Collection

Ships

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

Showing 2,401–2,450

Name	Type	Hull Num	Class	Status	Comm Is Date	Decom Sunk Or Reclass	Reclass Num	Builder	Built City	Built State	Historynotes
Burns	DD	588	Fletcher	Decom	1943-04-03 00:00:00.000	1946-06-25 00:00:00.000		Charleston Navy Yard	Charleston	SC	2nd Burns Named for CPT Otway Burns, qv WW II Oct 5-6 194… 2nd Burns Named for CPT Otway Burns, qv WW II Oct 5-6 1943, Wake Island raid Nov-Dec 1943, Operation Galvanic, Gilbert Islands operation, LCDR D. T. Eller Feb 1944, Invasion of Marshall Islands Feb 16-17 1944, raid on Truk 2/17/1944, sank Japanese submarine chaser No. 24 Mar 30-Apr 1 1944, raids on palau-Yap-Ulithi-Wolesi Apr 21-24, Hollandia operation Apr 29-May 1 1944, raids on Truk-Satawan-Ponapi Jun-aug 1944, Invasion of Marianas Islands Sep 1944, Invasion of Palau Islands June 19-20 1944, Battle of the Philippine Sea, CDR D. T. Eller Oct 1944, Invasion of Leyte, CDR J. T. Bullen Jan 1945, Invasion at Lingayen Gulf, CDR J. T. Bullen Jun-Jul 1945, Borneo operations Decommissioned Jun 26 1946 11 Battle Stars WW II
Burnt Island					1943-10-30 00:00:00.000			Avondale Marine Ways, Inc.			Maritime Commission Hull 1014 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission Hull 1014 Merchant ship Original operator, Moran Towing Co. WW II
Burrfish	SS	312	Balao	Reclas	1943-09-14 00:00:00.000	1949-01-27 00:00:00.000	*	Portsmouth Navy Yard	Portsmouth	NH	ex Arnillo WW II Sank one Japanese tanker Reclassified SS… ex Arnillo WW II Sank one Japanese tanker Reclassified SSR-312, qv, Jan 27 1949 5 Battle Stars WW II
Burrfish	SSR	312		Decom	1949-01-27 00:00:00.000	1956-12-17 00:00:00.000		Portsmouth Navy Yard	Portsmouth	NH	Ex SS-312, qv Reclassifieid SSR-312 Jan 27 1949 Atlantic … Ex SS-312, qv Reclassifieid SSR-312 Jan 27 1949 Atlantic Decommissioned Dec 17 1956
Burrows	Galley			Sold					Vergennes	VT	1st Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv Launched abou… 1st Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv Launched about Jun 1814 War of 1812 Sep 11 1814, participated in capture of British Squadron on Lake Champlain Sold 1825
Burrows	DE	105	Cannon	Decom	1943-12-19 00:00:00.000	1946-06-14 00:00:00.000		Dravo Corp.	Wilmington	DE	3rd Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv WW II Atlant… 3rd Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv WW II Atlantic To Pacific Jun 1945 Aug 16-23, anti-submarine sweep around Truk Decommissioned Jun 14 1946 Trnasferred to Netherlands Jun 1 1950 under Mutual Defense Assistance Program
Burrows	DD	29	Paulding	Decom	1911-02-21 00:00:00.000	1919-12-12 00:00:00.000		New York Shipbuilding Co.	Camden	NJ	2nd Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv WW I - Cruis… 2nd Burrows Named for LT William Burrows, qv WW I - Cruiser and Transport Force Decommissioned Dec 12 1919 Transferred to Treasury Department 1924 for use by Coast Guard Returned to Navy May 2 1931 Scrapped per London Treaty on naval disarmament
Burton	Dredge							Maryland Steel	Sparrows Point	MD	Built 1904 Seagoing Hopper Dredge Army vessel WW II
Burton Island	AGB							Western Pipe & Steel Co.	San Diego	CA	Ex AG-88, qv Reclassified AGB-1 Mar 1949 Arctic expedition… Ex AG-88, qv Reclassified AGB-1 Mar 1949 Arctic expeditions
