Collection

Ships

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

Showing 1,601–1,650

Name	Type	Hull Num	Class	Status	Comm Is Date	Decom Sunk Or Reclass	Reclass Num	Builder	Built City	Built State	Home Port	Historynotes
Bastrop	Tender								Cedar Bayou	LA		Built 1908 WW II Army vessel Mobile District
Bat	SwStr		Owl	Decom	1864-12-13 00:00:00.000	1865-05-17 00:00:00.000		Jones, Quiggin & Co.	Liverpool	EN		Built 1864 Civil War Reported to Confederate Army Chief of… Built 1864 Civil War Reported to Confederate Army Chief of Ordnance but generally controlled and manned by Confederate Navy Captured as blockade runner Oct 10 1864 off Wilmington NC on maiden voyage Purchased by Navy from prize court Nov 1864 Commissioned Dec 13 1864 North Atlantic Blockading Squadron Decommissioned May 17 1865 Sold Oct 25 1865
Bataan	LT	2086										Army vessel In service 1954 1996, Stockton
Bataan	CVL	29	Independence	Decom	1943-11-17 00:00:00.000	1954-04-09 00:00:00.000		New York Shipbuilding Co.	Camden	NJ		Named for site of American resistance to Japanese advance in… Named for site of American resistance to Japanese advance in Philippines in World War II Laid down as Buffalo (CL-99). Reclassified CV-29 and renamed Bataan Jun 2 1942 Reclassified CVL-29 Jul 15 1943 Launched Aug 1 1943 Commissioned Nov 17 1943 WW II Apr 1943, attack on Hollandia Apr-May 1944, strikes on Truk, Satawan and Ponape Jun-Aug 1944, attacks on Saipan to support the invasion Jun 15-16 1944, 1st raid on Bonins Jun 19-20 1944, Battle of Philippine Sea (TG 58.1), CPT V. H. Schaeffer Jun 24 1944, 2nd Bonins raid Mar-May 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign, Task Group 58.3, CPT J. B. Smith Decommissioned Feb 11 1947 Recommissioned May 13 1950 Korean War Decommissioned Apr 9 1954 6 Battle Stars WW II 7 Battle Stars Korean War
Bataan	LHD	5	Wasp	Active	1997-09-20 00:00:00.000			Ingalls Shipbuilding Co.	Pascagoula	MS	Norfolk
Bates	APD	47		Sunk	1944-07-31 00:00:00.000	1945-05-25 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyards	Hingham	MA		Named for ENS Edward M. Bates, qv Originally commissioned D… Named for ENS Edward M. Bates, qv Originally commissioned DE-68 Reclassified APD-47 7/31/1944 WW II Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Apr-May 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign. Heavily damaged by Japanese air attack 5/25, capsized and sunk during salvage operations 3 Battle Stars WW II as DE and APD
Bates	DE	68	Buckley	Reclas	1943-09-12 00:00:00.000	1944-07-31 00:00:00.000	*	Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyards	Hingham	MA		Named for ENS Edward M. Bates, qv Originally commissioned D… Named for ENS Edward M. Bates, qv Originally commissioned DE-68 WW II Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy Reclassified APD-47 7/31/1944
Bates Victory					1945-05-26 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission Victory Hull 787 Merchant ship Origina… Maritime Commission Victory Hull 787 Merchant ship Original operator, General Steamship WW II
Batfish	AGSS	310		Struck		1969-11-01 00:00:00.000		Portsmouth Navy Yard	Portsmouth	NH		1st Batfish Ex SS-310, qv Redesignated AGSS-310 in 1962, a… 1st Batfish Ex SS-310, qv Redesignated AGSS-310 in 1962, after decommissioning Struck Nov 1 1969
