Collection

Ships

Ships, builders, home ports, specifications, and histories.

Showing 7,701–7,750

Name	Type	Hull Num	Class	Status	Comm Is Date	Decom Sunk Or Reclass	Reclass Num	Builder	Built City	Built State	Home Port	Historynotes
Helena	CL	50	St. Louis	Sunk	1939-09-18 00:00:00.000	1943-07-06 00:00:00.000		New York Navy Yard	Brooklyn	NY		2nd Helena WW II Dec 7 1941, at Pearl Harbor during attack… 2nd Helena WW II Dec 7 1941, at Pearl Harbor during attack on Pearl Harbor, CPT R. H. English. Seriously damaged Oct 11 1945, Battle of Cape Esperance, CPT Gilbert C. Hoover. Sank Japanese cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki Nov 11-15, 1942, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, CPT Gilbert C. Hoover. Jul 1943, landings in Kula Gulf. 7/06/1943, sunk by torpedo in Kula Gulf. 168 of crew killed First ship to receive Navy Unit Citation 7 Battle Stars WW II
Helena	SSN	725	Los Angeles	Active	1987-07-11 00:00:00.000			General Dynamics Electric Boat	Groton	CT	San Diego
Helena	CA	75	Baltimore	Decom	1945-09-04 00:00:00.000	1963-06-29 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem Steel Co.	Quincy	MA		3rd Helena ex Des Moines, qv Renamed Helena while building… 3rd Helena ex Des Moines, qv Renamed Helena while building Korean War Decommissioned Jun 29 1963 4 Battle Stars and Korean Presidential Unit Citation (first awarded to a Naval unit)
Helena I	SP	24		Decom	1917-09-07 00:00:00.000	1919-08-27 00:00:00.000		Van Sant Brothers	Port Republic	NJ		Built 1906 Acquired by Navy May 1917 WW I - 7th Naval Dis… Built 1906 Acquired by Navy May 1917 WW I - 7th Naval District Decommissioned and sold Aug 27 1919 Wrecked Sep 11 1919, before delivered to owner Struck Oct 4 1919
Helena Modjeska					1944-11-25 00:00:00.000			Delta Shipbuilding Co.	New Orleans	LA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2826 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2826 Merchant ship Original operator, Black Diamond WW II
Helenita	SP	210		Decom	1917-10-17 00:00:00.000	1919-06-17 00:00:00.000		Gas Engine & Power Co.	Morris Heights	NY		1st Helenita Yacht Acquried by Navy for World War I WW I … 1st Helenita Yacht Acquried by Navy for World War I WW I - Bermuda Decommissioned and simultaneously returned to owner Jun 17 1919
Helenita	YP	2230		Sold		1923-06-22 00:00:00.000						2nd Helenita Motor boat Acquired by Navy 1919. May have p… 2nd Helenita Motor boat Acquired by Navy 1919. May have previously belonged to Marine Aviation Corps 5th Naval District Transferred to City of Norfolk Aug 1919 Returned to Navy Dec 1 1922 Sold Jun 22 1923
Helianthus	SP	585		Transferred	1917-07-06 00:00:00.000	1919-03-28 00:00:00.000		Herreshoff Manufacturing Co.	Bristol	RI		Motor boat, built 1912 Delivered to Navy Jun 11 1917 Commi… Motor boat, built 1912 Delivered to Navy Jun 11 1917 Commissioned Jul 6 1917 WW I - 2nd Naval District Transferred Mar 28 1919 to Coast and Geodetic Survey
Helios	ARB	12	Aristaeus	Decom	1945-07-23 00:00:00.000	1946-12-03 00:00:00.000		Chicago Bridge & Iron Co.	Seneca	IL		Ex LST-1127, qv Decommissioned Mar 16 1945 Renamed and rec… Ex LST-1127, qv Decommissioned Mar 16 1945 Renamed and recommissioned Helios (ARB-12), Jul 23 1945 Commissioned Jul 23 1945 Pacific Decommissioned Dec 3 1946 Leased to Brazil Jan 19 1962 Renamed Belmonte
Heliotrope	SwStr			Decom	1864-04-24 00:00:00.000	1865-01-12 00:00:00.000						Ex Maggie Baker, qv Renamed Heliotrope early in 1864, befor… Ex Maggie Baker, qv Renamed Heliotrope early in 1864, before commissioning Civil War North Atlantic Blockading Squadron Mar 6-8 1865, destruction of Hamilton's Crossing (Fredericksburg) VA Jan 1865, Potomac River Flotilla Decommissioned Jan 12 1865 Sold Jun 17 1865 to Department of Treasury for Lighthouse Service
Helium					1944-03-11 00:00:00.000			Concrete Ship Constructors	National City	CA		Maritime Commission Hull 2216 Army vessel WW II
Hell Gate	YM	15					*					YM-15 was named Hell Gate at some point
