Saipan B

In 1943, Admiral King demanded that two light aircraft carriers be built per year to compensate for anticipated losses. The first two ships were to enter service in December 1945. The new ships were to be based on the hull of the Baltimore-class heavy cruiser. Only two ships were built—no new ones were ordered due to the war ending. Initially, USS Saipan, which was deemed too small to accommodate jets, was utilized for naval cadet training, training maneuvers, and patrol and diplomatic missions.