by  Willie Lagarde

The picture at the top of this page is USS Yorktown aka “The Fighting Lady” returning home from the fight on Oct 20,1945. She had been gone a year. Looking scruffy because she didn’t have too much time to get pretty for the occasion. Much of her crew are lining the rails, not by order but to see and hear a boat loaded with mostly service women and a band playing, “It’s been a long, long time.” Look closely and see the pilot boat delivering the pilot to guide her under the Golden Gate bridge and through the bay to be moored at Alameda NAS. Every whistle, horn and siren in the bay was sounding as she went by, it was a great day!!

This outstanding photograph alone is justification for this website.

Want to ask Willie about the picture of Yorktown? Join him at The Picture in Story Discussions.