An FM-2 Wildcat fighter surges across the flight deck of an escort carrier, its propeller a blur of motion as it prepares to launch. Sailors along the catwalk pause to watch, a reminder of the constant activity aboard a 'baby flattop' at sea. Escort carriers such as USS Petrof Bay provided vital air cover and support during the Pacific campaigns of World War II, launching fighters like this one day after day. Project: 218483