Burton Island	AG	88	Burton Island	Reclas	1946-12-28 00:00:00.000		*	Western Pipe & Steel Co.	San Diego	CA	Antarctic and Arctic expeditions Reclassified AGB-1, qv, in… Antarctic and Arctic expeditions Reclassified AGB-1, qv, in Mar 1949
Bush	DD	166	Wickes	Decom	1919-02-19 00:00:00.000	1922-06-21 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp.	Quincy	MA	1st Bush Named for 1LT William S. Bush, qv Atlantic Decom… 1st Bush Named for 1LT William S. Bush, qv Atlantic Decommissioned Jun 21 1922 Sold Sep 8 1936
Bush	DD	529	Fletcher	Sunk	1943-05-10 00:00:00.000	1945-04-06 00:00:00.000		Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co.	San Francisco	CA	2nd Bush Named for 1LT William S. Bush, qv WW II Jan 1944… 2nd Bush Named for 1LT William S. Bush, qv WW II Jan 1944, Saidor, New Guinea landings Feb 1944, invasion of Admiralties Apr-May 1944, Hollandia Invasion, CDR T. A. Smith, also Wakde, Biak, Noemfoor and Sansapor Sep 1944, landings at Morotai Oct 1944, Invasion of Leyte, CDR R. E. Westholm Jan 1945, Invasion at Lingayen Gulf, CDR R. E. Westholm Feb 1945, Invasion of Iwo Jima Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign. Sunk at Hagushi anchorage, Okinawa, 4/-6 by 3 Japanese suicide planes. 227 survivors 7 Battle Stars WW II
Bush Master	LCU	1672	LCU-1600								In service 1976 1996, Morehead
Bushnell	AS	15	Fulton		1943-04-10 00:00:00.000			Sun Shipbuilding Co.	Chester	PA	2nd Bushnell Named for David Bushnell. qv Ship's motto, "G… 2nd Bushnell Named for David Bushnell. qv Ship's motto, "Gaudete Serviamus" WW II Probably Oct-Nov, 1943, at Midway Island Decommissioned Apr 30 1948 Recommissioned Feb 21 1952 Decommissioned 1980 Sunk 1983 as target
Bushnell	AS	2		Renamed	1915-11-24 00:00:00.000	1940-08-23 00:00:00.000	*	Seattle Construction & Drydock Co.	Seattle	WA	1st Bushnell Named for David Bushnell, qv WW I - Reclassi… 1st Bushnell Named for David Bushnell, qv WW I - Reclassified AG-2 Jul 25 1940 and renamed Sumner, qv, Aug 23 1940
Bushrod Washington					1943-04-22 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD	Maritime Commission E Hull 968 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 968 Merchant ship Original operator, American South African WW II Jul 1943, Operation Husky, Invasion of Sicily Sep 1943, Operation Avalanche, Invasion of Salerno
Bushy Run	Tanker				1944-12-30 00:00:00.000			Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co.	Chester	PA	Maritime Commission Hull 1781 Merchant ship Original opera… Maritime Commission Hull 1781 Merchant ship Original operator, War Emergency Tankers WW II
Bussum	No.	2468		Decom	1918-03-27 00:00:00.000	1918-05-16 00:00:00.000		A. Vuyk & Son	Capelle-am-Yssel	HO	Built 1917 Interned at New York Mar 1918 Acquired by Navy … Built 1917 Interned at New York Mar 1918 Acquired by Navy Mar 21 1918 Commissioned Mar 27 1918WW I - Naval Overseas Transportation Serivce with merchant marine crew decommissioned may 16 1918 Returned to U.S. Shipping Board
Butler	ST	139					*		San Francisco	CA	Built 1889 WW II Army vessel May be the same vessel as Af… Built 1889 WW II Army vessel May be the same vessel as Afognak, qv
Butler	DMS	29		Decom	1944-11-15 00:00:00.000	1945-11-08 00:00:00.000		Philadelphia Navy Yard	Philadelphia	PA	Named for MGEN Smedley D. Butler, qv Ex DD-436, qv Reclass… Named for MGEN Smedley D. Butler, qv Ex DD-436, qv Reclassified DMS-29 Nov 15 1944 Mar-May 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa operations. Severely damaged May 25 1944 by bombs from Japanese aircraft. 9 of crew killed Decommissioned Nov 8 1945 sold Jan 10 1948 Navy Unit Commendation and 1 Battle Star WW II as DMS-29
