HISTORIC NAVAL SHIPS
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HISTORIC NAVAL SHIPYARDS
The following is a short list of existing and/or replicated historic military ships, and important shipwrecks. Please visit each linked website for more detailed information. It is not our intent to include all ships or museums. There are many more preserved historic naval vessels located throughout the country, too many to list here.
For more ships, please visit the websites listed at the bottom of the page.
Why, do you ask, do we include ships on this website? Just think of them as "floating forts", of course!
U.S.S.
Albacore AGSS-569
Albacore Park, Portsmouth
Type: Albacore Class Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1953 || Decommissioned: 1972
National Historic Landmark
The first submarine with a tear-drop shaped hull. 1985 Haul-Out Photos
U.S. Frigate Constitution
USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston
Type: 44-Gun Frigate || Launched: 1797 || Still commmissioned
National Historic Landmark
The oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy.
Early Photos from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, ME.
U.S.S. Salem CA-139
U.S. Naval & Shipbuilding Museum, Quincy
Type: Des Moines Class Heavy Cruiser || Launched: 1947 || Commissioned: 1949 || Decommissioned: 1959
The world's only preserved heavy cruiser.
U.S.S. Massachusetts BB-59
Battleship Cove, Fall River
Type: South Dakota Class Battleship || Launched: 1941 || Commissioned: 1942 || Decommissioned: 1947
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Lionfish SS-298
Battleship Cove, Fall River
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
Sloop Providence
Providence
Type: 12-Gun Sloop || Launched: 1760's || Commissioned: 1775 || Destroyed: 1779 || Reconstructed: 1976
The original was the refurbished merchant ship Katy. It was the first ship commissioned in America's Continental Navy.
Juliett 484 / K-77
Collier Point Park, Providence
Type: Soviet Juliett Class Attack Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1965 || Decommissioned: 1991
The only Soviet cruise missile sub on display in North America. Used in the filming of the 2000 film "K-19: The Widowmaker".
H.M.S. Rose
Captain's Cove Seaport, Bridgeport
A full-size replica of the British frigate from the French & Indian and the Revolutionary Wars.
U.S.S. Nautilus SSN-571
Submarine Force Museum, Groton
Type: Nautilus Class Nuclear Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1954 || Decommissioned: 1980
National Historic Landmark
The world's first nuclear-powered submarine.
U.S.C.G. Barque Eagle WIX-327
U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London
Type: 3-Masted Barque || Launched: 1936 || U.S. Commissioned: 1946
Originally the Horst Wessel from Hamburg, Germany, it was taken after World War II as a war prize. It is now used as a training vessel for Coast Guard cadets.
Gunboat
Spitfire (still submerged)
Lake Champlain
Type: Gondola || Launched: 1776 || Sunk: 1776
Still submerged under Lake Champlain, it was only recently found. It is the last remaining ship of its type, scuttled in Benedict Arnold's ill-fated Lake Champlain campaign.
Another website from LCMM.org
U.S.S. Intrepid CV-11
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, Manhattan
Type: Essex Class Aircraft Carrier || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1974
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Growler SSG-557
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, Manhattan
Type: Grayback Class Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1958 || Decommissioned: 1964
National Historic Landmark
The only nuclear missile submarine on display.
Land Tortoise (still submerged)
Lake George
Type: Radeau || Launched: 1750's || Scuttled: 1758
National Historic Landmark
Discovered in 1990, and managed by the State of New York as a Submerged Heritage Preserve, it is one of the last, and finest, example of a flat-bottomed "floating fortress" built in the 18th century.
U.S.S.
Little Rock CL-92/CLG-4
Buffalo and Erie Co. Naval & Military Park, Buffalo
Type: Cleveland Class Cruiser || Launched: 1944 || Commissioned: 1945 || Converted to Guided Missile Cruiser: 1960 || Decommissioned: 1972
The last remaining WWII era cruiser
U.S.S.
Croaker SS-246
Buffalo and Erie Co. Naval & Military Park, Buffalo
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1971
Displayed in Groton, CT until 1988.
U.S.S.
