List of United States Navy hospital ships

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Ships of the United States Navy
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Ships in current service
Ships grouped alphabetically
Ships grouped by type

Hospital ships of many types have been part of the United States Navy at least since 1798. Their special status has been internationally recognised under the second Geneva Convention of 1906 and the Hague Convention of 1907.

Contents

In this list, the particular roles of some hospital ships are identified, e.g. as ambulance vessels, rescue ships, and evacuation ships. Also included are ships that had a dual role, also serving as barracks ships, receiving ships, supply ships or guard ships.

Ship status is indicated as either currently active [A], ready reserve [R], inactive [I], or precommissioning [P]. Ships in the inactive category include only ships in the inactive reserve, ships which have been disposed from US service have no listed status.

Pre-Geneva Conventions

Confederate States Hospital Ship

Post-Geneva Conventions

USS Comfort (AH-6) USS Comfort (AH-6) at Hollandia in 1945.jpg
USS Comfort (AH-6)
USS Haven (AH-12) USS Haven (AH-12) on 19 January 1954 (NH 98796).jpg
USS Haven (AH-12)
USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) June 6, 2012, in Manado, Indonesia, during Pacific Partnership 2012 120606-N-CW427-402.jpg
USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)

Comfort class: United States Maritime Commission (MC) type C1-B

These ships all were commissioned in the US Navy, and had a US Navy Crew, but the hospital was operated by the US Army. These ships, unlike the Navy hospital ships, were intended for evacuation and transport of patients after primary care had been given.

Haven class: MC type C4-S-B2

Mercy class

Receiving Ships, Supply Ships, and Guard Ships

See also: List of unclassified miscellaneous vessels of the United States Navy (IX)

A receiving ship is any vessel that serves as a point of induction into the service for new recruits. Vessels were not built for the purpose of serving in this role, rather, vessels were appointed. This normally came at the end of a vessels combat career. As such, the vessels condition was such that it was best to remain in port, at anchor. Modifications to ships serving in this role often included the removal of weapons, and the erecting of housing structures on the main deck. Upon release from receiving duties most ships were either decommissioned or transferred to a state's Naval Militia.

Records for the receiving ship were particularly modest and as such very little history is recorded of these once proud ships upon impressment into receiving duties. The actual medical duties of these ships usually was defined by the space available, and based on the need, availability of local Naval Hospitals, and the availability of a medical staff. Each receiving ship played a different role as a hospital ship if any. Refits were done locally and at discretion, if at all. In addition to the receiving ships, store ships and guard ships often took on hospital ship, hospital tender, health ship, or quarantine duties as the need or opportunity arose.

Ambulance boats and transports

A relatively large number of hospital or ambulance boats have been used by various commands, squadrons, bases, districts, and theaters through most times of conflict and peace. These boats came in all shapes and sizes, and were picked for a variety of reasons, such as availability and need.

Landing Ship Tank (Casualty Evacuation)

A number of Commanders modified, outfitted, or simply designated Tank Landing Ships to serve in a dual role as an interim hospital designated LSTH.

Rescue Ships

The PCE-842-class patrol craft class was the basis of an armed rescue ship. These were built on the hull of the PCE (Patrol Craft Escort) by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co. in Chicago, Illinois and classified first as APRs (Convoy rescue craft) and then as PCERs (Patrol Craft Escort Rescue). Of the 54 PCERs ordered, 13 were laid down, 12 were commissioned, and 5 saw service as rescue ships. The ships served three missions: damage control / firefighting; casualty treatment / evacuation; and patrol / guardship. Each ship's hospital was composed of 65 beds, a surgical suite, and X-Ray facilities. The medical department consisted of a staff of 11 doctors and hospital corpsmen. Ships designated PCER were numbers 847 to 859. [7] However, PCER-847 was redesignated before commissioning as a PCE. PCERs 848, 849 and 850 underwent conversion in Brisbane, Australia. The refits converted their expansive hospital space into a communications center and the ships new mission was to serve as a signal ship for the US Army landings in the Philippines and Japan. PCERs 856, 857, and 859 missed WWII and saw virtually no service as they were intended. The remaining ships of interest, PCERs 851-855 had a short but remarkable war record. Some notable ships of this class were:

