Collection

Ships

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

Showing 9,151–9,200

Name	Type	Hull Num	Class	Status	Comm Is Date	Decom Sunk Or Reclass	Reclass Num	Builder	Built City	Built State	Home Port	Historynotes
John McLoughlin					1942-07-17 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 548 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 548 Merchant ship Original operator, Pacific-Atlantic Steamship WW II
John Merrick					1943-07-18 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 1990 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1990 Merchant ship Original operator, Calmar Steamship WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
John Milledge					1943-04-19 00:00:00.000			Southeastern Shipbuilding Corp.	Savannah	GA		Maritime Commission E Hull 346 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 346 Merchant ship Original operator, South Atlantic WW II May be Millege
John Miller					1945-01-24 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 2515 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2515 Merchant ship Original operator, Isbrandtsen Co. WW II
John Minto					1943-06-05 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 2021 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2021 Merchant ship Original operator, War Shipping Administration WW II
John Mitchell					1942-09-16 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 311 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 311 Merchant ship Original operator, Black Diamond WW II
John Mitchell	ClBt											Purchased by Navy Jul 19 1864 One of several vessels collec… Purchased by Navy Jul 19 1864 One of several vessels collected for sinking on Trent's Beach in James River to secure Union Army against attack by water. Presumably sunk, although DANFS does not specifically say. DANFS says apparently sunk Jul 26 1864
John Morgan				Sunk	1943-05-12 00:00:00.000	1943-06-01 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 978 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 978 Merchant ship Original operator, Wessel Duval Co. WW II Probably sunk Jun 1 1943
John Morton					1942-08-03 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Richmond #2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 258 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 258 Merchant ship Original operator, Luckenbach Steamship WW II
John Muir					1942-12-31 00:00:00.000			Marinship Corp.	Sausalito	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1226 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1226 Merchant ship Original operator, Alaska Packers WW II Jun 13-30 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign
John Murray Forbes					1943-01-16 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME		Maritime Commission E Hull 770 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 770 Merchant ship Original operator, Black Diamond WW II
John N. Jennin	Schooner											Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early … Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early 1865
John N. Maffitt					1943-08-12 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 1997 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1997 Merchant ship Original operator, Polarus Steamship WW II
John N. Robins					1943-10-11 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME		May be "Robbins" Maritime Commission E Hull 819 Merchant s… May be "Robbins" Maritime Commission E Hull 819 Merchant ship Original operator, American Export Lines WW II
John Owen					1943-05-16 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 1970 Listed in Maritime Commissi… Maritime Commission E Hull 1970 Listed in Maritime Commission list as John Owne Merchant ship Original operator, William J. Rountree WW II
John P. Altgeld					1943-11-08 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime commission E Hull 1896 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1896 Merchant ship Original operator, Pacific Tankers WW II
John P. Gaines				Sunk		1943-11-24 00:00:00.000						Merchant ship WW II Lost 11/24/43
John P. Gray	APD	74	Crosley	Decom	1945-03-15 00:00:00.000	1946-04-29 00:00:00.000		Consolidated Steel Co.	Orange	TX		Laid down as DE-673. Reclassified APD-74 before commissioni… Laid down as DE-673. Reclassified APD-74 before commissioning Named for LTJG John P. Gray, qv WW II Pacific Decommissioned Apr 29 1946 Struck Mar 1 1967
