8" guns on a carrier simply doesn't make any sense. God knows what the Americans were thinking.
If you are fighting something that needs an 8" gun, you're fighting a cruiser, which is more manouverable and has armour. One of two hits on a carrier and its useless as a carrier, even if you don't set off the avgas.
If you are attacked by destroyers, your best bet is dual purpose lighter guns.
I find the argument about being caught in bad weather fallacious - the British, who were FAR more likely to suffer such an occurence, didn't consider big guns on a carrier to be of any use. In weather that bad, your best chance is speed and get away - without radar, that gives a much better chance of survival.