Collection

Ships

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

Showing 9,201–9,250

Name	Type	Hull Num	Class	Status	Comm Is Date	Decom Sunk Or Reclass	Reclass Num	Builder	Built City	Built State	Home Port	Historynotes
John Robert Gordon					1945-06-09 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME		Maritime Commission E Hull 3113 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 3113 Merchant ship Original operator, War Shipping Administration WW II
John Rodgers	Str			Returned		1919-07-01 00:00:00.000			Newburgh	NY		1st John Rodgers Not clear which men she was named for, but… 1st John Rodgers Not clear which men she was named for, but probably Commodore John Rodgers, qv, and RADM John Rodgers, qv Transferred to Navy by Executive Order Apr 11 1917 WW I - 3rd Naval District Returned to Department of Commerce Jul 1 1919
John Rodgers	DD	574	Fletcher		1943-02-09 00:00:00.000			Consolidated Steel Corp. of Texas	Orange	TX		2nd John Rodgers Named for Commodore John Rodgers, qv, RADM… 2nd John Rodgers Named for Commodore John Rodgers, qv, RADM John Rodgers, qv, and CDR John Rodgers, qv WW II Nov 1943, Invasion of Bougainville Nov-Dec 1943, Operation Galvanic, Gilbert Islands operation, CDR H. O. Parish Feb 1944, Invasion of Marshall Islands 1944, Invasion at Hollandia Jul 1944, Invasion of Marianas Islands (Guam) Sep 1944, Invasion of Morotai Oct 1944, Invasion of Leyte, CDR J. G. Franklin Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo JIma Apr-Jun 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign, TG 58.1, CDR J. G. Franklin Decommissioned May 25 1946 12 Battle Stars WW II
John Rodgers	DD	983	Spruance	Active	1979-07-14 00:00:00.000			Ingalls Shipbuilding Co.	Pascagoula	MS	Mayport	3rd John Rodgers Named for Commodore John Rodgers, qv, RADM… 3rd John Rodgers Named for Commodore John Rodgers, qv, RADM John Rodgers, qv, and CDR John Rodgers, qv
John Ross					1943-07-23 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Shipbuilding Div.	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1589 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1589 Merchant ship Original operator, Seas Shipping WW II
John Rutledge					1942-10-23 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond #1	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 495 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 495 Merchant ship Original operator, Luchenbach Steamship WW II
John S. Bassett					1943-09-09 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., S/B Div, Yd 1	Richmond	CA		Maritime commission E Hull 1707 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1707 Merchant ship Original operator, American President Lines WW II May 29-Jun 19 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign
John S. Casement					1943-05-26 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime commission E Hull 1654 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1654 Merchant ship Original operator, Luckenbach Steamship WW II
John S. Copley					1942-12-13 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 604 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 604 Merchant ship Original operator, American Mail Line WW II
John S. McCain	DL	3	Mitscher	Reclas	1953-10-12 00:00:00.000	1965-04-15 00:00:00.000	*	Boston Naval Shipyard	Boston	MA		1st John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. McCain (senior), q… 1st John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. McCain (senior), qv Originally planned as DD-928, but reclassified DL-3 before launching 1958, Matsu and Quemoy 1962, Operation Dominic Vietnam War Reclassified DDG-36, qv, Apr 15 1965
John S. McCain	DDG	36			1965-04-15 00:00:00.000			Boston Naval Shipyard	Boston	MA		1st John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. McCain (senior), q… 1st John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. McCain (senior), qv Ex DL-3, qv Reclassified DDG-36 Apr 16 1965 Vietnam War Decommissioned Jun 1966 for conversion to guided missile destroyer
John S. McCain	DDG	56	Arleigh Burke	Active	1994-07-02 00:00:00.000			Bath Iron Works	Bath	ME	Yokosuka	2nd John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. Ma Cain, SR., qv, … 2nd John S. McCain Named for ADM John S. Ma Cain, SR., qv, and ADM John S. Mc Cain, Jr., qv
John S. Mosby					1943-10-16 00:00:00.000			St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co.	Jacksonville	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 1207 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1207 Merchant ship Original operator, Isthmian Steamship Co. Named for Confederate officer John S. Mosby, qv. WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
John S. Pillsbury					1943-04-04 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 730 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 730 Merchant ship Original operator, Grace Line WW II Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
John S. Sargent												WW II Merchant ship Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invas… WW II Merchant ship Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
John S. Sergent					1943-07-09 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Shipbuilding Div.	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1582 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1582 Merchant ship Original operator, Mississippi Shipping WW II Also see John Sergeant
John Sealey	StTug			Returned	1917-04-25 00:00:00.000				West Lake	LA		Built 1910 Acquired by Navy Apr 25 1917 WW I - Used brief… Built 1910 Acquired by Navy Apr 25 1917 WW I - Used briefly as mine sweeper Returned to owner early 1918
John Sedgwick					1942-10-24 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 652 Named for Union MGEN John Se… Maritime Commission E Hull 652 Named for Union MGEN John Sedgwick, qv Merchant ship Original operator, McCormick Steamship WW II Merchant ship Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
John Sergeant					1942-08-31 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 63 Also see John S. Sergent Mer… Maritime Commission E Hull 63 Also see John S. Sergent Merchant ship Original operator, Marine Transport. WW II Nov 1942, Operation Torch, Invasion of North Africa Jul 1943, Operation Husky, Invasion of Sicily
John Sevier					1942-05-22 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 236 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 236 Merchant ship Original operator, Pacific-Atlantic Line WW II
John Sharp Williams					1943-06-28 00:00:00.000			Delta Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	New Orleans	LA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1047 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1047 Merchant ship Original operator, Parry Navigation WW II
John Sherman					1944-01-29 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Yard 1	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2131 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2131 Merchant ship Original operator, Alcoa Steamship WW II