Rescue Transport Ships

All five of these ships were ordered and cancelled before construction began 12 March 1943.[ citation needed ] This class was the replacement of the theoretical class referred to as APH (Auxiliary Personnel Transport Hospital). The five ships were named:

Evacuation Ships of WWII

Evacuation ships carried light armament, but did not meet the criteria established by the Geneva Conventions for the designation of Hospital Ship because they carried troops and sometimes arms in combination with injured. An example would be ferrying injured troops away from combat zones and troops and military supplies to combat zones. Most notably, the evacuation ships took part in returning troops at the end of the World War II.

Modified Barracks Ships of Vietnam

Originally planned as Riverine Hospital Ships, the idea was scratched due to the need to bring the ships too close to shore, and required a dual support role. Of the Barracks Ships assigned to the U.S. Mobile Riverine Force, only the Colleton was specially refitted for the expanded hospital role and unofficially assigned the designation APBH (Auxiliary Propulsion Barracks Hospital).

Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport, Flight II, Ambulance Variant

The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport has a "Limited Medical Mission" role for the Flight II Variant of the ship. While not the ship's primary mission, the variant will include a combined forward resuscitative care capability with a limited Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and medical ward. The Flight II Variants are expected to be 338 feet long with a displacement of 2,400 metric tons. [8]

Expeditionary Medical Ship

Starting with EPF-17, a new class of Joint High-Speed Vessel based on a catamaran hull will be the last of a series of ships the Navy expects to procure from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. The Fast Expeditionary Medical Variant design calls for a vessel to be 417 feet long and displace 3,100 metric tons, with a draft of just 13 feet. It is expected to be between 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the Mercy-class hospital ships, and will not replace them, but supplement the US Navy's Enhanced Doctrine for Medical Support to Expeditionary Forces. The contract award is expected to be announced in September 2022, and delivery in 2025. [9]

Bethesda class

See also

Related Research Articles

The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the pennant number system that the Royal Navy and other European and Commonwealth navies use.

<i>Comfort</i>-class hospital ship

The Comfort-class hospital ships were a United States Navy World War II-era hospital ship design. Three vessels were built using these specifications. All ships were constructed in 1943 by the Consolidated Steel Corporation before being decommissioned in 1946.

USS <i>Pinkney</i>

USS Pinkney (APH-2) was a Tryon-class evacuation transport that was assigned to the U.S. Navy during World War II. Pinkney served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations and returned home safely post-war with six battle stars but missing 18 crew members who were killed in action.

<i>General G. O. Squier</i>-class transport

The General G. O. Squier class of transport ships was built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. The class was based upon the Maritime Commission's Type C4 ship. The class was named for United States Army Major General George Owen Squier.

BRP <i>Miguel Malvar</i> (PS-19) Philippine Navy warship

BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) is the lead ship of the Malvar class of corvettes of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS Brattleboro PCE(R)-852, a PCE(R)-848-class rescue patrol craft escort for the United States Navy during World War II. In 1966 she was transferred to South Vietnam for service in the Republic of Vietnam Navy as RVNS Ngọc Hồi (HQ-12). She was acquired by the Philippine Navy in April 1976 and later on commissioned as Miguel Malvar after Miguel Malvar y Carpio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austal</span> Australian defence company

Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.

Type C4-class ship Cargo ships built by the United States Maritime Commission

The Type C4-class ship were the largest cargo ships built by the United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) during World War II. The design was originally developed for the American-Hawaiian Lines in 1941, but in late 1941 the plans were taken over by the MARCOM.

<i>Spearhead</i>-class expeditionary fast transport US navy catamaran

The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) is a United States Navy–led shipbuilding program to provide a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The EPFs can reach speeds of 35–45 knots, and allow the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces, equipment and supplies.

USNS <i>Millinocket</i> Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport

USNS Millinocket (JHSV-3/T-EPF-3)(ex-Fortitude) is the third Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama.

