Curtiss Seamew leaving the catapult of an American light cruiser during shakedown
Curtiss Seamew leaving the catapult of an American light cruiser during shakedown; antiaircraft guns in foreground. "2098 - 135 photos - 2098. For Release: PM papers. January 31, 1944. Shakedown: The task of quickly developing fighting men to man fighting ships is one of the major problems confronting the Navy. Few on the outside can appreciate the magnitude of the work. A vital cog in the training is the shakedown cruise, the run on which many of the men aboard they their sea legs, become acquainted with their shipmates and learn how to operated and fight their ship. Through a series of pictures made aboard a new light cruiser during its recent shakedown, Navy photographers tell this important and dramatic story. 243. A Curtiss Scout, SO3c, leaves the catapult in a burst of speed on its way for routine observation. - Official U.S. Navy Photograph." Pacific Ocean. January 1944