An F-4 Phantom II aircraft, outlined in lights and pulling Santa's sleigh, decorates the aircraft carrier USS AMERICA (CV-66). Lights suspended from the island of the carrier form a Christmas tree. The display won first place in the large combatant category during Operation Decorama `85

Aircraft carriers are warships that act as airbases for carrier-based aircraft. In the United States Navy, these consist of ships commissioned with hull classification symbols CV (aircraft carrier), CVA (attack aircraft carrier), CVB (large aircraft carrier), CVL (light aircraft carrier), CVN (aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion) and CVAN (attack aircraft carrier (nuclear propulsion). The first aircraft carrier commissioned into the United States Navy was USS Langley (CV-1) on 20 March 1922.