| Ships of the United States Navy | |
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| Ships in current service | |
| Ships grouped alphabetically | |
| Ships grouped by type | |
The United States Navy had a sizable fleet of escort aircraft carriers during World War II and the early Cold War era that followed.
| Ships of the United States Navy | |
|---|---|
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| Ships in current service | |
| Ships grouped alphabetically | |
| Ships grouped by type | |
The United States Navy had a sizable fleet of escort aircraft carriers during World War II and the early Cold War era that followed.
Prior to the creation of the escort carrier hull classification symbol (CVE) on 15 July 1943, these ships were designated as Auxiliary aircraft escort vessels (AVG) until 20 August 1942 and then Auxiliary aircraft carriers (ACV).
These ships were both quicker and cheaper to build than larger fleet carriers and were built in great numbers to serve as a stop-gap measure when fleet carriers were too few. However, they were usually too slow to keep up with naval task forces and would typically be assigned to amphibious operations, often seen in the Pacific War's island hopping campaign, or to convoy protection in the war in the Atlantic.
To that end, many of these ships were transferred to the Royal Navy as part of the US-UK lend-lease program. Note that many of the lower-numbered carriers were transferred to the Royal Navy, where they received new names but retained their original BAVG hull symbols. The new names are mentioned in each article individually. While some of these ships were kept for a time in reserve after the war, none survive today, as they have all since been sunk or retired and scrapped. The following are the classes and stand-alone ships of the US Navy's escort carriers:
| Name | Hull number | Class | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Island | CVE-1 | Long Island | 7 July 1939 | 11 January 1940 | 2 June 1941 | Built as Mormacmail (I) |
| Unnamed | BAVG-1 | Avenger | 7 June 1939 | 14 December 1939 | 17 November 1941 | Built as Mormacland Became HMS Archer (D78) |
| BAVG-2 | 28 November 1939 | 27 November 1940 | 2 March 1942 | Built as Rio Hudson Became HMS Avenger (D14) Sunk by U-155, 15 November 1942 | ||
| BAVG-3 | 28 December 1939 | 18 December 1940 | 6 May 1942 | Built as Rio Parana Became HMS Biter (D97) | ||
| BAVG-4 | Charger | 19 January 1940 | 1 March 1941 | 2 October 1941 | Built as Rio de la Plata Became HMS Charger (D27) Returned to USN, 4 October 1941 | |
| BAVG-5 | Avenger | 14 March 1940 | 12 April 1941 | 2 July 1942 | Built as Rio de Janeiro Became HMS Dasher (D37) | |
| BAVG-6 | Attacker | 3 November 1941 | 7 March 1942 | 31 January 1943 | Built as Mormacmail (II) Became HMS Tracker (D24) | |
| Altamaha | CVE-6 | 15 April 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 31 October 1942 | Built as Mormacmail (III) Became HMS Battler (D18) | |
| Barnes | CVE-7 | 17 April 1941 | 27 September 1941 | 30 September 1942 | Built as Steel Artisan Became HMS Attacker (D02) | |
| Block Island | CVE-8 | 15 May 1941 | 22 May 1942 | 9 January 1943 | Built as Mormacpenn Became HMS Hunter (D80) | |
| Bogue | CVE-9 | Bogue | 1 October 1941 | 15 January 1942 | 26 September 1942 | Built as Steel Advocate |
| Breton | CVE-10 | Attacker | 28 June 1941 | 15 February 1943 | 9 April 1943 | Built as Mormacgulf Became HMS Chaser (D32) |
