qhe SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT OF THE UNITED STATES FLEET BY JAMES C. FAHEY Associate, United Sta tes Nava l In sti tute WAR EDITION Price One Dollar U ~I 1VE R S T t OF ~<. · ·_"": o ' ' . I : MAY 8 1956 Lltl, r\t<Y PUBLISHED BY SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT 1265 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY MUrray Hill 3-9182 . Co pyright, 1942 , by James C . Fahey Contents ~ UNITED STATES NAVAL VESSELS Type (Symbol) Page BATTLESHIPS (BB) ... ...... ........... .. .. .. .................... ......................... , 4 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (CV) . • . .. .. .. .. .. • . .. .. .. 8 LARGE CRUISERS (CB) .... ....... .. .•...• .. ... .. ... , . 10 HEAVY CRUISERS (CA) .. .. • . .. .. .. .. .. .• . • . .. .. .. 10 LIGHT CRUISERS (CL) . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 DESTROYERS (DD) ...... ... ...... ... .. .. ... .. ...... .... • . .. , ...•... , ... •... , ...•... , . 16 SUBMARINES (SS) . .. .. .. .. .. .. • . .. .. • . .. .. .. .. 22 SUBMARINE MINELA YER (SM) . • . • . • . 24 MINECRAFT ... MINELAYERS (CM) . ...... .............. ..... ... .. •. ... ..•. ... ... 26 MINECRAFT .... COASTAL MINELAYERS (CMc) ..... ..... ................. .. ..... .... 26 MINECRAFT ..•. LIGHT MINELAYERS (DM) ............ • . ... .•...•... .... .. ......... .. 26 MINECRAFT . ... FAST MINESWEEPERS (DMS) . 26 MINECRAFT .... MINESWEEPERS-Steel Hulled (AM) . 27 MINECRAFT .... COASTAL MINESWEEPERS-Wooden Hulled (AMc) . • . 28 MINECRAFT .... MOTOR MINESWEEPERS-Wooden Hulled (YMS) . • . 28 MINECRAFT .... HARBOR (BASE) MINESWEEPERS-Wooden Hulled (A Mb)........ .. .... 28 PATROL CRAFT .. GUNBOATS (PG) .... .. .. ......... .. ...... ... ... ..... .......... ... 29 PATROL CRAFT .... RIVER GUNBOATS (PR) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29 PATROL CRAFT .... CONVERTED YACHTS (PY) . .......... .. .. ....................... 30 PATROL CRAFT .. .. COASTAL YACHTS (PYc) .. ........... ...... .......•.. ........ ...... 30 PATROL CRAFT ... SUBMARINE CHASERS-Steel Hulled (PC) .... .. ..... ........ ... ....... 30 PATROL CRAFT .... SUBMARINE CHASERS-Wooden Hulled (PC) ......... ...• ..... ..... .... 30 PATROL CRAFT . ... EAGLE BOATS (PE) ....................................... ........ ..... 30 PATROL CRAFT .... MOTOR TORPEDO BOATS (PT) ............... .. ..................... 31 PATROL CRAFT .... MOTOR BOAT SUBMARINE CHASERS (FTC) ........ •...•...•...•. .. 31 UNITED STATES NAVAL AIRCRAFT DESIGNATIONS . ... NOMENCLATURE .... TYPE SYMBOLS .... MANUFACTURERS 32 U.S.S. SALT LAKE CITY Official U. S. Navy Photograph DATA TABLE-HEAVIER-THAN-AIR COMBATANT TYPES . • . 33 Our oldest Heavy Cruiser, operating with a task force in the Pacific, bombarding Japanese-held Wake Island FIGHTING TYPES (VF) . 34 on February 24, 1942. Her after main battery turrets are in action while anti-aircraft crews stand by. SCOUT-BOMBING TYPES (VSB) . 36 A biplane VSO is poised on her starboard catapult. Through 1940-1941 many of the older Battleships, TORPEDO-BOMBING TYPES (VTB) . • . • . • . • . 38 Carriers and Cruisers were overhauled and rearmed. Anti-aircraft batter·ies were strengthened, protection BOMBING TYPES (VB) . • . • . • . • . 38 increased. Note the SALT LAKE CITY's splinter screens and her newly installed pole mainmast. SCOUT-OBSERVATION TYPES (VSO-VOS) .. ..... ........... ... .................... 39 PATROL-BOMBING TYPES (VPB) . 40 ~ DATA TABLE-UTILITY TYPES (VJR-VJ-VR-VG) .. ... .. ........... ....... ............... 42 TRAINING TYPES (VN-VSN) . • . • . 44 LIGHTER-THAN-AIR ... NON-RIGID PATROL AIRSHIPS (ZNP) . • . • . • . 45 Cf'foreword LIGHTER-THAN-AIR .... NON-RIGID TRAINING AIRSHIPS (ZNN) . 45 FLEET AUXILIARIES HIS edition of SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT is necessarily incomplete. Information not AIRCRAFT ESCORT VESSELS (A VG) . .. .. .. .. .. .. 46 readily available to the enemy has been excluded. All data beyond that included in the SEAPLANE TENDERS-Large (A V J . • . • . • . • . • . • . 46 T 1941 "Two-O cean Fleet" edition is based on . officially r eleased government documents SEAPLANE TENDERS-Small (AVP) ...... ..