On 7 December 1941, the U.S. Navy had seven aircraft carriers (CVs) and one aircraft escort vessel (AVG) in commission. The CVs were considered warships and  the AVG was considered an auxiliary vessel. In addition to these eight ships, the keels of five other CVs had been laid. 

As has been related endlessly, by a fantastic coincidence none of the carriers was at Pearl Harbor, and escaped the Japanese attack. While they sank or crippled much of America's battleship fleet, the Japanese achieved little, because it was the fleet carriers and not the battleships that were to win the Pacific war for America. Still, even had the Japanese sunk 2-3 carriers, at best they might have gained a year for themselves. America could not have taken the counter-offensive in 1942, but by 1943 it would have struck west when the new carriers started coming on line. The economic disparity between Japan and America was too great to be remedied by the potential sinking of a handful of carriers.

USS LEXINGTON (CV-2)

On 7 Dec 41, the Lexington Air Group was composed of:

  Bombing Squadron Two (VB-2) with 15 Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless
  Fighting Squadron Two (VF-2) with 16 Brewster F2A-3 Buffalos
  Scouting Squadron Two (VS-2) with 1 Douglas SBD-2 and 14 SBD-3 Dauntless
  Torpedo Squadron Two (VT-2) with 12 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators

In order to augment the air defenses for Midway Island, USS Lexington departed Pearl Harbor on 5 December.

USS SARATOGA (CV-3)

On 7 Dec 41, USS Saratoga was just entering San Diego after an interim dry docking at Bremerton, Washington. The Saratoga Air Group consisted of:

  Bombing Squadron Three (VB-3) with 21 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless
  Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3) with 7 Grumman F4F-3 and 2 F4F-3A Wildcats
  Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3) with 22 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless
  Torpedo Squadron Three (VT-3) with 12 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators

USS RANGER (CV-4)

USS Ranger was returning to Norfolk, Virginia. At that time, the Ranger Air Group consisted of:

  Fighting Squadron Five (VF-5) with 18 Grumman F4F-3 and 1 F4F-3A Wildcats
  Fighting Squadron Forty One (VF-41) with 17 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats and 2 North American SNJ-3s
  Scouting Squadron Forty One (VS-41) with 8 Vought SB2U-1 and 2 SB2U-2 Vindicators
  Scouting Squadron Forty Two (VS-42) with 9 Vought SB2U-1 and 6 SB2U-2 Vindicators
  Torpedo Squadron Four (VT-4) with 3 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators

USS YORKTOWN (CV-5)

USS Yorktown was at Norfolk, Virginia on 7 Dec 41. The Yorktown Air Group consisted of:

  Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) with 19 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless
  Fighting Squadron Forty Two (VF-42) with 18 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats
  Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5) with 19 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless and 2 North American SNJ-3s
  Torpedo Squadron Five (VT-5) with 14 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators

USS Yorktown was sunk by aerial bombs and torpedoes during the Battle of Midway, 7 Jun 42.  Her name was struck from the Naval Register on 2 Oct 42.
 

USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6)

Enterprise was retuning to Pearl Harbor on December 7: some of her aircraft flying to Hawaiian shore bases were caught in the attack.

On 7 Dec 41, the Enterprise Air Group consisted of:

  Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) with 17 Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless
  Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) with 16 Grumman F4F-3A Wildcats
  Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) with 10 Douglas SBD-2 and 8 SBD-3 Dauntless
  Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) with 18 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators and 2 North American SNJ-3s

USS WASP (CV-7)

USS Wasp was at anchor in Grassy Bay, Bermuda on 7 Dec 41. The Wasp Air Group consisted of:

  Fighting Squadron Seventy One (VF-71) with 18 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats
  Fighting Squadron Seventy Two (VF-72) with 17 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats, 2 Vought SB2U-2  Vindicators and 1 North American SNJ-3
  Scouting Squadron Seventy One (VS-71) with 4 Vought SB2U-1 and 13 SB2U-2 Vindicators and 2 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators
  Scouting Squadron Seventy Two (VS-72) with 18 Vought SB2U-3 Vindicators

USS HORNET (CV-8)

Based at Norfolk, Virginia, USS Hornet was undergoing training cruises during Dec 41.  The Hornet Air Group consisted of:

  Bombing Squadron Eight (VB-8) with 19 Curtiss SBC-4 Helldivers
  Fighting Squadron Eight (VF-8) with 19 Grumman F4F-3 and 2 F4F-3A Wildcats
  Scouting Squadron Eight (VS-8) with 20 Curtiss SBC-4 Helldivers
  Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) with 8 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators and 7 Naval Aircraft Factory SBN-1s

The SBC-4 Helldivers operated by VB-8 and VS-8 were biplanes with a maximum speed of 237 mph (379 km/h).

     In addition to the eight commissioned vessels listed above, the keels of five Essex Class carriers had been laid down. These five ships, all of which survived World War II,  were:

USS ESSEX (CV-9)

Essex was under construction at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia.  Her keel had been laid on 28 Apr 41.

USS YORKTOWN (BON HOMME RICHARD) (CV-10)

Bon Homme Richard was under construction at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia.  Her keel had been laid on 1 Dec 41.

Bon Homme Richard was renamed Yorktown on 26 Sep 42 to commemorate USS Yorktown (CV-5), sunk at the Battle of Midway in 1942. 

USS INTREPID (CV-11)

Intrepid was under construction at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia.  Her keel had been laid on 1 Dec 41.

USS LEXINGTON (CABOT) (CV-16)

Cabot was under construction at the Bethlehem Steel Co, Quincy, Massachusetts. Her keel had been laid on 15 Jul 41.

USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17)

Bunker Hill was under construction at the Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Massachusetts.  Her keel had been laid on 15 Sep 41.