Ling SS-297
New Jersey Naval Museum, Hackensack
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1945 || Decommissioned: 1971
U.S.S. New Jersey BB-62
Camden
Type: Iowa Class Battleship || Launched: 1942 || Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1948, 1957, 1969, 1991 || Recommissioned: 1950, 1968, 1982
USS New Jersey Veteran's Association | USS New Jersey Historical Museum Society
U.S. Brig Niagara
Erie Maritime Museum, Erie
Type: 20-Gun Brig || Launched: 1813 || Scuttled: 1820 || Raised: 1913
National Register of Historic Places
Heated debate now exists as to the genuine identity of this fully restored ship. Some historians now say that the hull raised was that of the HMS Detroit or the HMS Queen Charlotte.
U.S.S.
Requin SS-481
Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh
Type: Tench Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1945 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
Formerly displayed in Tampa, FL until 1990.
U.S.S. Olympia C-6
Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia
Type: Olympia Class Cruiser || Launched: 1892 || Commissioned: 1895 || Decommissioned: 1922
National Historic Landmark
The oldest steel-hulled American warship still afloat. Last surviving warship of the Spanish-American War. Another website
U.S.S.
Becuna SS-319
Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S. Constellation
Inner Harbor, Baltimore
Type: 24-Gun Corvette / Sloop-of-War || Launched: 1854 || Commissioned: 1855 || Decommissioned: ca.1950
National Historic Landmark
The only surviving Civil War ship and the last sailing ship built by the US Navy. It was built at the same time and place the original U.S. Frigate Constellation (1797) was being dismantled - at Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia. Much of the original ship was used in the construction of the new ship.
U.S.S.
Torsk SS-423
Baltimore Maritime Museum, Baltimore
Type: Tench Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
USS Torsk Volunteer Association
Black Panther U-1105 (still submerged)
Black Panther Historic Shipwreck Preserve, Piney Point
Type: German VII-C U-boat || Launched & Commissioned: 1944 || Scuttled: 1949
Accuired by the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. It was used as a research and target ship in the Chesapeake Bay. See Also: The German Subs at Portsmouth
Maryland Historical Trust || US Navy Historical info
U.S.S. Tulip (still submerged)
off Ragged Point, VA
Type: Screw Steamer || Launched: 1862 || Commissioned: 1863 || Sunk: 1864
Originally named Chi Kiang and built for China, it was purchased by the Navy, and served in the Potomac Flotilla during the Civil War. Sunk in a boiler explosion. Wreck located in 1994.
Gunboat
Philadelphia (salvaged remains)
Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Type: Gondola || Launched: 1776 || Sunk: 1776 || Raised: 1935
National Historic Landmark
One of only two surviving American built and manned gunboats during the American Revolution.
U.S.S.
Monitor (still submerged)
off Cape Hatteras, NC & The Mariners' Museum, Newport News
Type: Monitor Class Ironclad || Launched: 1862 || Sank: 1862 || Items Salvaged: 1983-present
National Marine Sanctuary
Nicknamed "The Cheesebox". Although the ship remains on the ocean's floor offshore from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the Mariners' Museum was designated the Principal Museum for the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and includes a permanent exhibit with salvaged items.
U.S.S. Wisconsin BB-64
Hampton Roads Naval Museum & Nauticus - The National Maritime Center, Norfolk
Type: Iowa Class Battleship || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1948, 1958, 1991 || Recommissioned: 1951, 1988
After an accident in the 1950's, the bow section was replaced with that of
the never completed U.S.S. Kentucky (BB-66), making it 11 inches longer than its sister ships.
USS Wisconsin Veterans Association
U.S.S. Cumberland (still submerged)
Newport News
Type: Frigate / 24-gun Sloop-of-War || Launched and Commissioned: 1842 || Sunk: 1862
Flagship of the Mediteranean Squadron 1843 - 1845, 1852 - 1855. Converted to a Sloop in 1856. Flagship of the Home Squadron 1860 - 1861. Sunk by the C.S.S. Virginia in 1862 during the Battle of Hampton Roads. Wreck discovered in 1981.
