USN | US Navy Battleships |
British (RN) | |
Japanese (IJN) | |
German (HSF & KM) | |
Russian & Soviet | |
French | |
Italian |
Class | Pennant Number | Name | Keel Laid | Launched | First Commissioned | Builder | Last De- commissioned | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-Dreadnoughts | ||||||||
Maine | - | Maine | 17 Oct 1888 | 18 Nov 1890 | 17 Sep 1895 | NYNY | Sunk at Havana, Cuba 15 Feb 1898, raised 2 Feb 1912, sunk in deep water 16 Mar 1912. | |
Texas | - | Texas | 1 Jun 1889 | 28 Jun 1892 | 15 Aug 1895 | NORNY | Sunk as target 1911 | |
Indiana | BB-1 | Indiana | 7 May 1891 | 28 Feb 1893 | 20 Nov 1895 | Cramp | 31 Jan 1919 | Sunk as target 1920, Scrapped 1924 |
BB-2 | Massachusetts | 25 Jun 1891 | 10 Jun 1893 | 10 Jun 1896 | Cramp | Scuttled 6 Jan 1921, now diving wreck | ||
BB-3 | Oregon | 19 Nov 1891 | 26 Oct 1893 | 15 Jul 1896 | UIW | 12 Jun 1919 | Museum 1925-1941, Scrapped 1956 | |
Iowa | BB-4 | Iowa | 5 Aug 1893 | 28 Mar 1896 | 16 Jun 1897 | Cramp | 31 Mar 1919 | Sunk as target, 23 March 1923 |
Kearsage | BB-5 | Kearsarge | 30 Jun 1896 | 24 Mar 1898 | 20 Feb 1900 | NNSBDD | 10 May 1920 | Converted to crane ship 1920, scrapped 1955 |
BB-6 | Kentucky | 30 Jun 1896 | 24 Mar 1898 | 16 May 1900 | NNSBDD | 29 May 1920 | Scrapped 1924 | |
Illinois | BB-7 | Illinois | 10 Feb 1897 | 4 Oct 1898 | 16 Sep 1901 | NNSBDD | Served as training ship for many years. Scrapped 1956 | |
BB-8 | Alabama | 2 Dec 1896 | 18 May 1898 | 16 Oct 1900 | Cramp | 7 May 1920 | Sunk as target 27 Sep 1921, scrapped 1924 | |
BB-9 | Wisconsin | 9 Feb 1897 | 26 Nov 1898 | 4 Feb 1901 | UIW | 15 May 1920 | Scrapped 1922 | |
Maine | BB-10 | Maine | 15 Feb 1899 | 27 Jul 1901 | 29 Dec 1902 | Cramp | 15 May 1920 | Scrapped 1923-24 |
BB-11 | Missouri | 7 Feb 1900 | 28 Dec 1901 | 12 Jan 1903 | NNSBDD | 8 Sep 1919 | Scrapped 1922 | |
BB-12 | Ohio | 22 Apr 1899 | 18 May 1901 | 4 Oct 1904 | UIW | 31 May 1922 | Scrapped 1923 | |
Virginia | BB-13 | Virginia | 21 May 1902 | 5 Apr 1904 | 7 May 1906 | NNSBDD | 13 Aug 1920 | Sunk as target, 5 Sep 1923 |
BB-14 | Nebraska | 4 Jul 1902 | 7 Oct 1904 | 1 Jul 1907 | Moran | 2 Jul 1920 | Scrapped 1923-24 | |
BB-15 | Georgia | 31 Aug 1901 | 11 Oct 1904 | 24 Sep 1906 | Bath | 15 Jul 1920 | Scrapped 1923-24 | |
BB-16 | New Jersey | 2 Apr 1902 | 10 Nov 1904 | 12 May 1906 | Fore | 6 Aug 1920 | Sunk as target 5 Sep 1923 | |
BB-17 | Rhode Island | 1 May 1902 | 17 May 1904 | 19 Feb 1906 | Fore | 30 Jun 1920 | Scrapped 1923-24 | |
Connecticut | BB-18 | Connecticut | 10 Mar 1903 | 29 Sep 1904 | 29 Sep 1906 | NYNY | 1 Mar 1923 | Scrapped 1923 |
BB-19 | Louisiana | 7 Feb 1903 | 27 Aug 1904 | 2 Jun 1906 | NNSBDD | 20 Oct 1920 | Scrapped 1923 | |
BB-20 | Vermont | 21 May 1904 | 31 Aug 1905 | 4 Mar 1907 | Fore | 30 Jun 1920 | Scrapped 1923 | |
BB-21 | Kansas | 10 Feb 1904 | 12 Aug 1905 | 18 Apr 1907 | NYSB | 16 Dec 1921 | Scrapped 1924 | |
