On September 6, 1947 the USS Midway launched a captured German V-2 rocket from the flight deck in an project called "Operation Sandy". The purpose of "Operation Sandy" was to see if a large rocket could be launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier with little to no modifications. The actual ship launch test was only conducted once. There were prior tests carried on at White Sands that had a simulated Aircraft Carrier Deck and what effects the rocket would have on them if it were to explode on the deck.