C.S.S. Florida (still submerged)
Newport News
Type: Steam Commerce Raider || Launched and Commissioned: 1862 || Scuttled: 1864
Built in Liverpool, England. Captured in Brazil in 1864. Sunk in accident off Newport News, VA. Wreck discovered in 1981 adjacent to wreck of U.S.S. Cumberland.
U.S.S. North Carolina BB-55
North Carolina Battleship Memorial, Wilmington
Type: North Carolina Class Battleship | Launched: 1940 | Commissioned: 1941 | Decommissioned: 1947
National Historic Landmark
C.S.S.
Neuse (salvaged remains)
CSS Neuse and Governor Caswell Memorial, Kinston
Type: Ironclad Gunboat || Launched: 1863 || Scuttled: 1865 || Raised: 1963
State Historic Site
U.S.S. Huron (still submerged)
Historic Shipwreck Preserve, Nags Head
Type: Iron Steamship || Launched: 1875 || Sunk: 1877
State Historic Site
One of the last all iron-built warships of the U.S. Navy.
U.S.S. Yorktown CV-10
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Charleston
Type: Essex Class Aircraft Carrier || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1970
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Clamagore SS-343
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Charleston
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1945 || Decommissioned: 1975
National Historic Landmark
C.S.S. H.L. Hunley
Warren Lasch Conservation Center, Charleston
Type: Submarine || Launched: 1863 || Sunk: 1864 || Raised: 2000
Now under restoration. It was the world's first submarine that was successful in combat.
Another website from SC.edu | U.S. Navy Historical info
U.S.S. Housatonic (still submerged)
Charleston
Type: Sloop-of-War || Launched and Commissioned: 1861 || Sunk: 1864
First vessel to be sunk by an enemy submarine in wartime. Artifacts recovered in 1999.
C.S.S. Chattahoochee (salvaged remains)
Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center, Columbus
Type: steam & sail Gunboat || Launched: 1862 || Commmissioned: 1863 || Scuttled: 1865 || Salvaged: 1964
National Register of Historic Places
C.S.S. Jackson (salvaged remains)
Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center, Columbus
Type: Ironclad Ram || Launched: 1864 || Sunk: 1865 || Raised: 1963
National Register of Historic Places
Originally known as CSS Muskogee.
Also of interest: CSA Naval Museum
C.S.S. State of Georgia (still submerged)
Savannah
Type: Ironclad Floating Battery || Launched: 1862 || Scuttled: 1864
U.S.S. Massachusetts BB-2 (still submerged)
Fort Pickens State Aquatic Preserve, Pensacola
Type: Indiana Class Battleship || Launched & Commissioned: 1896 || Decommissioned: 1906, 1919 || Recommissioned: 1917 || Scuttled: 1921
U.S.S. Alligator (still submerged)
Alligator (Caryford) Reef, Islamorada
Type: 12-gun Schooner || Launched & Commissioned: 1820 || Scuttled: 1822
The last known example of this type of ship. Used in the Slave and Pirate Patrols.
Maple Leaf (still submerged)
St. John's River, Jacksonville
Type: River Steamboat || Launched: 1851 || Sunk: 1863
A civilian river steamer built in Canada, converted to a military transport in 1862. It hit a Confederate mine as it was transporting troops and supplies to Union forces in Florida. The wreck was found in 1984.
U.S.S.
Alabama BB-60
Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile
Type: South Dakota Class Battleship || Launched & Commissioned: 1942 || Decommissioned: 1947
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Drum SS-228
Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1941 || Decommissioned: 1962
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S. Tecumseh (still submerged)
off Fort Morgan
Type: Canonicus Class Ironclad Gunboat || Launched: 1863 || Sunk: 1864
Sunk off Fort Morgan during the Battle of Mobile Bay. Wreck found in 1967.
U.S.S. Cairo (salvaged remains)
Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg
Type: City Class Ironclad Gunboat || Launched: 1861 || Commissioned: 1862 || Sunk: 1862 || Raised: 1964
National Register of Historic Places
The only surviving ship of its class. It was the first ironclad ship sunk by an electrically controlled mine.
C.S.S.
