My Dad was aboard the USS Princeton during World War 2 or as he would say "The Big One". He assisted the landing signal officer guide planes in for a carrier landing. Notice the SBD's on the flight deck. "SBD" is short for "Ship Base Dive-bomber".

During a battle in the Leyte Gulf a bomb from an Axis Dive-bomber's went thru the flight deck and exploded in the aircraft hangers below. Fires and explosions erupted. The USS Birmingham came along side to help put out the fires.

As you may know, an aircraft carrier is like a floating bomb with all the bombs, ammunitions, & aircraft fuel it carries.

Unfortunately, There was a great explosion and both ships suffered great damage and casualties.

See more pictures here ...
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/23l.htm