Hellas												Merchant ship WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion… Merchant ship WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
Helm	DD	388	Gridley	Decom	1937-10-16 00:00:00.000	1946-06-26 00:00:00.000		Norfolk Navy Yard	Portsmouth	VA		Named for RADM James M. Helm, qv WW II Dec 7 1941, patroll… Named for RADM James M. Helm, qv WW II Dec 7 1941, patrolling near Pearl Harbor during attack on Pearl Harbor Aug 1942, Operation Watchtower, invasion of Guadalcanal, LCDR Chester E. Carroll Aug 9 1942, Battle of Savo Island Jun 1944, Invasion of Marianas Islands June 19-20 1944, Battle of the Philippine Sea, LCDR S. K. Santmyers Sep 1944, Invasion of Palau Islands Oct 1944, Invasion of Leyte, CDR S. K. Santmyers Oct 25 1944, Battle of Leyte Gulf Oct 28 1944, together with USS Gridley, qv, sank Japanese submarine I-46 Jan 1945, Invasion at Lingayen Gulf, CDR S. K. Santmyers Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Mar-Jun 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign Decommissioned 6/26/1946 1946, target for Operation Crossroads Sold for scrap 10/1947 11 Battle Stars WW II
Helma												YHB-14, qv, was named Helma at some point
Helori	SP	181		Reclas	1917-05-21 00:00:00.000		*	Johnson Brothers & Blanchard	Seattle	WA		Built 1911 Motor boat Purchased by Navy Apr 23 1917 Commi… Built 1911 Motor boat Purchased by Navy Apr 23 1917 Commissioned May 21 1917 WW I - 13th Naval District Reclassified YP-181, qv, in 1920
Helori	YP	181		Sold		1925-09-17 00:00:00.000		Johnson Brothers & Blanchard	Seattle	WA		Ex SP-181, qv Reclassified YP-181 in 1920 13th Naval Distr… Ex SP-181, qv Reclassified YP-181 in 1920 13th Naval District Sold Sep 17 1925
Helvetia	SP	3096		Sold	1918-07-19 00:00:00.000			I. L. Snow & Co.	Rockland	ME		Schooner Purchased by Navy for World War I Taken over and … Schooner Purchased by Navy for World War I Taken over and commissioned Jul 19 1918 WW I - 5th Naval District Sold to former owners Feb 1919
Hemlock							*					YC-1137, qv, was named Hemlock at some time
Hemlock	YC	1137			1944-04-18 00:00:00.000			Waterway Engineering Corp.	Green Bay	WI		Maritime Commission Hull 1084 WW II
Hemlock II							*					YC-1138 was named Hemlock II at some point
Hemlock II	YC	1138			1944-04-18 00:00:00.000			Waterway Engineering Corp.	Green Bay	WI		Maritime Commission Hull 1085 WW II
Hemminger	DE	746	Cannon	Decom	1944-05-30 00:00:00.000	1958-02-21 00:00:00.000		Western Pipe & Steel Co.	San Pedro	CA		Named for ENS Cyril F. Hemminger, qv WW II May-Jun 1945, O… Named for ENS Cyril F. Hemminger, qv WW II May-Jun 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa operations Decommissioned Jun 17 1946 Recommissioned Dec 1 1950 Atlantic Decommissioned Feb 21 1958 Loaned to Thailand Jul 22 1959 under Military Assistance Program Renamed Pin Klao
Henderson	AP	1		Decom	1917-05-24 00:00:00.000	1943-10-13 00:00:00.000	*	Philadelphia Navy Yard	Philadelphia	PA		1st Henderson Named for Marine Corps Commandant Archibald H… 1st Henderson Named for Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson, qv WW I - Cruiser and Transport Force 1927, China WW II Pacific Decommissioned 10/13/1943 Recommissioned USS Bountiful (AH-9), qv, 3/23/1944
Henderson	DD	785	Gearing		1945-08-04 00:00:00.000			Todd Pacific Shipyards	Seattle	WA		2nd Henderson Named for MAJ Lofton R. Henderson, qv Korean… 2nd Henderson Named for MAJ Lofton R. Henderson, qv Korean War Sep 1950, Inchon landings Sep 1954, Matsu and Quemoy Islands Vietnam War 8 Battle Stars and Navy Unit Citation, Korean War
Henderson Luelling					1943-03-08 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 1599 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1599 Merchant ship Original operator, Northland Transp. WW II
