sponsors

 

 

sponsors

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Carriers (CV) – They were named after either famous battles or other famous ships from the navy's history, such as  USS Lexington ("The Lady Lex"), USS Saratoga ("Old Sara"), USS Ticonderoga, USS Belleau Wood- USS Ranger, USS Essex, USS Enterprise ("Big E"), USS Constellation ("Connie"), USS Wasp, and USS Bon Homme Richard ("Poor Richard").

Battleships (BB) - By law, battleships were named for states, such as USS Arizona, USS Oregon, or USS Texas, except for USS Kearsarge (BB-5). Battleships had unofficial names based upon their names. For examples, the West Virginia was "WeeVee", the California was "The Prune Barge", New York was "The Empire State Battleship", and the Pennsylvania was "The Keystone."

Battlecruisers (CC) - Under the 1916 program, battlecruisers were to receive names of battles or famous ships. When cancelled under the Washington Naval Treaty, two were converted to aircraft carriers, and this became the standard for them, with the exception of USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), USS Forrestal (CVA-59), and USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63).

"Battlecruisers" or Large Cruisers (CB) - Under the 1940 program, they were named for US Territories, such as USS Alaska, USS Guam, USS Hawaii, and USS Puerto Rico.

Cruisers, light (CL) and heavy (CA) - Cruisers were named for cities in the United States and Territories, such as USS Cleveland, USS San Francisco, USS Baltimore, and USS Atlanta, with the exception of USS Canberra (CA-70) that was named after a foreign city.

Cruisers, Guided Missile, nuclear (CGN) - After the first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, USS Long Beach (CGN-9), last US warship built on a true cruiser hull, CGN's of the California and Virginia classes were named for states. Bainbridge and Truxtun were first commissioned as frigates but later classified as CGN’s).

Destroyers (DD) and Destroyer Escorts (DE) – They were named for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard heroesm such as USS Fletcher, USS Farragut, USS Decatur, USS Cole, USS Truxtun, USS The Sullivans, and USS John Paul Jones.

Frigates – Frigates (DL), formerly destroyer leaders, were named after naval heroes. In 1975, they were reclassified as either cruisers or destroyers. Frigates (FF), formerly ocean escorts, were also named for naval heroes. The reclassified frigates retained their destroyer names.

Submarines (SS) and Submarines, Nuclear (SSN) – They were either given a class letter and number, as in S class submarine, or the names of fish, marine mammals and crustaceans, such as USS Nautilus USS Squalus, USS Wahoo, USS Bonito, USS Gato, USS Albacore, USS Skipjack, USS Scorpion, and USS Thresher.

Oilers (AO and AOR) - They were named for rivers with Native American names, and colliers named for mythical figures.

Fast combat support ships (AOE) – They were named after US cities.

Ammunition ships (AE) – They were named either after volcanoes, such as Mauna Loa, or words relating to fire and explosions, such as Nitro and Pyro.

Combat stores ships (AK, AF, and AFS) – They were named after stars and other heavenly bodies.

Minesweepers (MS) – They were named for birds, or after 'positive traits', such as USS Adept and USS Dextrous.

Hospital ships (AH) – They were given names related to their function, such as USS Comfort and USS Mercy.

Fleet tugs (AT) and Harbor Tugs (YT) – They were named for Indian tribes.

Submarines, Nuclear Ballistic Missile (SSBN) - The first forty-one were named after historical statesmen considered "Great Americans," such as USS Lafayette, USS George Washington, and USS Benjamin Franklin.