Butler	DD	636	Gleaves	Reclas	1942-08-15 00:00:00.000	1944-11-15 00:00:00.000	*	Philadelphia Navy Yard	Philadelphia	PA	Named for MGEN Smedley D. Butler, qv WW II Jul 1943, Opera… Named for MGEN Smedley D. Butler, qv WW II Jul 1943, Operation Husky, Invasion of Sicily, LCDR Mitchell D. Andrews Jun 1944, Operation Overlord, Invasion of Normandy, CDR M. D. Matthews Aug 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France Reclassified DMS-29,qv, Nov 15 1944 3 Battle Stars WW II as DD-436
Butte	AE	27	Kilaeua	Decom	1968-12-14 00:00:00.000			General Dynamics, Quincy Shipbuilding Div.	Quincy	MA	2nd Butte
Butte	APA	68	Gilliam	Sunk	1944-11-21 00:00:00.000	1948-05-12 00:00:00.000		Consolidated Steel Corp.	Wilmington	CA	1st Butte MaritimeCommission Hull 1861 WW II Apr 1945, Op… 1st Butte MaritimeCommission Hull 1861 WW II Apr 1945, Operation Iceberg, Okinawa Campaign, TG 55.1 Late 1945, China 1946, Operation Crossroads Disposed of by sinking Mar 12 1948 1 Battle Star WW II
Butternut	YN	4	Aloe	Reclas	1941-09-03 00:00:00.000	1944-01-20 00:00:00.000	*	Lake Washington Shipyards	Houghton	WA	Placed in service Sep 3 1941 WW II Seattle area Commissio… Placed in service Sep 3 1941 WW II Seattle area Commissioned May 13 1942 Pacific Reclassified AN-9, qv, Jan 20 1944
Butternut	YAG	60		Struck		1971-07-01 00:00:00.000		Lake Washington Shipyards	Houghton	WA	Ex YN-4, qv Ex AN-9, qv Ex ANL-9, qv Reinstated to Navy L… Ex YN-4, qv Ex AN-9, qv Ex ANL-9, qv Reinstated to Navy List as YAG-60 sometime after decommissioning on Jun 18 1969 Pacific Missile Range Struck Jul 1 1971 Destroyed
Butternut	AN	9		Reclas	1944-01-20 00:00:00.000	1969-01-01 00:00:00.000	*	Lake Washington Shipyards	Houghton	WA	Ex YN-4, qv Reclassified AN-9 Jan 20 1944 WW II Pacific … Ex YN-4, qv Reclassified AN-9 Jan 20 1944 WW II Pacific Reclassified ANL-9, qv, Jan 1 1969 1 Battle Star WW II as YN-4 or AN-9
Butternut	ANL	9		Decom	1969-01-01 00:00:00.000	1969-06-18 00:00:00.000	*	Lake Washington Shipyards	Houghton	WA	Ex YN-4, qv Ex AN-9, qv Reclassified ANL-9 Jan 1 1969 11t… Ex YN-4, qv Ex AN-9, qv Reclassified ANL-9 Jan 1 1969 11th Naval District Decommissioned Jun 18 1969 Reinstated as YAG-60, qv
Button Gwinnett					1943-05-31 00:00:00.000			Southeastern Shipbuilding Corp.	Savannah	GA	Maritime Commission E Hull 351 Merchant ship Original oper… Maritime Commission E Hull 351 Merchant ship Original operator, South Atlantic WW II Aug-Sep 1944, Operation Dragoon, Invasion of Southern France
Buttonwood	WLB	306	Balsam					Marine Iron & Shipbuilding Co.	Duluth	MN
Buttress	ACM	4									PCE-878, qv, was name Buttress (ACM-4) at some point
Buyer	TAK	2033									1994, Military Sealift Command
Byccaneer	PY			Decom	1898-05-14 00:00:00.000	1898-09-12 00:00:00.000		Atlantic Iron Works	Boston	MA	Built 1888 as Unquowa, a yacht Ex Buccaneer, Privateer, Car… Built 1888 as Unquowa, a yacht Ex Buccaneer, Privateer, Carola II, Columbine II, and Buccaneer Loaned to Navy 1898 Commissioned May 14 1989 Spanish-American War Key West Decommissioned Sep 12 1898 Later returned to owner
Byron Darnton					1943-12-24 00:00:00.000			Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Inc.	Baltimore	MD	Maritime commission E Hull 1848 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime commission E Hull 1848 Merchant ship Original operator, Boland & Cornelius WW II