Hendrik Hudson	ScStr			Decom	1862-12-30 00:00:00.000	1865-08-08 00:00:00.000			Greenpoint	NY		Ex Florida, qv Built 1859 Civil War Captured Apr 6 1862 b… Ex Florida, qv Built 1859 Civil War Captured Apr 6 1862 by Pursuit, qv, while attempting to run blockade at St. Andrew's Bay FL. Purchased by navy from prize court Sep 20 1862 Renamed Hendrick Hudson and commissioned Dec 30 1862 Feb 1 1863, captured schooner Margaret Apr 16 1863, captured schooner Teresa Mar 27 1863, seized British schooner Pacifique at St. Mark's, FL, LT Cate Nov 1864, East Gulf Blockading Squadron, Actg Vol LT C. H. Rockwell Mar 5 and 6 1965, St. Marks FL Decommissioned Aug 8 1865 Sold Sep 12 1865
Hendrik Willem Van Loon					1944-07-02 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 2482 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2482 Merchant ship Original operator, United States Lines Co. WW II
Hendry	APA	118	Haskell	Decom	1944-09-29 00:00:00.000	1946-02-21 00:00:00.000		California Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	CA		Maritime Commission Victory Hull 26 WW II Feb 1945, Invasi… Maritime Commission Victory Hull 26 WW II Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa operations Decommissioned Feb 21 1946 and placed in reserve 2 Battle Stars WW II
Henley	DD	39	Paulding	Decom	1912-12-06 00:00:00.000	1919-12-12 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA		1st Henley Named for CPT Robert Henley, qv 1914, Tampico M… 1st Henley Named for CPT Robert Henley, qv 1914, Tampico Mexico WW I - Decommissioned Dec 12 1919 Transferred to Coast Guard May 16 1924 Returned to Navy May 8 1931 Sold Aug 22 1934 for scrap
Henley	DD	391	Gridley	Sunk	1937-08-14 00:00:00.000	1943-10-03 00:00:00.000		Mare Island Navy Yard	Vallejo	CA		2nd Henley Named for CPT Robert Henley, qv WW II Dec 7 19… 2nd Henley Named for CPT Robert Henley, qv WW II Dec 7 1941, at Pearl Harbor during attack on Pearl Harbor Aug 1942, Operation Watchtower, invasion of Guadalcanal, CDR Robert Hall Smith Sep 1943, landings at finschafenm New Guinea Sunk in Huron Gulf 10/03/1943. 1 officer and 14 men missing 4 Battle Stars WW II
Henley	DD	762	Allen M. Sumner		1946-10-08 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem Steel Co., Shipbuilding Div.	San Francisco	CA		3rd Henley Named for CPT John D. Henley, qv Decommissioned… 3rd Henley Named for CPT John D. Henley, qv Decommissioned Mar 15 1950 Recommissioned Sep 23 1950 Atlantic About 1953, in movie "The Bridges of Toko-Ri" Oct 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis
Henlopen	SP	385		Transferred	1918-01-26 00:00:00.000	1918-03-27 00:00:00.000		W. G. Abbott	Milford	DE		Wooden fishing vessel built 1912 Acquired by Navy Dec 12 19… Wooden fishing vessel built 1912 Acquired by Navy Dec 12 1917 Commissioned Jan 26 1918 WW I - Transferred to France Mar 27 1918
Hennepin	AK	187	Alamosa	Inactiv	1944-12-30 00:00:00.000	1958-07-16 00:00:00.000		Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Inc.	Superior	WI		Maritime Commission Hull 2118 Acquired by Navy Jun 7 1945 … Maritime Commission Hull 2118 Acquired by Navy Jun 7 1945 Commissioned Jul 3 1945 WW II Decommissioned Feb 16 1946 Transferred to Army In Japan Reacquired by Navy Jul 1 1950 Redesignated T-AK-247 Korean War Aug 1954, Operation Passage to Freedom Inactivated Jul 16 1958 Transferred to Maritime Administration Mar 27 1959 1 Battle Star WW II
Henrico	APA	45	Bayfield		1943-11-26 00:00:00.000			Ingalls Shipbuilding Co.	Pascagoula	MS		"Happy Hank" ex Sea Darter, Maritime Commission Hull 393 O… "Happy Hank" ex Sea Darter, Maritime Commission Hull 393 Originally classified by Navy as AP-90, but reclassified APA-45 before commissioning (DANFS indicates commissioned as AP-90, and silent on when reclassified to APA-45. WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy, CDR J. H. Willis Aug 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France, CDR J. H. Willis Mar-Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign. Damaged by Japanese kamikaze Apr 2 1945. 49 of crew killed, including commanding officer 1946, Operation Crossroads Korean War Sep 1950, Inchon landing, CPT John E. Fradd Vietnam War 3 Battle Stars WW II 9 Battle Stars and Navy Unit Commendation Korean War