BB-22 | Minnesota | 27 Oct 1903 | 8 Apr 1905 | 9 Mar 1907 | NNSBDD | 1 Dec 1921 | Scrapped 1924 at PNSY | |
Mississippi | BB-23 | Mississippi | 12 May 1904 | 30 Sep 1905 | 1 Feb 1908 | Cramp | 21 Jul 1914 | Sold to Greece 1914, as Lemnos. Sunk at Salamis April 1941. |
BB-24 | Idaho | 12 May 1904 | 9 Dec 1905 | 1 Apr 1908 | Cramp | 30 Jul 1914 | Sold to Greece 1914, as Kilkis. Sunk at Salamis April 1941. | |
Connecticut | BB-25 | New Hampshire | 1 May 1905 | 30 Jun 1906 | 19 Mar 1908 | NYSB | 21 May 1921 | Scrapped 1923 |
Dreadnoughts | ||||||||
South Carolina | BB-26 | South Carolina | 18 Dec 1906 | 25 Jul 1908 | 1 Mar 1910 | Cramp | 15 Dec 1921 | Scrapped 1924 |
BB-27 | Michigan | 17 Dec 1906 | 11 Jul 1908 | 4 Jan 1910 | NYSB | 11 Feb 1922 | Scrapped 1924 at PNSY. | |
Delaware | BB-28 | Delaware | 11 Nov 1907 | 6 Feb 1909 | 4 Apr 1910 | NNSBDD | 10 Nov. 1923 | Scrapped 1924 |
BB-29 | North Dakota | 16 Dec 1907 | 10 Nov 1908 | 11 Apr 1910 | Fore | 22 Nov 1923 | Scrapped 1931 | |
Florida | BB-30 | Florida | 9 Mar 1909 | 12 May 1910 | 15 Sep 1911 | NYNY | 16 Feb 1931 | Scrapped 1932 |
BB-31 | Utah | 15 Mar 1909 | 23 Dec 1909 | 31 Aug 1911 | NYSB | 5 Sept 1944 | Converted to target ship, 1931. Sunk at Pearl Harbor, 7 Dec 1941 | |
Wyoming | BB-32 | Wyoming | 9 Feb 1910 | 25 May 1911 | 25 Sep 1912 | Cramp | 1 Aug 1947 | Scrapped 1947-48 |
BB-33 | Arkansas | 25 Jan 1910 | 14 Jan 1911 | 17 Sep 1912 | NYSB | 29 Jul 1946 | Sunk as target, 25 Jul 1946 | |
New York | BB-34 | New York | 11 Sep 1911 | 30 Oct 1912 | 15 Apr 1914 | NYNY | 29 Aug 1946 | Sunk as target 8 Jul 1948 |
BB-35 | Texas | 17 Apr 1911 | 18 May 1912 | 12 Mar 1914 | NNSBDD | 21 Apr 1948 | Museum at San Jacinto State Park, La Porte, TX (1948) | |
Nevada | BB-36 | Nevada | 4 Nov 1912 | 11 Jul 1914 | 11 Mar 1916 | Fore | 29 Aug 1946 | Sunk as target 31 July 1948. |
BB-37 | Oklahoma | 26 Oct 1912 | 23 Mar 1914 | 2 May 1916 | NYSB | 1 Dec 1944 | Sunk at Pearl Harbor 7 Dec 1941. Raised and partially repaired 1943. Broke tow, lost at sea, 17 May 1947. | |
Pennsylvania | BB-38 | Pennsylvania | 27 Oct 1913 | 16 Mar 1915 | 12 Jun 1916 | NNSBDD | 29 Aug 1946 | Scuttled 10 Feb 1948 after being a target ship. |
BB-39 | Arizona | 16 Mar 1914 | 19 Jun 1915 | 17 Oct 1916 | NYNY | Sunk at Pearl Harbor, HI 7 Dec 1941 | ||
New Mexico | BB-40 | New Mexico | 14 Oct 1915 | 23 Apr 1917 | 20 May 1918 | NYNY | 3 Jul 1946 | Scrapped 1947-48 |
BB-41 | Mississippi | 15 Apr 1915 | 25 Jan 1917 | 18 Dec 1917 | NNSBDD | 28 Nov 1956 | Scrapped 1956-57 | |
BB-42 | Idaho | 20 Jan 1915 | 30 Jun 1917 | 24 Mar 1919 | NYSB | 3 Jul 1946 | Scrapped 1947-48 | |
Tennessee | BB-43 | Tennessee | 14 May 1917 | 30 Apr 1919 | 3 Jun 1920 | NYNY | 14 Feb 1947 | Scrapped 1959 |
BB-44 | California | 25 Oct 1916 | 20 Nov 1919 | 10 Aug 1921 | Mare Is. | 14 Feb 1947 | Scrapped 1959 | |
Colorado | BB-45 | Colorado | 29 May 1919 | 22 Mar 1921 | 30 Aug 1923 | NYSB | 7 Jan 1947 | Scrapped 1959 |
