A U.S. Navy fighter aircraft, its wing damaged from a hard landing or combat action, is hosed down by a flight deck crewman aboard the escort carrier USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80). Nearby, officers inspect the scene while a small boat maneuvers in the water alongside the ship, possibly assisting in the recovery of a downed aviator. Images like this document the routine hazards and hard work of flight deck operations aboard America's escort carriers during the Pacific War. Project: 218458