| Card | CVE-11 | Bogue | 27 October 1941 | 27 February 1942 | 8 November 1942 | |
| Copahee | CVE-12 | 18 June 1941 | 21 October 1941 | 15 June 1942 | ||
| Core | CVE-13 | 2 January 1942 | 15 May 1942 | 10 December 1942 | ||
| Croatan | CVE-14 | Attacker | 5 September 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 20 February 1943 | Became HMS Fencer (D64) |
| Hamlin | CVE-15 | 6 October 1941 | 5 March 1942 | 21 December 1942 | Became HMS Stalker (D91) | |
| Nassau | CVE-16 | Bogue | 27 November 1941 | 4 April 1942 | 20 August 1942 | |
| St. George | CVE-17 | Attacker | 31 July 1941 | 18 July 1942 | 14 June 1943 | Became HMS Pursuer (D73) |
| Altamaha | CVE-18 | Bogue | 19 December 1941 | 22 May 1942 | 15 September 1942 | |
| Prince William | CVE-19 | Attacker | 15 December 1941 | 7 May 1942 | 28 April 1943 | Became HMS Striker (D12) |
| Barnes | CVE-20 | Bogue | 19 January 1942 | 2 May 1942 | 20 February 1943 | |
| Block Island | CVE-21 | 19 January 1942 | 1 May 1942 | 8 March 1943 | ||
| Unnamed | CVE-22 | Attacker | 20 February 1942 | 20 June 1942 | 7 April 1943 | Became HMS Searcher (D40) |
| Breton | CVE-23 | Bogue | 25 February 1942 | 27 June 1942 | 12 April 1943 | |
| Unnamed | CVE-24 | Attacker | 11 April 1942 | 16 July 1942 | 25 April 1943 | Became HMS Ravager (D70) |
| Croatan | CVE-25 | Bogue | 15 April 1942 | 1 August 1942 | 28 April 1943 | |
| Sangamon | CVE-26 | Sangamon | 13 March 1939 | 4 November 1939 | 25 August 1942 | Lead ship of her class (converted from Cimarron-class oiler) |
| Suwannee | CVE-27 | 3 June 1938 | 4 March 1939 | 24 September 1942 | ||
| Chenango | CVE-28 | 10 July 1938 | 1 April 1939 | 19 September 1942 | ||
| Santee | CVE-29 | 31 May 1938 | 4 March 1939 | 24 August 1942 | ||
| Charger | CVE-30 | Charger | 19 January 1940 | 1 March 1941 | 3 March 1942 | Same ship as "BAVG-4" and HMS Charger (D27) |
| Prince William | CVE-31 | Bogue | 18 May 1942 | 23 August 1942 | 9 April 1943 | Last ship, first group of Bogue-class, sometimes referred to as Prince William-class |
| Chatham | CVE-32 | Ruler | 25 May 1942 | 19 September 1942 | 11 August 1943 | Became HMS Slinger (D26) First ship, second group of Bogue-class |
| Glacier | CVE-33 | 9 June 1942 | 7 September 1942 | 28 October 1943 | Became HMS Atheling (D51) | |
| Pybus | CVE-34 | 23 June 1942 | 7 October 1942 | 6 August 1943 | Became HMS Emperor (D98) | |
| Baffins | CVE-35 | 18 July 1942 | 18 October 1942 | 20 July 1943 | Became HMS Ameer (D01) | |
| Bolinas | CVE-36 | 3 August 1942 | 11 November 1942 | 2 August 1943 | Became HMS Begum (D38) | |
| Bastian | CVE-37 | 25 August 1942 | 15 December 1942 | 4 August 1943 | Became HMS Trumpeter (D09) | |
| Carnegie | CVE-38 | 9 September 1942 | 30 December 1942 | 12 August 1943 | Became HMS Empress (D42) | |
| Cordova | CVE-39 | 22 September 1942 | 30 January 1943 | 25 August 1943 | Became HMS Khedive (D62) | |
| Delgada | CVE-40 | 9 October 1942 | 20 February 1943 | 20 November 1943 | Became HMS Speaker (D90) | |
| Edisto | CVE-41 | 20 October 1942 | 22 March 1943 | 7 September 1943 | Became HMS Nabob (D77) | |
| Estero | CVE-42 | 31 October 1942 | 22 March 1943 | 3 November 1943 | Became HMS Premier (D23) | |
| Jamaica | CVE-43 | 13 November 1942 | 21 April 1943 | 27 September 1943 | Became HMS Shah (D21) | |
| Keweenaw | CVE-44 | 27 November 1942 | 6 May 1943 | 25 October 1943 | Became HMS Patroller (D07) | |
| Prince | CVE-45 | 17 December 1942 | 18 May 1943 | 17 January 1944 | Became HMS Rajah (D10) | |