BB-46 | Maryland | 24 Apr 1917 | 20 Mar 1920 | 21 Jul 1921 | NNSBDD | 3 Apr 1947 | Scrapped 1959 | |
BB-47 | Washington | 30 Jun 1919 | 1 Sep 1921 | - | NYSB | Sunk as target 25 Nov 1924 | ||
BB-48 | West Virginia | 20 Apr 1920 | 19 Nov 1921 | 1 Dec 1923 | NNSBDD | 7 Jan 1947 | Scrapped 1961 | |
South Dakota (I) | BB-49 | South Dakota | 15 Mar 1920 | - | - | NYNY | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 |
BB-50 | Indiana | 1 Nov 1920 | - | - | NYNY | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 | |
BB-51 | Montana | 1 Sep 1920 | - | - | Mare Is. | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 | |
BB-52 | North Carolina | 12 Jan 1920 | - | - | NORNY | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 | |
BB-53 | Iowa | 17 May 1920 | - | - | NNSBDD | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 | |
BB-54 | Massachusetts | 4 Apr 1921 | - | - | Fore | - | Scrapped incomplete 1923 | |
North Carolina | BB-55 | North Carolina | 27 Oct 1937 | 13 Jun 1940 | 9 Apr 1941 | NYNY | 27 Jun 1947 | Museum at Wilmington, NC (1962) |
BB-56 | Washington | 14 Jun 1938 | 1 Jun 1940 | 15 May 1941 | PNSY | 27 Jun 1947 | Scrapped at Kearney, NJ 1961-62 | |
South Dakota (II) | BB-57 | South Dakota | 5 Jul 1939 | 6 Jul 1941 | 20 Mar 1942 | NYSB | 31 Jan 1947 | Scrapped 1962-63 |
BB-58 | Indiana | 20 Apr 1939 | 21 Nov 1941 | 30 Apr 1942 | NNSBDD | 11 Sep 1946 | Scrapped 1963-64 | |
BB-59 | Massachusetts | 20 Jul 1939 | 23 Sep 1941 | 12 May 1942 | Bethlehem | 27 Mar 1947 | Museum at Fall River, MA (1965) | |
BB-60 | Alabama | 1 Feb 1940 | 16 Feb 1942 | 16 Aug 1942 | NORNY | 9 Jan 1947 | Museum at Mobile, AL (1964) | |
Iowa | BB-61 | Iowa | 27 Jun 1940 | 27 Aug 1942 | 22 Feb 1943 | NYNY | 26 Oct 1990 | In Reserve |
BB-62 | New Jersey | 16 Sep 1940 | 7 Dec 1942 | 23 May 1943 | PNSY | Feb 1991 | Museum (2000) | |
BB-63 | Missouri | 16 Jan 1941 | 29 Jan 1944 | 11 Jun 1944 | NYNY | 31 Mar 1992 | Museum at Pearl Harbor, HI (1998) | |
BB-64 | Wisconsin | 25 Jan 1941 | 7 Dec 1943 | 16 Apr 1944 | PNSY | 30 Sep 1991 | In Reserve | |
BB-65 | Illinois | 15 Jan 1945 | - | - | PNSY | Cancelled 12 Aug 1945. Scrapped incomplete | ||
BB-66 | Kentucky | 6 Dec 1944 | 20 Jan 1950 | - | NORNY | Scrapped incomplete | ||
Montana | BB-67 | Montana | - | - | - | PNSY | - | Cancelled 21 Jul 1943 |
BB-68 | Ohio | - | - | - | PNSY | - | ||
BB-69 | Maine | - | - | - | NYNY | - | ||
BB-70 | New Hampshire | - | - | - | NYNY | - | ||
BB-71 | Louisiana | - | - | - | NORNY | - | ||
Battlecruisers | ||||||||
Lexington | CC-1 | Lexington | Jan 8 1921 | 3 Oct 1925 | 14 Dec 1927 | Fore | Completed as carrier CV-2. Sunk 8 May 1942. | |
CC-2 | Constellation | 18 Aug 1920 | - | - | NNSBDD | - | Scrapped 22.7% complete 1923 | |
CC-3 | Saratoga | 23 Aug 1920 | 7 Apr 1925 | 16 Nov 1927 | NYNY | Completed as carrier CV-3. Sunk as target 25 Jul 1946 | ||
CC-4 | Ranger | 23 Jun 1921 | - | - | NNSBDD | Scrapped 4% complete 1923 | ||
CC-5 | Constitution | - | - | - | PNSY | Scrapped 13.4% complete 1923 | ||