Pioneer
Louisiana State Museum, New Orleans
Type: Pioneer Class Submersible Privateer || Launched & Commissioned: 1862 || Scuttled: 1862 || Raised: 1878
The first of only three Confederate submarines.
U.S.S. Lexington CV-16
Corpus Christi
Type: Essex Class Aircraft Carrier || Launched: 1942 || Commissioned: 1943 || Recommissioned: 1955 || Decommissioned: 1991
U.S.S. Texas BB-35
San Jacinto Battleground State Park, La Porte
Type: New York Class Battleship || Launched: 1912 || Commissioned: 1914 || Decommissioned: 1946
National Historic Landmark
The only surviving vessel from both World Wars. Another website
U.S.S.
Cavalla SS-244
Seawolf Park, Galveston
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1969
Belle (shipwreck)
Matagorda Bay
Sunk: 1686
French explorer La Salle's ship. It is currently being salvaged. A replica is planned for a museum, using the salvaged artifacts.
U.S.S.
Cod SS-224
Cleveland
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
U-505
Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago
Type: German IXc U-boat || Launched & Commissioned: 1941 || Captured: 1944
National Historic Landmark
The first enemy warship boarded and captured on the high seas by US forces since the War of 1812. The Capture of U-505
See Also: The German Subs at Portsmouth.
U.S.S.
Silversides SS-236
Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum, Muskegon
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1941 || Decommissioned: 1969
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Cobia SS-245
Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc
Type: Gato Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1943 || Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1970
National Historic Landmark
U.S.S.
Marlin SST-2
Freedom Park, Omaha
Type: Mackerel Class Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1953 || Decommissioned: 1973
U.S.S.
Batfish SS-310
War Memorial Park, Muskogee
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1960
U.S.S. Hornet CV-12
USS Hornet Museum, Alameda
Type: Essex Class Aircraft Carrier || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1947, 1970 || Recommissioned: 1953
National Historic Landmark
USS Hornet Landmark
U.S.S. Iowa BB-61
Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square, San Francisco (future site)
Type: Iowa Class Battleship || Launched: 1942 || Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1949, 1958, 1990 || Recommissioned: 1951, 1984
USS Iowa Veteran's Association
U.S.S.
Pampanito SS-383
Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
Scorpion B-427
RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach
Type: Soviet Foxtrot Class Attack Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1974 || Decommissioned: 1994
Berthed alongside the R.M.S. Queen Mary.
U.S.S. Midway CV-41
San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum, San Diego
Type: Midway Class Aircraft Carrier || Launched & Commissioned: 1945 || Decommissioned: 1992
U.S.S.
Blueback SS-581
Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, Portland
Type: Barbel Class Submarine || Launched & Commissioned: 1959 || Decommissioned: 1990
The last non-nuclear powered submarine built by the Navy, and the last to be decommissioned.
U.S.S. Arizona BB-39 (still submerged)
Ford's Island, Pearl Harbor
Type: Pennsylvania Class Battleship || Launched: 1915 || Commissioned: 1917 || Sunk: 1941
National Historic Landmark
USS Arizona Memorial.
U.S.S. Utah BB-31/AG-16 (still submerged)
Ford's Island, Pearl Harbor
Type: Florida Class Battleship || Launched: 1909 || Commissioned: 1911 || Converted to Auxiliary Ship: 1931 || Sunk: 1941
National Historic Landmark
Located on the opposite side of Ford's Island from the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.
USS Utah Memorial
U.S.S. Missouri BB-63
Pearl Harbor
Type: Iowa Class Battleship || Launched & Commissioned: 1944 || Decommissioned: 1955, 1992 || Recommissioned: 1986
National Register of Historic Places
U.S.S.
Bowfin SS-287
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, Pearl Harbor
Type: Balao Class Fleet Submarine || Launched: 1942 || Commissioned: 1943 || Decommissioned: 1971
National Historic Landmark
Located adjacent to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.
Most of this material was collected from Historic Naval Ships Visitors' Guide
See Also: Preserved Naval Vessels in the U.S. from Haze Gray Naval History Information Center
See also Canadian Ships and Shipyards page
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