Batfish	SS	310	Balao	Decom	1943-08-21 00:00:00.000	1958-08-04 00:00:00.000	*	Portsmouth Navy Yard	Portsmouth	NH		1st Batfish ex Acoupa Renamed Batfish before launching WW… 1st Batfish ex Acoupa Renamed Batfish before launching WW II Aug 26 1944, sank Japanese destroyer Samidare 2/10/1945, sank Japanese submarine RO-55 in Philippine Islands area 2/11/1945, sank Japanese submarine RO-112 in Philippine Islands area 2/13/1945, sank Japanese submarine RO-113 in Philippine Islands area Credited with sinking a total of 9 Japanese ships Decommissioned Apr 6 1946 Recommissioned Mar 7 1952 DecommissionedAug 4 1958 Redesignated AGSS-310, qv, in 1962 Presidential Unit Citation and 9 Battle Stars WW II
Batfish	SSN	681	Sturgeon	Decom	1972-09-01 00:00:00.000	1998-11-02 00:00:00.000						2nd Batfish Atlantic Decommissioned Nov 2 1998
Bath	AK	4		Decom	1917-07-30 00:00:00.000	1922-05-09 00:00:00.000		Oderwerke Stettiner	Stettin	GE		1st Bath Ex Andromeda Seized by Customs officials Apr 6 19… 1st Bath Ex Andromeda Seized by Customs officials Apr 6 1917 and transferred to Navy in May Renamed Bath Jun 6 1917 Commissioned Jul 20 1917 WW I - Train, Atlantic Fleet Naval Overseas Transportation Service 1921, Asiatic Fleet Decommissioned May 9 1922 Sold Jan 2 1926
Bath	PF	55	Tacoma	Decom	1944-09-01 00:00:00.000	1949-11-15 00:00:00.000		Froemming Bros., Inc.	Milwaukee	WI		2nd Bath Maritime Commission Hull 1480 WW II Atlantic Tr… 2nd Bath Maritime Commission Hull 1480 WW II Atlantic Transferred to Soviet Union Jul 13 1945 Returned to U.S. custody Nov 15 1949 Decommissioned Loaned to Japan Dec 23 1953
Batjan	AK			Decom	1918-03-28 00:00:00.000	1919-06-25 00:00:00.000		William Gray & Co., Ltd.	West Hartlepool	EN		Built 1913 Acquired by Navy Mar 21 1918 WW I - Naval Oper… Built 1913 Acquired by Navy Mar 21 1918 WW I - Naval Operseas Transportation Service Decommissioned and returned to owners Jun 25 1919
Baton Rouge												Merchant ship WW II
Baton Rouge	SSN	689	Los Angeles	Decom	1977-06-25 00:00:00.000	1993-01-01 00:00:00.000		Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.	Newport News	VA		Decommissioned Jan 1 1993
Baton Rouge Victory					1945-09-24 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD		Maritime Commission Victory Hull 846 Merchant ship Origina… Maritime Commission Victory Hull 846 Merchant ship Original operator, American Export Lines
Battle Creek Victory					1945-08-17 00:00:00.000			Permanente Metals Corp., Richmond Two	Richmond	CA		Maritime Commission Victory Hull 716 Merchant ship Origina… Maritime Commission Victory Hull 716 Merchant ship Original operator, Marine Trans. Lines
Battle Mountain					1944-10-09 00:00:00.000			Kaiser Co., Inc., Swan Island	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission Hull 1948 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission Hull 1948 Merchant ship Original operator, Deconhil Shipping WW II
Battle Point	YTT	10	Cape Flattery	In service
Battle Rock	Tanker				1944-03-30 00:00:00.000			Kaiser Co., Inc., Swan Island	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission Hull 847 Merchant ship Original operat… Maritime Commission Hull 847 Merchant ship Original operator, Los Angeles tanker Oprs. WW II
Bauer	DE	1025	Courtney	Decom	1957-11-21 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem Steel Co.	San Francisco	CA		Named for ENS Harold W. Bauer, qv Decommissioned 1973