Henry A. Mallory	Transport			Sunk		1943-02-07 00:00:00.000						Merchant vessel WW II Torpedoed and sunk in North Atlantic… Merchant vessel WW II Torpedoed and sunk in North Atlantic Fen 7 1943. 272 killed
Henry A. Wiley	DM	29	Robert H. Smith	Decom	1944-08-31 00:00:00.000	1947-01-29 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem Steel Co.	Staten Island	NY		"Hammering Hank" Named for ADM Henry A. Wiley, qv Laid dow… "Hammering Hank" Named for ADM Henry A. Wiley, qv Laid down as DD-749. Reclassified DM-29 7/20/44, before commissioning. WW II Feb-Mar 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Mar-Jun 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa operations Decommissioned Jan 29 1947 Reclassified MMD-29, qv, 1/01/69 Presidential Unit Commendation and 4 Battle Stars WW II
Henry A. Wiley	MMD	29						Bethlehem Steel Co.	Staten Island	NY		Named for ADM Henry A. Wiley, qv Ex DM-29, qv Reclassified… Named for ADM Henry A. Wiley, qv Ex DM-29, qv Reclassified MMD-29 in 1969
Henry Adams					1944-04-04 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Yard 1	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2268 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2268 Merchant ship Original operator, Pacific-Atlantic Steamship WW II
Henry Andrew	ScStr			Grounded	1861-09-10 00:00:00.000	1862-08-24 00:00:00.000			New York	NY		Built 1847 Purchased by Navy Sep 10 1861 Civil War South … Built 1847 Purchased by Navy Sep 10 1861 Civil War South Atlantic Blockading Squadron Jun 1862, expedition up Santee River Aug 24 1862, grounded in storm south of Cape Henry VA. Not salvaged
Henry Austin					1943-12-08 00:00:00.000			Houston Shipbuilding Corp.	Houston	TX		Maritime Commission E Hull 1966 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1966 Merchant ship Original operator, Standard Fruit WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
Henry B. Brown					1943-02-17 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 938 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 938 Merchant ship Original operator, Black Diamond WW II
Henry B. Plant					1944-12-19 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 2510 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2510 Merchant ship Original operator, A. L. Burbank WW II
Henry B. Wilson	DDG	7	Charles F. Adams		1960-12-17 00:00:00.000			Defoe Shipbuilding Co.	Bay City	MI		Named for ADM Henry B. Wilson, qv Sponsored by Mrs. Patrick… Named for ADM Henry B. Wilson, qv Sponsored by Mrs. Patrick J. Hurley, qv, daughter of ADM Wilson First ship of her size to be side-launched. When launched, largest warship to be launched in Great Lakes Pacific Vietnam War
Henry Bacon					1942-11-24 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 862 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 862 Merchant ship Original operator, South Atlantic WW II
Henry Baldwin					1942-11-05 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 657 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 657 Merchant ship Original operator, United States Lines WW II
Henry Barnard					1942-12-11 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 603 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 603 Merchant ship Original operator, Sword Steamship Line WW II
Henry Bergh					1943-06-14 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Shipbuilding Div.	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1556 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1556 Merchant ship Original operator, Norton Lilly Co. WW II
Henry Brinker	ScStr			Decom	1861-12-15 00:00:00.000	1865-12-29 00:00:00.000			Brooklyn	NY		Built 1861 Purchased by Navy Oct 29 1861 Civil War North … Built 1861 Purchased by Navy Oct 29 1861 Civil War North Atlantic Blockading Squadron Feb 1862, attack on Roanoke Island Mar 1862, capture of New Bern NC Decommissioned Jun 29 1865 Sold Jul 20 1865
Henry Broussard												WW II January 4-18 1945 Lingayen Gulf Landing

