Help

This is a plea for information.

I am working on a book with Bob Sumrall and this photograph is one we intend to use. There is, however, no caption information.

Can someone positively identify the ship, location, date, situation?

I appreciate surmises, but I can do that myself.

I see Hornet (CV-8).  (Because of the lighting and shrouding steam my gut reaction was a short-hull Essex (CV-9) in splinter camouflage, but a number of points dissuade me. First was the lack of 5-inch gunhouses. Next, the two-level open foretop. Essex had no foretop, just platforms. Yorktown (CV-5) and Enterprise (CV-6) both had larger enclosed foretops. Then there is the boat crane aft and lack of port-side elevator. The camouflage is a trick of the low early morning lighting and shadows.)

A chilly early morning. Possibly Brooklyn Navy Yard. But I have no proof on any of these including the ship’s identity.

The only “factual” item I have is a number: K6556. I have checked as many variations of the NH and 80-G series numbers as I can think to search—including adding possible missing numbers (probably more than a couple hundred in total)—with no luck.

If you can help, please point me to your information source.