Bausell	DD	845	Gearing	Decom	1947-02-07 00:00:00.000	1978-05-30 00:00:00.000		Bath Iron Works	Bath	ME		Named for CPL Lewis K. Bausell, qv Pacific Korean War Dec… Named for CPL Lewis K. Bausell, qv Pacific Korean War Decommissioned May 30 1978 Used as target 3 Battle Stars Korean War
Bauxite	IX	154			1944-06-22 00:00:00.000			Barrett and Hilp, Belair Shipyard	South San Francisco	CA		Maritime Commission Hull 1326 WW II
Bavaria	No.	2179		Decom	1918-01-04 00:00:00.000	1918-06-11 00:00:00.000		Recherstine Shiffwerke	Hamburg	GE		Cargo vessel built 1915 German vessel seized by Cuban gover… Cargo vessel built 1915 German vessel seized by Cuban government during World War I and turned over to U.S. Shipping Board Commissioned Jan 4 1918 WW I - Naval Overseas Transportation Service Decommissioned Jun 11 1918 and returned to U.S. Shipping Board
Baxley	AK			Decom	1918-10-01 00:00:00.000	1918-12-02 00:00:00.000		Hillyer, Sperring, Dunn Co.	Jacksonville	FL		Cargo vessel built 1918 Transferred to Navy Oct 1 1918 and … Cargo vessel built 1918 Transferred to Navy Oct 1 1918 and commissioned the same day WW I - Naval Overseas Transportation Service Decommissioned De 2 1918
Baxter	APA	94	Sumter	Decom	1944-05-15 00:00:00.000	1946-03-22 00:00:00.000		Gulf Shipbuilding Co.	Chickasaw	AL		ex SS Antinous, Maritime Commission Hull 483 Transferred to… ex SS Antinous, Maritime Commission Hull 483 Transferred to Navy Nov 30 1943 Commissioned May 15 1944 WW II Oct 1944, Invasion of Leyte, CPT V. R. Sinclair Jan 1945, Invasion at Lingayen Gulf Jan 1945, landings at San Felipe, Luzon Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign Decommissioned Mar 22 1946 and returned to Maritime Commission 4 Battle Stars WW II
Bay City	Steamer											Civil War March 1862, used to transport Union troops for th… Civil War March 1862, used to transport Union troops for the Battle of Shiloh. (Hurst List)
Bay Spring	YNg	19		Struck	1940-10-07 00:00:00.000	1944-09-16 00:00:00.000		Providence Engineering Co.	Providence	RI		Ex AT-60, qv Reclassified YNg-19 Oct 7 1940, while decommis… Ex AT-60, qv Reclassified YNg-19 Oct 7 1940, while decommissioned Placed in service Jan 31 1941 WW II Gate vessel near Delaware Capes Struck Sep 16 1944 Transferred to Maritime Commissioned May 6 1946
Bay Spring	AT	60		Reclas	1921-11-10 00:00:00.000	1940-10-07 00:00:00.000	*	Providence Engineering Co.	Providence	RI		Built 1920 Acquired by Navy Sep 28 1921 Commissioned Nov 1… Built 1920 Acquired by Navy Sep 28 1921 Commissioned Nov 10 1921 Decommissioned Nov 23 1926 Reclassified YNg-19, qv., Oct 7 1940
Baya	AGSS	318			1949-08-12 00:00:00.000			Electric Boat Co.	Groton	CT		Ex SS-318, qv Reclassified AGSS-318 Aug 12 1949 Electronic… Ex SS-318, qv Reclassified AGSS-318 Aug 12 1949 Electronics experimental submarine
Baya	SS	318	Balao	Reclas	1944-05-20 00:00:00.000	1949-08-12 00:00:00.000	*	Electric Boat Co.	Groton	CT		WW II Pacific Decommissioned May 14 1946 Recommissioned F… WW II Pacific Decommissioned May 14 1946 Recommissioned Feb 10 1948 Reclassified AGSS-318, qv, Aug 12 1949 4 Battle Stars WW II
Bayberry	WLI	65400										Built 1954