Background and Sources Collection notes, historical context, and related resources

Ships

Purpose

The Ships table is the most comprehensive and nearly complete of the tables in this site. It includes tens of thousands of different vessels. It is primarily, but not exclusively, Navy ships, that have helped make American history.

Fewer than half of the vessels in the table are named. Most of the others are identified only by a number but one that is unique to that vessel (called hull numbers by the Navy). The most famous of the latter is PT-109, John Kennedy’s PT boat that was sunk in World War II. Another famous group is the “LSTs”, the Landing Ships-Tank of World War II fame. (Some crew members who served on these big, ungainly vessels said that LST stood for Large Slow Target.) Following World War II, the Navy started giving the LSTs names, but those in the war were identified only by their hull numbers.

DANFS

The most authoritative and most common source of information about the Navy’s commissioned and named ships, plus the LSTs, is the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS). This series of eight books was published by the Navy and was not available through commercial book stores. The books are now out of print, but are available through the used book market. Much if not all of their content is now also available online at the Naval History and Heritage Command’s DANFS site.

Many thousands of watercraft had non-unique numbers, or semi-unique numbers, the latter including landing craft that carried the number of the transport that carried them plus a number of their own (such as PA-91-15). I have not tried to include these latter craft in this project.

The World War II Commercial Fleet

The Navy in World War II utilized many commercial vessels, even in the dangerous landing operations, the most famous being the Liberty Ships, which were mostly freighters, and their larger replacements, the Victory Ships. These and other commercial vessels from that war are included in the table. The U.S. built thousands of these ships and other commercial type ships during and shortly after World War II. Lists of the various types of commercial design ships built for the war, and separate lists of what ships were built by each shipyard, are at the Maritime Commission site.

Some of these were turned over to the Navy to operate, but most were operated by commercial shipping companies, even in battle and particularly in dangerous convoys crossing the Atlantic.

The liberty ships were named for people, and a book has been published that identifies who these people were. It is Liberty Ships, the People Behind the Names, compiled by Capt. Robert Deschamps and published in 1999. It is probably available online.

The Army’s Ships

The Army has also used thousands of ships and other watercraft over the years, especially in the Civil War and World War II. Major sources of information about these vessels are:

The Army’s Navy Series Volume I, Marine Transportation in War. The U.S. Army Experience 1775-1860, by Charles Dana Gibson and E. Kay Gibson.

The Army’s Navy Series Volume II, Assault and Logistics Union Army Coastal and River Operations 1861-1866, by Charles Dana Gibson and E. Kay Gibson.

U.S. Army Ships and Watercraft of World War II, by David H. Grover.

Smaller Vessels

Many books and web sites have been published about the tens of thousands of smaller vessels that the Navy used during World War II. I have found several of them and am sure there are many more that I’m not aware of.

Two fine examples are:

Ten Thousand Men and One Hundred Thirty “Mighty Midget” Ships–The U.S.S. LCS(L)s in World War II, by Raymond A. Baumler. This is about the Landing Ship Support (Large) vessels. This book was privately published and printed in 1991 by PIP Printing, Rockville MD.

At Close Quarters, PT Boats in the United States Navy, by Robert J. Bulkley, Jr. This book has extensive information about the history of each PT-Boat, many of the men who served on them, and their organizations. This book was first printed in 1962 for the Navy by the Government Printing Office, and has been reprinted by the Naval Institute Press.