Sunk is sunk....just as so many battleships were at Pearl Harbor but were raised and refitted to serve later.
When your Keel is on the bottom and your engine room is full of water due to a huge hole in the side of the ship caused by explosives.....I submit that counts as being lost....until back in service.
That the river was only 48 feet deep kept the ship from sinking further.
She was patched and pumped out....then towed to Subic Bay then Yokosuka Japan for repairs.
As she had a load of Helicopters and Airplanes bound for repair/over haul in the USA....she was still an aircraft carrier even if they were craned on and off.
Last edited by SASless; 24th Jul 2017 at 19:32.