| Niantic | CVE-46 | 5 January 1943 | 2 June 1943 | 8 November 1943 | Became HMS Ranee (D03) | |
| Perdido | CVE-47 | 1 February 1943 | 16 June 1943 | 31 January 1944 | Became HMS Trouncer (D85) | |
| Sunset | CVE-48 | 23 February 1943 | 15 July 1943 | 19 November 1943 | Became HMS Thane (D48) | |
| St. Andrews | CVE-49 | 12 March 1943 | 2 August 1943 | 7 December 1943 | Became HMS Queen (D19) | |
| St. Joseph | CVE-50 | 25 March 1943 | 21 August 1943 | 22 December 1943 | Became HMS Ruler (D72) | |
| St. Simon | CVE-51 | 26 April 1943 | 9 September 1943 | 31 December 1943 | Became HMS Arbiter (D31) | |
| Vermillion | CVE-52 | 10 May 1943 | 27 September 1943 | 20 January 1944 | Became HMS Smiter (D55) | |
| Willapa | CVE-53 | 21 May 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 5 February 1944 | Became HMS Puncher (D79) | |
| Winjah | CVE-54 | 5 June 1943 | 22 November 1943 | 18 February 1944 | Became HMS Reaper (D82), last ship of Bogue-class | |
| Casablanca | CVE-55 | Casablanca | 3 November 1942 | 5 April 1943 | 8 July 1943 | Lead ship of her class |
| Liscome Bay | CVE-56 | 9 December 1942 | 19 April 1943 | 7 August 1943 | ||
| Anzio | CVE-57 | 1 May 1943 | 27 August 1943 | 5 August 1946 | Originally named Alikula Bay, commissioned as Coral Sea (1943-1944), renamed Anzio (1944-1959) | |
| Corregidor | CVE-58 | 17 December 1942 | 12 May 1943 | 31 August 1943 | ||
| Mission Bay | CVE-59 | 28 December 1942 | 26 May 1943 | 13 September 1943 | ||
| Guadalcanal | CVE-60 | 5 January 1943 | 5 June 1943 | 25 September 1943 | ||
| Manila Bay | CVE-61 | 15 January 1943 | 10 July 1943 | 5 October 1943 | ||
| Natoma Bay | CVE-62 | 17 January 1943 | 20 July 1943 | 14 October 1943 | ||
| Midway | CVE-63 | 23 January 1943 | 17 August 1943 | 23 October 1943 | Originally named Chapin Bay, commissioned as Midway (1943-1944), renamed St. Lo (1944) | |
| Tripoli | CVE-64 | 1 February 1943 | 13 July 1943 | 31 October 1943 | ||
| Wake Island | CVE-65 | 6 February 1943 | 15 September 1943 | 7 November 1943 | ||
| White Plains | CVE-66 | 11 February 1943 | 27 September 1943 | 15 November 1943 | ||
| Solomons | CVE-67 | 19 March 1943 | 6 October 1943 | 21 November 1943 | ||
| Kalinin Bay | CVE-68 | 26 April 1943 | 15 October 1943 | 27 November 1943 | ||
| Kasaan Bay | CVE-69 | May 1943 | 24 October 1943 | 4 December 1943 | Laid down as Type S4-S2-BB3 oiler, completed as CVE-69 | |
| Fanshaw Bay | CVE-70 | 18 May 1943 | 1 November 1943 | 9 December 1943 | ||
| Kitkun Bay | CVE-71 | 3 May 1943 | 8 November 1943 | 15 December 1943 | ||
| Tulagi | CVE-72 | 7 June 1943 | 15 November 1943 | 21 December 1943 | ||
| Gambier Bay | CVE-73 | 10 July 1943 | 22 November 1943 | 28 December 1943 | Only American aircraft carrier sunk by enemy surface gunfire during World War II at the Battle off Samar. | |
| Nehenta Bay | CVE-74 | 20 July 1943 | 28 November 1943 | 3 January 1944 | ||
| Hoggatt Bay | CVE-75 | 17 August 1943 | 4 December 1943 | 11 January 1944 | ||
| Kadashan Bay | CVE-76 | 2 September 1943 | 11 December 1943 | 18 January 1944 | ||
| Marcus Island | CVE-77 | 15 September 1943 | 16 December 1943 | 26 January 1944 | ||
| Savo Island | CVE-78 | 27 September 1943 | 22 December 1943 | 3 February 1944 | ||
| Ommaney Bay | CVE-79 | 6 October 1943 | 29 December 1943 | 11 February 1944 | ||
| Petrof Bay | CVE-80 | 15 October 1943 | 5 January 1944 | 18 February 1944 | ||
| Rudyerd Bay | CVE-81 | 24 October 1943 | 12 January 1944 | 25 February 1944 | ||
