The most highly decorated ship of WW2 was the USS Enterprise (CV-6), the only Survivor of the Yorktown-class of carriers. The Yorktown was lost at the Battle of Midway in June 1942; the Hornet, the ship which launched the Doolittle raid in which B-25 Mitchell bombers were launched from her decks to bomb Japan, was lost at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands just over 4 months later in October 1942.
The Enterprise is often considered the most decorated ship in U.S. Navy history as well as just WW2. She was awarded 20 Battle Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, and the British Admiralty Pennant, among other awards. The British Admiralty Pennant awarded to Enterprise is the only Pennant awarded to a vessel outside of the Royal Navy in its 400 year existence.
The Enterprise was decommissioned in 1947 and ultimately scrapped between 1958-60 when enough money to save her from the cutting torch for a memorial or museum wasn't able to be raised. A few of her artifacts remain, such as her ship's bell, which is at the Naval Academy.
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