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Ship Naming

  • 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.