Bayfield	APA	33	Bayfield		1943-11-22 00:00:00.000			Western Pipe & Steel Co.	San Francisco	CA		ex SS Sea Bass, Maritime Commission Hull 275 Originally to … ex SS Sea Bass, Maritime Commission Hull 275 Originally to be commissioned AP-78, but reclassified APA-33 2/01/1943, before commissioning WW II June 1944, Operation Overlord, invasion of Normandy, CPT Lyndon Spencer, USCG. Flagship of RADM D, P, Moon, Utah Beach Aug 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign 1946, Operation Crossroads Korean War Sep 1950, Inchon Landings Oct 1950, Landings at Wonsan Dec 1950, Evacuation at Hungnam 4 Battle Stars WW II 4 Battle Stars Korean War
Baylor Victory					1945-03-30 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA		Maritime Commission Victory Hull 772 Merchant ship Origina… Maritime Commission Victory Hull 772 Merchant ship Original operator, American-Hawaiian Steamship WW II
Bayocean	SP	2640		Decom	1918-08-17 00:00:00.000	1919-03-14 00:00:00.000		Joseph Supple	Portland	OR		Yacht built 1911 Purchased by Navy, delivered Jun 1918 Com… Yacht built 1911 Purchased by Navy, delivered Jun 1918 Commissioned Aug 17 1918 WW I - Pacific Fleet Decommissioned Mar 14 1919 Sold Aug 5 1921
Bayonne	PF	21	Tacoma	Decom	1944-08-30 00:00:00.000	1953-01-31 00:00:00.000		American Shipbuilding Co.	Cleveland	OH		Maritime Commission Hull 1487 WW II Decommissioned Sep 2 1… Maritime Commission Hull 1487 WW II Decommissioned Sep 2 1945 and loaned to Soviet Union under Lend-Lease Returned to U.S. custody Nov 14 1949 Recommissioned Jul 28 1950 Korean War Decommissioned Jan 31 1953 and loanded to Japan under Mutual Defense Assistantce Program 6 Battle Stars Korean War
Bayou	Freighter			Sunk		1942-02-28 00:00:00.000						Panama flag WW II Sunk by torpedo in North Atlantic. 25 c… Panama flag WW II Sunk by torpedo in North Atlantic. 25 crew members lost
Bayou Chico												Merchant ship WW II Mar-May 1942, Convoy PQ-15 May 1942, … Merchant ship WW II Mar-May 1942, Convoy PQ-15 May 1942, Convoy QP-12 from Murmansk Nov 1942, Operation Torch, Invasion of North Africa
Bayou City	Str				1861-09-26 00:00:00.000							Chartered Sep 26 1861 by State of Texas Civil War Mail boa… Chartered Sep 26 1861 by State of Texas Civil War Mail boat between Galveston and Houston Oct 1862, taken by Confederate War Department Jan 1 1863, Battle fo Galveston, captured USS Harriet Lane, qv Guardboat along coast of Texas
Bayou St. John					1943-11-30 00:00:00.000			Pendleton Shipyards Co., Inc.	New Orleans	LA		Maritime Commission Hull 1281 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission Hull 1281 Merchant ship Original operator, Moran Towing Co. WW II
Bazaar	Ship											Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early … Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early 1865
Bazely	Tug						*					See Beta
Bazely	BDE	2			1945-08-20 00:00:00.000			Boston Navy Yard	Boston	MA
Beacon	Tanker											Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
Beacon	PG	99		Decom		1989-10-30 00:00:00.000						Decommissioned Oct 30 1989 Foreign Military lease/sale
Beacon Rock					1944-09-04 00:00:00.000			Kaiser Co., Inc., Swan Island	Portland	OR		Maritime Commission Hull 1941 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission Hull 1941 Merchant ship Original operator, War Shipping Administration WW II
Beaconhill	Tanker											Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
Beaconlight	Tanker											Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
Beaconoil	Tanker											Merchant ship Operator, Esso 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.