USS Thomas Southway (CVM-11)

The Lockheed FV-1 was designed in the late 40s together with the Convair XFY-1 as a VTOL fighter that could take off from conventional cargo ships. The threats of the cold war gave an extra boost to the development of these aircraft and the first XFV-1 flew in January 1949.

After initial tests the Lockheed design was selected for production on 246 aircraft were ordered as the FV-1 Salmon.

A number of cargo ships were converted to host the Salmon and received a new hull class CVM (Carrier Vessel merchant) in the US Navy. The CVM-11 Thomas Southway was a converted liberty ship and was commissioned in July 1951.