history.  America’s First Aircraft Carrier is a first-rate technological, administrative, bureaucratic, and up-close-and-personal study of a revolution in naval affairs, centered on the Navy’s pioneering flattop, Langley.  Exceptionally well researched and written to attract both casual and scholarly readers, Winkler’s book is an invaluable contribution to the literature and deserves to be read by everyone interested in naval and aviation history.  —William F. Trimble, Professor Emeritus at Auburn University and author of Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power"Daily and all day, every day, the United States’ most potent tools for responding to assaults and crises of any sort are operating near the places such crises are most likely to occur. America’s eleven large-deck, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are by far the most lethal combat systems available for action. That’s because the presence of a U.S. carrier nearby tends to focus the thinking of potential enemies and encourage allies in ways few other weapons could. Dr. David Winkler’s, America’s First Aircraft Carrier, tells the beginnings of how that came to be."​—VADM Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret.)"Dr. Winkler does a phenomenal job describing the concept for, and the development of the nation’s most powerful “Diplomatic Tool”, a United States Navy’s Aircraft Carrier. Starting with the Collier USS Jupiter, an experimental platform that was later converted (1920) to USS Langley CV-1, truly, Americas First Aircraft Carrier. Initial thoughts were that the carrier aircraft could be “spotters” for the battleships, and the battleships “gunline” would take the enemy out.  The battleships, which had seaplanes which they could catapult (launch) and (recover) hoist aboard after a water landing – was the extent of their vision - obviously, a limited vision… Fortunately, the farsightedness and tenacity of the early pioneers (Moffett, Reeves, Whiting, Towers, Mitscher, Butler and Bellinger) conceptualized that aircraft could become a tactical weapon and destroy the enemy. Winkler provides in-depth development details (the good, the bad and the ugly), from the political battles, the initial purpose of the Colliers, to their testing of the NextGen engineering plants, the initial development, and procedures for the early flight deck, (catapults and arresting gear) some of which are being used today. As a former career naval officer, tactical aviator, air officer in USS America, and a PAS, I would have enjoyed having this book before, during or after my career – an excellent, accurate history." —B.J. Penn, former U.S. Secretary of the Navy"Dr. Winkler’s book, surprisingly the first and only complete history of Langley, is important, not only because it the ship receives long overdue credit for its achievements, but also because it incorporates the important stories of the US Navy officers and crew who were present at the creation of naval aviation. Winkler has made a significant contribution to US naval history."—Sea History"This is a very readable and well-illustrated book that gives insight into one of the USN’s most important and historic warships from its construction and conversion to its final loss, sunk by Japanese naval aircraft in the desperate fighting off Java in February 1942.  It adds fascinating detail to the historiography of naval aviation and thoroughly recommend it."—Australian Naval Institute"Here, in this high valued Naval read, author David Winkler not only considers the post-World War I debate for procuring carriers, but also the decision to convert the Jupiter, a coal carrying collier, and the identification of constructor Clayton Simmers as the father of the American aircraft carrier, not necessarily “Billy” Mitchell, and why. David is particularly knowledgeable, and obviously mesmerized, by the evolution of the Langley as an experimental ship tied to the introduction of the new naval doctrine of the mid to late 1930s."—Argunners