USS Langley (CVL 27), originally named Fargo (CL 85), was laid down as Crown Point (CV 27) by New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., April 11, 1942; renamed Langley November 13; launched May 22, 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Harry L. Hopkins, wife of the Special Assistant to President Roosevelt; reclassified CVL 27, July 15, 1943; and commissioned August 31, 1943, Capt. W. M. Dillon in command.

After shakedown in the Caribbean, Langley departed Philadelphia December 6th for Pearl Harbor, where she participated in training operations. On January 19, 1944, she sailed with Rear Adm. Marc Mitscher's Task Force 58 for the attack on the Marshall Islands. From January 29 to February 6, the carrier's air group conducted raids on Wotje and Taora to support Allied landings at Kwajalein, and repeated the performance February 10-28th at Eniwetok.

After a brief respite at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, Langley hit Japanese positions on Palau, Yap, and Woleai, Caroline Islands, from March 30 to April 1, 1944. She next proceeded to New Guinea to take part in the capture of Hollandia, April 25. A mere four days later, the tireless carrier engaged in the two-day strike against the Japanese bastion Truk, rendering the formidable naval base almost useless to the "Sons of Nippon." During the raid, USS Langley and her aircraft accounted for some 35 enemy planes destroyed or damaged, while losing only one aircraft herself.

USS Langley (CVL 27) next departed Majuro Atoll June 7 for the Marianas campaign. On June 11, 1944, Adm. Mitscher's carrier groups took over from the land-based Army Air Force bombers. At 1300, the Task Force launched a strike of 208 fighters and eight torpedo-bombers against enemy bases and airfields on Saipan and Tinian. From June 11, to August 8, the battle raged for control of the Marianas. The Allied assault on the key to Japan's inner defenses, June 15, forced the enemy to engage our fleet for the first time since Midway. During the two-day Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 19-20, 1944, the enemy suffered such serious losses that he was not able to again seriously challenge U.S. seapower until the invasion of Leyte. When Adm. Jisaburo Ozawa retreated with his battered Mobile Fleet, he was minus 426 aircraft and three carriers. USS Langley had added her strength to break this Japanese effort to reinforce the Marianas.

The carrier departed Eniwetok August 29, 1944, and sortied with Task Force 38, under the command of Adm. William F. Halsey for air assaults on Peleliu and airfields in the Philippines as the preliminary steps in the invasion of the Palaus September 15-20th. During October, she was off Formosa and the Pescadores Islands attached to Vice Adm. Mitscher's Fast Carrier Force. Later in the month, as the Navy carried Gen. MacArthur back to the Philippines, Langley was with Rear Adm. Sherman's Task Group protecting the Leyte beachheads.

In a desperate effort to parry this deadly thrust into her inner defenses, Japan struck back with her entire fleet. On October 24, 1944, Langley's planes helped to blunt the first and most powerful prong of this counteroffensive, Adm. Kurita's Center Force, as it steamed toward the San Bernardino Strait and the American beachhead. The following day, upon word of Japanese carriers north of Leyte, she raced to intercept. In the ensuing battle off Cape Engano, Mitscher's force pulverized the enemy fleet. The Japanese lost four carriers, two battleships, four heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and five destroyers.

Langley's aircraft had assisted in the destruction of the carriers Zuiho and Zuikaku, the latter being the only remaining carrier of the six that had participated in the Pearl Harbor attack. Japan's chances for final victory had been reduced to nil by the great Battle of Leyte Gulf.

During November, USS Langley (CVL 27) was lending her support to the Philippine landings and striking the Manila Bay area, Japanese reinforcement convoys, and Luzon airfields in the Cape Engano area. On December 1, 1944, the flattop withdrew to Ulithi for reprovisioning.

During January 1945, Langley participated in the daring raid into the South China Sea supporting Lingayen Gulf operations. Raids were made against Formosa, Indo-China, and the China coast from December 30, 1944 to January 25, 1945. The thrust into this area, which the enemy had considered a private lake, netted a staggering number of Japanese ships, aircraft, supplies, and destroyed installations.

USS Langley next joined in the sweeps against Tokyo and Nansei Shoto in support of the conquest and occupation of Iwo Jima, February 10 to March 18, 1945. She next raided airfields on the Japanese homeland, and arrived off Okinawa March 23. Until May 11th, the ship divided her attention between the Okinawa invasion and strikes on Kyushu, Japan, in an effort to knock out kamikaze bases in southern Japan which were launching desperate and deadly attacks.

After touching Ulithi and Pearl Harbor, she steamed to San Francisco, arriving June 3rd for repairs and modernization. She departed August 1, 1945 for the forward area, and reached Pearl Harbor August 8. While there, word arrived that hostilities had ended. She completed two "Magic Carpet" voyages to the Pacific, and got underway October 1st for Philadelphia. She departed from that port November 15 for the first of two trips to Europe, transporting Army troops returning home from that theater.

She returned to Philadelphia January 6, 1946 and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia Group, May 31. USS Langley (CVL 27) decommissioned February 11, 1947, and was transferred to France under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program, January 8, 1951. In French service she was renamed Lafayette (R-96). The carrier was returned to the United States March 20, 1963 and sold to the Boston Metals Co., Baltimore, Md., for scrapping.