John P. Harris					1944-09-28 00:00:00.000			Southeastern Shipbuilding Corp.	Savannah	GA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2877 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2877 Merchant ship Original operator, Black Diamond WW II
John P. Holland					1942-11-10 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 589 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 589 Merchant ship Original operator, Lykes Bros. Steamship WW II
John P. Jackson	SwStr			Decom	1862-02-14 00:00:00.000	1865-09-05 00:00:00.000			Brooklyn	NY		Built 1860 Purchased by navy Nov 6 1861 Commissioned Feb 1… Built 1860 Purchased by navy Nov 6 1861 Commissioned Feb 14 1862 Civil War Apr 4 1862, securing of Pass Christian MS Apr 4 1862, captured steamer P.C. Wallis Apr 1862, shelling of Forts Philip and Jackson Jun 1862, ran gauntlet at Vicksburg Oct 21 1862, captured sloop Young Gustave West Gulf Blockading Squadron Sep 13 1863, captured schooner Syrena between Biloxi and Pascagoula Dec 8 1864, captured schooner Medora Decommissioned Sep 5 1865 Sold Sep 27 1865 Renamed J. P. Jackson
John P. Kennedy	Sail			Decom		1855-10-31 00:00:00.000						Ex Sea Nymph Named for Secretary of the Navy John P. Kenned… Ex Sea Nymph Named for Secretary of the Navy John P. Kennedy Purchased by Navy 1853 Assigned to Ringgold expedition to explore China Seas and North Pacific Ocean 1853-54, went via Cape of Good Hope to Singapore. There found to cost too much to repair to continue the trip Assigned to East Indies Squadron as guard ship at American Factory, Canton Decommissioned Oct 31 1855 Sold Nov 1855
John P. Levy	Tug											Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early … Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early 1865
John P. Mitchell					1943-05-29 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 1975 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1975 Merchant ship Original operator, Seas Shipping WW II
John P. Murtha	LPD	26	San Antonio	Launched					Pascagoula	MS		Launched Nov 2014
John P. Poe					1942-07-31 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 54 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission E Hull 54 Merchant ship Original operator, Bull Line WW II Nov 1942, Operation Torch, Invasion of North Africa
John Page					1942-06-18 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 286 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 286 Merchant ship Original operator, Matson Navigation WW II
John Paul Jones					1942-03-30 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 67 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission E Hull 67 Merchant ship Original operator, Pacific-Atlantic Steamship WW II
John Paul Jones	DDG	32						Bath Iron Works	Bath	ME		Ex DD-932, qv Reclassified DDG-32 sometime after Dec 20 196… Ex DD-932, qv Reclassified DDG-32 sometime after Dec 20 1965, while decommissioned Recommissioned as DDG-32 in fall of 1967
John Paul Jones	DDG	53	Arleigh Burke	Active	1993-12-18 00:00:00.000			Bath Iron Works	Bath	ME	San Diego	Named for CPT John Paul Jones, qv Motto "In Harm's Way"
John Paul Jones	DD	932	Forrest Sherman	Decom	1956-04-05 00:00:00.000	1964-12-20 00:00:00.000	*	Bath Iron Works	Bath	ME		Named for CPT John Paul Jones, qv Oct 1962, Mercury Program… Named for CPT John Paul Jones, qv Oct 1962, Mercury Program Oct 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis Mar 1965, Gemini Program Decommissioned Dec 20 1965 for conversion Reclassified DDG-32, qv
John Penn					1942-05-11 00:00:00.000			North Carolina Shipbuilding Co.	Wilmington	NC		Maritime Commission E Hull 218 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 218 Merchant ship Original operator, Lykes Bros. WW II
John Penn	APA	23	John Penn	Sunk	1943-02-01 00:00:00.000	1943-08-13 00:00:00.000		New York Shipbuilding Co.	Camden	NJ		Ex Excambion Named for John Penn, member of Continental Con… Ex Excambion Named for John Penn, member of Continental Congress and signer of Declaration of Independence, qv Commissioned AP-51, qv, 5/09/1942 Reclassified APA-23 2/01/1943 WW II Jan-Aug 1943, Guadalcanal Campaign Sunk 8/13/43 by Japanese torpedo plane off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal 1 Battle Star WW II