John Simonds	Str			Sunk					Freedom	PA		Built 1852 Civil War Used by Confederate Army on Mississip… Built 1852 Civil War Used by Confederate Army on Mississippi River Sunk following the battle at Island No. 10 in Sep 1862
John Stagg					1943-09-04 00:00:00.000			Delta Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	New Orleans	LA		Maritime commission E Hull 1737 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1737 Merchant ship Original operator, Bernuth-Lembcke WW II
John Steele					1942-07-14 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 289 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 289 Merchant ship Original operator, American-Hawaiian Steamship WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy
John Stevens					1942-10-08 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Richmond #2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 330 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 330 Merchant ship Original operator, Waterman Steamship WW II May 1944, Convoy UGS-40, Mediterranean
John Stevenson					1943-07-12 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 1011 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1011 Merchant ship Original operator, United States Lines WW II
John Straub				Sunk								Merchant ship WW II Lost 5/43
John Straub					1943-12-11 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 2533 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2533 Merchant ship Original operator, Alaska Steamship WW II
John Sullivan					1943-04-12 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME		Maritime Commission E Hull 214 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 214 Merchant ship Original operator, Shepard Steamship Line WW II Merchant ship Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
John Swett					1943-10-28 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Yard 2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2171 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2171 Merchant ship Original operator, Burns Steamship Co. WW II
John T. Holt					1943-08-09 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime commission E Hull 1758 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1758 Merchant ship Original operator, Calmar Steamship WW II
John T. Hutchinson					1943-07-26 00:00:00.000			American Shipbuilding Co.	Cleveland	OH		Maritime Commission Hull 570 Merchant ship Original operat… Maritime Commission Hull 570 Merchant ship Original operator, Buckeye Steamship Co. WW II
John T. McMillan					1943-06-26 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Shipbuilding Div.	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1575 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1575 Merchant ship Original operator, Matson Navigation WW II
John T. Walsh	LT	331						Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Co.	Mobile	AL		Built 1942 Army vessel WW II
John Trumbull					1943-03-13 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME		Maritime Commission E Hull 337 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 337 Merchant ship Original operator, Coastwise Trans. Merchant ship Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
John Vining					1942-12-07 00:00:00.000			Delta Shipbuilding Co., Inc.	New Orleans	LA		Maritime Commission E Hull 138 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 138 Merchant ship Original operator, Standard Fruit Co. WW II
John W. Brooke					1944-03-31 00:00:00.000			J. A. Jones Const. Co., Wainwright Yard	Panama City	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 1550 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1550 Merchant ship Original operator, North Atlantic & Gulf Co. WW II
John W. Brown					1942-09-19 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission E Hull 312 Named for labor leader John … Maritime Commission E Hull 312 Named for labor leader John W. Brown, qv Merchant ship Original operator, States Marine WW II Nine wartime voyages Four postwar voyages Turned over to New York City to serve as floating nautical high school Preserved as museum in Baltimore, by members of Project Liberty Ship. One of only two remaining intact Liberty Ships
John W. Burgess					1944-01-19 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Yard 2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2730 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2730 Merchant ship Original operator, South Atlantic Steamship WW II
John W. Crittenden	No.	3224		Sold	1918-09-11 00:00:00.000	1919-05-15 00:00:00.000		A. C. Brown	Tottenville	NY		Salvage barge Built 1910 Purchased by Navy Sep 11 1918 WW… Salvage barge Built 1910 Purchased by Navy Sep 11 1918 WW I - 3rd Naval District Sold to previous owner May 15 1919
John W. Cullen					1943-03-04 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 1597 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1597 Merchant ship Original operator, Alaska Steamship WW II
John W. Davis					1943-12-17 00:00:00.000			Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission E Hull 2536 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2536 Merchant ship Original operator, Alcoa Steamship Co. WW II
John W. Foster					1943-10-21 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Yard 2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2166 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2166 Merchant ship Original operator, Inter-Ocean Steamship WW II
John W. Garrett					1943-08-27 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime commission E Hull 1768 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1768 Merchant ship Original operator, Stockard Steamship WW II
John W. Gates					1943-12-17 00:00:00.000			Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corp.	Houston	TX		Maritime Commission E Hull 2421 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2421 Merchant ship Original operator, A. H. Bull & Co. WW II
John W. Griffiths					1944-03-25 00:00:00.000			J. A. Jones Const. Co., Wainwright Yard	Panama City	FL		Maritime Commission E Hull 1548 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1548 Merchant ship Original operator, B. Rothchild WW II May 1944, Convoy UGS-40, Mediterranean
John W. Henley	DD	553	Fletcher		1944-02-02 00:00:00.000			Gulf Shipbuilding Corp.	Chickasaw	AL
John W. Hoyt					1943-09-08 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Yard 2	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 2141 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2141 Merchant ship Original operator, Luckenbach Steamship WW II
John W. Mackay					1943-06-17 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp, Shipbuilding Div.	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission E Hull 1570 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 1570 Merchant ship Original operator, Grace Lines 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.