| Saginaw Bay | CVE-82 | 1 November 1943 | 19 January 1944 | 2 March 1944 | ||
| Sargent Bay | CVE-83 | 8 November 1943 | 31 January 1944 | 9 March 1944 | ||
| Shamrock Bay | CVE-84 | 15 March 1943 | 4 February 1944 | 15 March 1944 | ||
| Shipley Bay | CVE-85 | 22 November 1943 | 12 February 1944 | 21 March 1944 | ||
| Sitkoh Bay | CVE-86 | 23 November 1943 | 19 February 1944 | 28 March 1944 | ||
| Steamer Bay | CVE-87 | 4 December 1943 | 26 February 1944 | 4 April 1944 | ||
| Cape Esperance | CVE-88 | 11 December 1943 | 3 March 1944 | 9 April 1944 | Name changed from Tananek Bay 6 November 1943 | |
| Takanis Bay | CVE-89 | 16 December 1943 | 10 March 1944 | 15 April 1944 | ||
| Thetis Bay | CVE-90 | 22 December 1943 | 16 March 1944 | 12 April 1944 | ||
| Makassar Strait | CVE-91 | 29 December 1943 | 22 March 1944 | 27 April 1944 | ||
| Windham Bay | CVE-92 | 5 January 1944 | 29 March 1944 | 3 May 1944 | ||
| Makin Island | CVE-93 | 12 January 1944 | 5 April 1944 | 9 May 1944 | ||
| Lunga Point | CVE-94 | 19 January 1944 | 11 April 1944 | 14 May 1944 | ||
| Bismarck Sea | CVE-95 | 31 January 1944 | 17 April 1944 | 20 May 1944 | ||
| Salamaua | CVE-96 | 4 February 1944 | 22 April 1944 | 26 May 1944 | Originally named Anguilla Bay | |
| Hollandia | CVE-97 | 12 February 1944 | 28 April 1944 | 1 June 1944 | ||
| Kwajalein | CVE-98 | 19 February 1944 | 4 May 1944 | 7 June 1944 | ||
| Admiralty Islands | CVE-99 | 26 February 1944 | 10 May 1944 | 13 June 1944 | ||
| Bougainville | CVE-100 | 3 March 1944 | 16 May 1944 | 18 June 1944 | ||
| Matanikau | CVE-101 | 10 March 1944 | 22 May 1944 | 24 June 1944 | ||
| Attu | CVE-102 | 16 March 1944 | 27 May 1944 | 30 June 1944 | ||
| Roi | CVE-103 | 22 March 1944 | 2 June 1944 | 6 July 1944 | ||
| Munda | CVE-104 | 29 March 1944 | 27 May 1944 | 8 July 1944 | Last ship of Casablanca-class | |
| Commencement Bay | CVE-105 | Commencement Bay | 23 September 1943 | 9 May 1944 | 27 November 1944 | Lead ship of her class |
| Block Island | CVE-106 | 25 October 1943 | 10 June 1944 | 30 December 1944 | ||
| Gilbert Islands | CVE-107 | 29 November 1943 | 20 July 1944 | 5 February 1945 | ||
| Kula Gulf | CVE-108 | 16 December 1943 | 15 August 1944 | 12 May 1945 | ||
| Cape Gloucester | CVE-109 | 10 January 1944 | 12 September 1944 | 5 March 1945 | ||
| Salerno Bay | CVE-110 | 7 February 1944 | 26 September 1944 | 19 May 1945 | ||
| Vella Gulf | CVE-111 | 7 March 1944 | 19 October 1944 | 9 April 1945 | ||
| Siboney | CVE-112 | 1 April 1944 | 9 November 1944 | 14 May 1945 | Laid down as Frosty Bay, renamed Siboney 26 April 1944 | |
| Puget Sound | CVE-113 | 12 May 1944 | 20 September 1944 | 18 June 1945 | ||
| Rendova | CVE-114 | 15 June 1944 | 29 December 1944 | 22 October 1945 | ||
| Bairoko | CVE-115 | 25 July 1944 | 25 January 1945 | 16 July 1945 | ||
| Badoeng Strait | CVE-116 | 18 August 1944 | 15 February 1945 | 14 November 1945 | ||
| Saidor | CVE-117 | 29 September 1944 | 17 March 1945 | 4 September 1945 | ||
| Sicily | CVE-118 | 23 October 1944 | 14 April 1945 | 27 February 1946 | ||
| Point Cruz | CVE-119 | 4 December 1944 | 18 May 1945 | 16 October 1945 | ||
| Mindoro | CVE-120 | 2 January 1945 | 27 June 1945 | 4 December 1945 | ||
| Rabaul | CVE-121 | 29 January 1945 | 14 June 1945 | Acquired by the Navy 30 August 1946, never commissioned. | ||
| Palau | CVE-122 | 19 February 1945 | 6 August 1945 | 15 January 1946 | ||
| Tinian | CVE-123 | 20 March 1945 | 5 September 1945 | Acquired by the Navy 30 July 1946, never commissioned. | ||
