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US Navy Ships of World War Two

Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, etc.

Using the pictures from the 1943-45 Naval Recognition Manual as a base, this sections covers the five major powers of the war: United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, and Italy. As the manual was designed specifically for recognition, it includes classes of warships, not individual ships. Thus, most of the ships presented here are lead ships of their class. All the the USN battleships and carriers that served in WW2 are included.

United States Navy

This is not an online version of Samuel Eliot Morison's History of United States Naval Operations in World War Two, merely a summary and some images of ships. Most of the information is from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Where possible, I have supplemented that with more personal stories.

Here is an excellent collection of aircrew war stories, mostly from men who served on aircraft carriers in WW2.

Contributions welcome, send to stephen@acepilots.com.

BATTLESHIPS

Arkansas Class

USS Arkansas

Colorado Class

USS Colorado

USS Maryland

USS West Virginia

Iowa Class

USS Iowa

USS New Jersey

USS Missouri

USS Wisconsin

Nevada Class

USS Nevada

New Mexico Class

USS New Mexico

USS Mississippi

USS Idaho

New York Class

USS New York

Pennsylvania Class

USS Pennsylvania

USS Arizona

South Dakota Class

USS South Dakota

USS Indiana

USS Massachusetts

USS Alabama

Tennessee Class

USS Tennessee

USS California

AIRCRAFT

CARRIERS

Bogue Class

USS Altamaha
USS Barnes
USS Block Island
USS Bogue
USS Breton
USS Card
USS Copahee
USS Core
USS Croatan
USS Prince William

Charger Class

USS Charger
USS Long Island

Enterprise Class

USS Enterprise

Essex Class

USS Essex (CV-9)
USS Yorktown (CV-10)
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Hornet (CV-12)
USS Franklin (CV-13)
USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
USS Randolph (CV-15)
USS Lexington (CV-16)
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
USS Wasp (CV-18)
USS Hancock (CV-19)
USS Bennington (CV-20)
USS Boxer (CV-21)
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31)
USS Antietam (CV-36)
USS Shangri-La (CV-38)
USS Lake Champlain (CV-39)

USS Independence

USS Ranger

USS Sangamon

USS Saratoga

and scans from my father's 1943 Naval Recognition Manual

US Navy Ships of World War Two

Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers, etc.

United States Navy

BATTLESHIPS

AIRCRAFT

CARRIERS

CRUISERS

DESTROYERS

Other Types