<i>PCE-842</i>-class patrol craft United States Navy ship class of submarine chasers

The PCE-842-class patrol craft escort was a United States Navy (USN) ship class of submarine chasers designed during World War II. The PCE-842-class was the only class ever designated by the USN as the "patrol craft escort" (PCE) type. The PCE design was derived from the 180-foot (55 m) Admirable-class minesweeper to complement the 173-foot (53 m) PC-461-class submarine chasers that were used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) in coastal areas. At 185 feet long and 640 tons, the PCE is more than twice the displacement of the PC but with a less powerful engine also much slower; however, because of its larger size, the PCE was able to undertake longer-range tasks over PC-461-class vessels. The USN envisaged the PCE as enabling PCs and smaller vessels to undertake coastal patrols without being called-upon as often to perform open ocean and convoy escort duties, while simultaneously freeing-up some larger vessels - such as destroyer escorts and destroyers - from convoy ASW duties. The PCE-482-class had a standard crew complement of 99 officers and men. The class would ultimately see 68 total vessels built, serving with multiple navies around the world.

USNS <i>Brunswick</i> Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport

USNS Brunswick (JHVS-6/T-EPF-6), is the sixth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick is one of three expeditionary fast transport ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to continue its mission of providing rapid intra-theater transport of troops and military equipment. Like other EPFs of its class, the Brunswick is capable of carrying up to 600 short tons of equipment for distances of 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type B ship</span> World War II barges

The Type B ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for World War II barges. Barges are very low cost to build, operate and move. Barges were needed to move large bulky cargo. A tug boat, some classed as Type V ships, could move a barge, then depart and move on to the next task. That meant the barge did not have to be rushed to be unloaded or loaded. Toward the end of World War 2, some ships that had not been completed in time for the war were converted to barges. US Navy barges are given the prefix: YWN or YW. Due to shortage of steel during World War II, concrete ship constructors were given contracts to build concrete barges, with ferrocement and given the prefix YO, YOG, YOGN. Built in 1944 and 1945, some were named after chemical elements.

USS <i>Rockville</i> US/Columbian vessel

USS Rockville (EPCER-851), also named USS PCE(R)-851, PCER-851 and ARC San Andres, was a PCE-842-class patrol craft of the United States Navy, Colombian Navy, and Columbian Coast Guard. Throughout her service, she served as a hospital ship, survey ship, evacuation ship, and research ship between 1943 and 1986.

USNS <i>Bethesda</i> US Navy vessel

USNS Bethesda (T-EMS-1) will be the seventeenth overall Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, and first of her Expeditionary Medical Ship class, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. On 15 May 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the ship would be named after the Bethesda Medical Center, now part of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. She will be the first ship in the US Navy to carry the name.

USNS <i>Balboa</i> US Navy vessel

USNS Balboa (T-EMS-2) will be the eighteenth overall Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, and second Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ship. She will be operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command.

References

  1. 1 2 Operation Crossroads 1946 (PDF) (Report). Defense Nuclear Agency.
  2. ↑ "Notable U.S. Navy Ships Lost Since World War II". US Naval Institute. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "USN Ships--Ambulance Boat No. 1 (later YH-1)". Ibiblio.org.
  4. ↑ "Ambulance Boat (YH)". Navsource.org.
  5. ↑ "Ambulance Boat (YH)". Navsource.org.
  6. ↑ "Ambulance Boat (YH)". Navsource.org.
  7. ↑ "PCER-848". navsource. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Navy Expands Expeditionary Medical Capability With Two EPFs". USNI News. 5 September 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "The Navy's first Medical Ship in 35 years will be unlike any before it". The War Zone. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  10. ↑ Mongilio, Heather (May 2023). "SECNAV Del Toro Names New Class of Medical Ships After Bethesda Medical Center". USNI News. United States Naval Institute.
  11. ↑ "SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Medical Ship USNS Balboa (EMS 2)". Navy Medicine (Press release). 6 November 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  12. ↑ Pagan, Cheyenne. "Secretary of the Navy visits Portsmouth to announce name of future medical ship". WAVY news. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
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