| Bastogne | CVE-124 | 2 April 1945 | Laid down, cancelled before launch | |||
| Eniwetok | CVE-125 | 20 April 1945 | ||||
| Lingayen | CVE-126 | 1 May 1945 | ||||
| Okinawa | CVE-127 | 22 May 1945 | ||||
| Unnamed | CVE-128 | Cancelled | ||||
| CVE-129 | ||||||
| CVE-130 | ||||||
| CVE-131 | ||||||
| CVE-132 | ||||||
| CVE-133 | ||||||
| CVE-134 | ||||||
| CVE-135 | ||||||
| CVE-136 | ||||||
| CVE-137 | ||||||
| CVE-138 | ||||||
| CVE-139 | Cancelled / Last ship of Commencement Bay-class | |||||
The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the United States Navy, the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. They were typically half the length and a third the displacement of larger fleet carriers, slower, more-lightly armed and armored, and carried fewer planes. Escort carriers were most often built upon a commercial ship hull, so they were cheaper and could be built quickly. This was their principal advantage as they could be completed in greater numbers as a stop-gap when fleet carriers were scarce. However, the lack of protection made escort carriers particularly vulnerable, and several were sunk with great loss of life. The light carrier was a similar concept to the escort carrier in most respects, but was fast enough to operate alongside fleet carriers.
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.
The Casablanca-class escort carrier was a series of escort carriers constructed for the United States Navy during World War II. They are the most numerous class of aircraft carriers ever built. Fifty were laid down, launched and commissioned within the space of less than two years – 3 November 1942 through to 8 July 1944. These were nearly one third of the 143 aircraft carriers built in the United States during the war. Despite their numbers, and the preservation of more famous and larger carriers as museums, none of these modest ships survive today. Five were lost to enemy action during World War II and the remainder were scrapped.
USS Casablanca (AVG/ACV/CVE-55) was the first of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after the Naval Battle of Casablanca, conducted as a part of the wider Operation Torch, which pitted the United States Navy against the remnants of the French Navy controlled by Vichy France. The American victory cleared the way for the seizure of the port of Casablanca as well as the Allied occupation of French Morocco. The ship was launched in April 1943, commissioned in July, and served as a training and transport carrier throughout the war. Postwar, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, repatriating U.S. servicemen from throughout the Pacific. She was decommissioned in June 1946, when she was mothballed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was sold for scrap in April 1947.
USS St. Simon (CVE-51), an escort aircraft carrier originally classified as an auxiliary aircraft carrier, was laid down on 26 April 1943 at Tacoma, Washington, by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, under a Maritime Commission contract ; reclassified as an escort aircraft carrier, CVE-51, on 15 July 1943; launched on 9 September 1943; sponsored by Mrs. R. H. Lewis, the wife of Major General R. H. Lewis, Commanding General, Northwestern Sector, Fort Lewis, Washington; assigned to the Commercial Iron Works, Portland, Oregon, for the completion of construction; and delivered to the Royal Navy, under lend-lease, on 31 December 1943.