C-1	SS	9	C	Decom	1911-11-17 00:00:00.000	1919-08-04 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA	ex Octopus, qv Renamed C-1 Nov 17 1911 WW I Decommissione… ex Octopus, qv Renamed C-1 Nov 17 1911 WW I Decommissioned Aug 4 1919 Sold Apr 13 1920
C-2	SS	13	C	Decom	1909-11-23 00:00:00.000	1919-12-23 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA	ex Stingray, qv Renamed C-2 (SS-13) Nov 17 1911 WW I Deco… ex Stingray, qv Renamed C-2 (SS-13) Nov 17 1911 WW I Decommissioned Dec 23 1919 Sold Apr 13 1920
C-3	SS	14	C	Decom	1911-11-17 00:00:00.000	1919-12-23 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA	ex Tarpon, qv Renamed C-3, Submarine No. 14, Nov 17 1911 D… ex Tarpon, qv Renamed C-3, Submarine No. 14, Nov 17 1911 Decommissioned Dec 23 1919 Sold Apr 13 1920
C-4	SS	15	C	Decom	1909-11-23 00:00:00.000	1919-08-15 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA	ex Bonita (Submarine No. 15), qv Renamed C-4 Nov 17 1911 … ex Bonita (Submarine No. 15), qv Renamed C-4 Nov 17 1911 WW I - Decommissioned Aug 15 1919 Sold Apr 13 1920
C-5	SS	16	C	Decom	1911-11-17 00:00:00.000	1919-12-23 00:00:00.000		Fore River Shipbuilding Co.	Quincy	MA	ex Snapper Commissioning commander was ENS C. W. Nimitz Re… ex Snapper Commissioning commander was ENS C. W. Nimitz Renamed C-5 (Submarine No. 16) Nov 17 1911 WW I - Decommissioned Dec 23 1919 Sold Apr 13 1920
C. A. Canfield	Tanker										Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
C. C. Leary	Steamer										Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early … Civil War Used to transport Gen. Sherman's troops in early 1865
C. F. Sargent	barge			Sunk		1918-07-31 00:00:00.000					Seagoing barge. No. 3027 WW I Sunk off Hen and Chicken Sh… Seagoing barge. No. 3027 WW I Sunk off Hen and Chicken Shoals Jul 31 1918
C. Francis Jenkins					1944-09-09 00:00:00.000			J. A. Jones Construction Co., Wainright Yd	Panama City	FL	Maritime Commission E Hull 2316 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2316 Merchant ship Original operator, Agwilines, Inc. WW II January 4-18 1945 Lingayen Gulf Landing
C. H. M. Jones					1944-09-09 00:00:00.000			New England Shipbuilding Corp.	South Portland	ME	Maritime Commission E Hull 3054 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 3054 Merchant ship Original operator, American West African WW II
C. I. P. No. 1	Tug										Army vessel WW II
C. J. Barkdull	Tanker										Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
C. K. McClatchy					1944-04-07 00:00:00.000			California Shipbuilding Corp.	Los Angeles	CA	Maritime Commission E Hull 2242 Merchant ship Original ope… Maritime Commission E Hull 2242 Merchant ship Original operator, Matson Navigation WW II
C. O. Stillman	Tanker										Merchant ship Operator, Esso WW II
C. P. Knapp											Civil War Schooner captured Aug 8 1861 in Gulf of Mexico as… Civil War Schooner captured Aug 8 1861 in Gulf of Mexico as blockade runner by Santee, qv
C. P. Smith	Gunboat										Civil War Army vessel in Virginia-North Carolina area
C. P. Williams	Sch			Decom	1862-01-21 00:00:00.000	1865-06-27 00:00:00.000					Civil War south Atlantic Blockagding Squadron Decommission… Civil War south Atlantic Blockagding Squadron Decommissioned Jun 27 1965 Sold Aug 10 1865

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.