John Penn	AP	51	John Penn	Reclas	1942-05-09 00:00:00.000	1943-02-01 00:00:00.000	*	New York Shipbuilding Co.	Camden	NJ		Ex Excambion Named for John Penn, member of Continental Con… Ex Excambion Named for John Penn, member of Continental Congress and signer of Declaration of Independence, qv Built 1931 Acquired by Navy Jan 8 1942 WW II Nov, 1942, Operation Torch, invasion of North Africa, CPT Charles Allen (Battle Report says CPT Harry W. Need. DANFS says CPT Need was the commissioning commander, but doesn't say who was commander at Torch) Jan-Aug 1943, Guadalcanal Campaign Reclassified APA-23, qv, 2/01/1943
John Philip Sousa					1943-08-06 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 1200 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1200 Merchant ship Original operator, Wessel Duval Co. WW II
John Q. Roberts	APD	94	Crosley	Decom	1945-03-08 00:00:00.000	1946-05-30 00:00:00.000		Charleston Navy Yard	Charleston	SC		Named for ENS John Q. Roberts, qv ex DE-235. Reclassified … Named for ENS John Q. Roberts, qv ex DE-235. Reclassified APD-94 before commissioning WW II Pacific Decommissioned May 30 1946 Sold Dec 29 1960 for scrap
John R. Craig	DD	885	Gearing	Decom	1945-08-20 00:00:00.000	1979-07-27 00:00:00.000		Consolidated Steel Corp.	Orange	TX		Named for LCDR John R. Craig, 1v Korean War Vietnam War O… Named for LCDR John R. Craig, 1v Korean War Vietnam War Operation Golden Fleece Operation Sea Dragon Operation Traffic Cop Decommissioned Jul 27 1979 4 Battle Stars Korean War
John R. McQuigg					1944-07-31 00:00:00.000			J. A. Jones Construction Co., Wainright Yd	Panama City	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 2311 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2311 Merchant ship Original operator, American South African Lines WW II
John R. Park					1943-03-04 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond #2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 466 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 466 Merchant ship Original operator, Luckenbach Steamship WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
John R. Perry	DE	1034	Claud Jones		1959-05-05 00:00:00.000			Avondale Marine Ways	Avondale	LA		Named for RADM John R. Perry, qv Oct-Nov 1962, Cuban Missil… Named for RADM John R. Perry, qv Oct-Nov 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis
John R. Pierce	DD	753	Allen M. Sumner		1944-12-30 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem Steel Co., S/B Div, S.I. Works	New York	NY		Named for LCDR John R. Pierce, qv WW II Pacific Decommiss… Named for LCDR John R. Pierce, qv WW II Pacific Decommissioned Jan 24 1947 Recommissioned Apr 11 1949 Korean War Blockade of east coast of Korea 1957, patrol in eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea 1961, Domincan Republic May 1962, Project Mercury Oct 1962, Cuban Missile Crisis 1 Battle Star Korean War
John R. R. Hanney	Cargo							Federal Shipbuilding	Kearny	NJ		Built 1919 Army vessel WW II
John R. Williams	Tug			Sunk		1942-06-24 00:00:00.000						Merchant vessel WW II Sunk by mine Jun 24 1942 off East co… Merchant vessel WW II Sunk by mine Jun 24 1942 off East coast. 14 killed
John Rain	boat											Civil War Feb 1862, sent by BGEN Buell to carry BGEN Smith'… Civil War Feb 1862, sent by BGEN Buell to carry BGEN Smith's forces to Nashville
John Raine	Transport											Civil War Army vessel March 1862, used to transport Union … Civil War Army vessel March 1862, used to transport Union troops for the Battle of Shiloh. (Hurst List) 1864, Mississippi Marine Brigade
John Ramm												Civil War Used to transport troops for Battle of Shiloh (Al… Civil War Used to transport troops for Battle of Shiloh (Alldredge list)
John Randolph					1942-02-27 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 19 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission E Hull 19 Merchant ship Original operator, Union Sulphur WW II May 1942, Convoy PQ-16 for Archangel
John Ringling					1944-09-23 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 2494 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2494 Merchant ship Original operator, Luckenbach Steamship Co. WW II
John Roach												Civil War Reported to have been sunk by Confederates late i… Civil War Reported to have been sunk by Confederates late in 1862 to obstruct James River near Drewry's Bluff
John Roach					1944-03-30 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Yard 1	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2267 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2267 Merchant ship Original operator, McCormick Steamship WW II

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.