USS Roi (CVE-103) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. She was named after the Battle of Roi, in which the United States captured the island of Roi-Namur. Built for service during World War II, the ship was launched in June 1944, commissioned in July, and acted as a transport and as a replenishment carrier. During the latter months of the war, she provided aircraft and supplies to the Fast Carrier Task Force, continuing until the end of the war. Postwar, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet. She was decommissioned in May 1946, and she was sold for scrapping in December.
USS Thetis Bay (CVE-90) was the thirty-sixth of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was launched in March 1944, commissioned in April, and served as a transport carrier in the Pacific, as well as a replenishment carrier supporting the Allied bombardment of Tokyo and the Main Islands. Postwar, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet, before being decommissioned in August 1946, being mothballed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. She was reactivated in July 1956, and converted to a helicopter transport carrier, serving in relief operations in Taiwan and Haiti. Ultimately, she was broken up in 1966, the last Casablanca-class hull to be scrapped.
USS Cape Esperance (CVE-88) was a Casablanca-class escort carrier of the United States Navy. She was named after the Battle of Cape Esperance, an inconclusive naval engagement in support of the Guadalcanal campaign. Built for service during World War II, the ship was launched in March 1944, and commissioned in April, and served as a replenishment carrier. Postwar, she participated in Operation Magic Carpet. She was decommissioned in August 1946, when she was mothballed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. However, she was recommissioned in August 1950, and assigned to become an auxiliary vessel as a part of Military Sealift Command. She was decommissioned again in January 1959, and ultimately, she was sold for scrapping in May 1959.
USS Solomons (CVE-67) was the thirteenth of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first Navy vessel named after the Solomon Islands campaign, a lengthy operation that most famously included the Guadalcanal campaign, albeit she was not the first named Solomons. The ship was launched in October 1943, commissioned in November, and served in anti-submarine operations during the Battle of the Atlantic, as well as in other miscellaneous training and transport missions. Her frontline duty consisted of four anti-submarine patrols, with her third tour being the most notable, when her aircraft contingent sank the German submarine U-860 during her third combat patrol. She was decommissioned in August 1946, being mothballed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Ultimately, she was broken up in 1947.
USS Sitkoh Bay (CVE-86) was the thirty-second of fifty Casablanca-class escort carriers built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after Sitkoh Bay, located within Chichagof Island, of the Territory of Alaska. The ship was launched in February 1944, commissioned in March, and served as a replenishment and transport carrier throughout the Philippines campaign, the Invasion of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. She was decommissioned in November 1946, when she was mothballed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. With the outbreak of the Korean War, however, she was called back to service, continuing to serve as a transport and utility carrier with the Military Sealift Command until 1954, when she was once again decommissioned, and mothballed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Ultimately, she was broken up in January 1961.
Landing platform helicopter (LPH) is a term used by some navies to denote a type of amphibious warfare ship designed primarily to operate as a launch and recovery platform for helicopters and other VTOL aircraft. As such, they are considered a type of helicopter carrier.
The names of commissioned ships of the United States Navy all start with USS, for United States Ship. Non-commissioned, primarily civilian-crewed vessels of the U.S. Navy under the Military Sealift Command have names that begin with USNS, standing for United States Naval Ship. A letter-based hull classification symbol is used to designate a vessel's type. The names of ships are selected by the Secretary of the Navy. The names are those of states, cities, towns, important persons, important locations, famous battles, fish, and ideals. Usually, different types of ships have names originated from different types of sources.
United States ship naming conventions for the U.S. Navy were established by congressional action at least as early as 1862. Title 13, section 1531, of the U.S. Code, enacted in that year, reads, in part,
The vessels of the Navy shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy under direction of the President according to the following rule: Sailing-vessels of the first class shall be named after the States of the Union, those of the second class after the rivers, those of the third class after the principal cities and towns and those of the fourth class as the President may direct.
A net laying ship, also known as a net layer, net tender, gate ship or boom defence vessel was a type of naval auxiliary ship.
An amphibious assault ship is a type of amphibious warfare ship employed to land and support ground forces on enemy territory during an amphibious assault. The design evolved from aircraft carriers converted for use as helicopter carriers. Modern designs support amphibious landing craft, with most designs including a well deck. Like the aircraft carriers they were developed from, some amphibious assault ships also support V/STOL fixed-wing aircraft and have a secondary role as aircraft carriers.