CC-6 | United States | - | - | - | PNSY | Scrapped 12% complete 1923 | ||
Alaska | CB-1 | Alaska | 17 Dec 1941 | 15 Aug 1943 | 17 Jun 1944 | NYSB | Scrapped 1961 | |
CB-2 | Guam | 2 Feb 1942 | 21 Nov 1943 | 17 Sep 1944 | NYSB | - | Scrapped 1961 | |
CB-3 | Hawaii | 20 Dec 1943 | 11 Mar 1945 | - | NYSB | - | Scrapped 84% complete 1959 | |
CB-4 | Phillippines | - | - | - | NYSB | Cancelled 24 Jun 1943 | ||
CB-5 | Puerto Rico | - | - | - | NYSB | |||
CB-6 | Samoa | - | - | - | NYSB |
American battlecruisers names came from two sets:
US name prefixes
Since the late 18th century, American ship names have been prefixed with
"USS",
which stands for United States Ship.
United States Navy Battleship Chronology
15 Feb 1898: USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana Harbor. Contemporary investigations suggested that a mine caused the explosion, more recent investigations demonstrated that the explosion was almost certainly an accidental explosion in the coal bunker.
21 Apr 1898 - 12 Aug 1898: Spanish American War: Significant victory for the United States
16 Dec 1907 - 22 Feb 1909: Great White Fleet world tour: 15 US battleships sail around the world.
6 Apr 1917 - 11 Nov 1918: World War I Victory for the United States, although US battleships had only a very limited role. They operated with Britain's Royal Navy in the North Sea, enforcing the blockade of Germany, but saw no real action there.
21 Nov 1918: German fleet interned at the British naval base at Scapa
Flow. American battleships New York (BB-34), Texas (BB-35)
Wyoming (BB-32) and Arkansas (BB-33) are present.
Washington Treaty
17 Jan 1950: USS Missouri (BB-63) the USN's only operational battleship runs aground at Thimble Shoals in Virginia.
Jul 1950 - 28 Jul 1953: Korean War: Stalemate.
4 Aug 1964 - 30 Jan 1975: Viet Nam War: Defeat for the United States.
28 Dec 1982: USS New Jersey (BB-62) recommissioned.
25 Sep 1983: USS New Jersey (BB-62) arrives at Berut, Lebanon, intervening in the Lebanese Civil War.
14 Dec 1983: USS New Jersey (BB-62) fires 11 rounds at hostile positions in Lebanon.
8 Feb 1984: USS New Jersey (BB-62) fires 300 rounds at Syrian positions in Lebanon's Bekka Valley, killing the top Syrian general in Lebanon. Syrian forces retreat.
28 Apr 1984: USS Iowa (BB-61) recommissioned.
10 May 1986: USS Missouri (BB-63) recommissioned.
22 Oct 1988: USS Wisconsin (BB-64) recommissioned.
19 Apr 1989: USS Iowa (BB-61) Turret 2 severely damaged in an explosion. 47 dead. The exact cause of the explosion was never determined.
26 Oct 1990: USS Iowa (BB-61) decommissioned. Turret 2 was not completely repaired.
2 Aug 1990 - 28 Feb 1991 : Persian Gulf War: Victory for the United States.
30 Sep 1991: USS Wisconsin (BB-64) decommissioned.
31 Mar 1992: USS Missouri (BB-63), the last active
battleship, is decommissioned.
Copyright © 2000 Lawrence H. Wells and David R. Wells. All rights reserved.