• .. ..... .... ... ........•.......•........ ..... 46 and matter appearing in the public prints, largely from Congress ional Hearings and Reports, SEAPLANE TENDERS-Ex-Destroyers (A VD) . • . • . 46 and from Navy Department, Coast Guard and Maritime Commission Press R eleases and AIRPLANE TRANSPORTS (APV) . • . • . 46 Reports. The entire contents were submitted to the naval authorities before publication. REPAIR SHIPS (AR) . • . • . • . • . 46 DESTROYER TENDERS (AD) . • . • . • . 46 SUBMARINE TENDERS (AS) ...... ......•.................. ... .. .. • • • • •• •••••• ••••••••• 48 The standard naval nomenclature is u sed throughout these pages. In addition to their 1 SUBMARINE RESCUE VESSELS (ASR) . • . • . • . 48 type symbols each vessel and all aircraft on the Navy List have distinctive serial numbers. OILERS (AO ) . • . 48 Through the ship pages figures of strength are as of December 1, 1941. War losses are in­ GASOLINE TANKERS (AOG) .................•...•...•...•...• ... •...•........... ..... ., ., .. 48 dicated by crosses, including those am;iounced in Navy Communique No. 76, dated May 6, 1942. NET TENDERS-Large (AN) . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 48 AMMUNITION SHIPS (AE) ........ .. ....•. ... ....................................•. ... " 48 STORESHIPS (AF) . • . • .. 41,! * * CARGO-STORES ISSUE SHIPS (AKS) . • . • . • . • . • . • . 52 CARGO SHIPS (AK) . • . 52 The author and editor offers his sincere thanks to the Officers attached to the Press and TRANSPORTS (AP) . • . • . • . • . • . 52 Photographic Sections of the Office of PuLlic Relations, Navy Department, Washington, for BARRACK SHIP (APL) . • . .. • . • . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 their many courtesies; and to the Editorial Research Section of the Bureau of Aeronautics HOSPITAL SHIPS (AH) ..... .. ... ................. .... .... .................... .. · 52 for the cordial assistance rendered. To the Public Relations Officers of the Third, Eleventh, OCEAN-GOING TUGS (AT) . .. .. .. .. .. 54 MISCELLANEOUS FLEET AUXILIARIES (AG) . • . 54 Twelfth and Thirteenth Naval Districts and at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington for UNCLASSIFIED VESSELS-Relics, Hulks and Obsolete Training Ships.. ....... ... ... ....... 54 the courtesies extended; and to the Press Section of the U . S. Maritime Commi&s ion in Washing­ YARD AND DISTRICT CRAFT ..... .. ......... ........ .... ...... .... · · · · · · • · · · • · · · · · · · • · · 55 ton. Especial thanks are due the British Naval Attache, Washington, for information supplied. NET TENDERS-Small (YN) .. ........ ..... ....... .. .................. •. .. · . ·. · · · · · · · · · · · 55 DESIGNATIONS-YARD AND DISTRICT CRAFT . .. .. .. .. .. 55 To Mr. Francis E. McMurtrie, Editor of Jane's "Fighting Ships," our appreciation for u se of data from the "Bible" of the world's navies; and to the Editor and staff of "Our Navy" THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD for their several courtesies. To the aircraft manufacturers and shipbuilders who placed photographs at our disposal. To Ted Stone of Neptune Photos, now on active duty, and Jule U. S. COAST GUARD VESSELS ....... ...... ....... ......... .. ... .... .... • · · .. · · · · · · · .. · · · · 56 U . S. COAST GUARD AIRCRAFT .........•... .. ....•...•...•............. · · · • · · · · · · · · · · · · · 58 Cohn of Gemsco, Inc., for their contributions. And, finally, to the individuals who assisted, Henry Clark, Graydon Walker, William Larkins, Gordon Williams, Russell Ulrich, Robert SHIP INDEX 59 Lampee, Robert Tholen, Douglas Maguire, James Downey, Alfred Cole and Jack Blumenfield. Cover Design by Henry Clark JAMES c. FAHEY. 2 3 Contents ~ UNITED STATES NAVAL VESSELS Type (Symbol) Page BATTLE SHIPS (BB) . • 4 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ( CV) . • . • . 8 LARGE CRUISE RS ( CB) . • . • . • . • . • . • . 10 HEAVY CRUISE RS ( CA) . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . 10 LIGHT CRUISERS ( CL) . • . • . • . 13 DESTRO YERS ( DD) . • . • . ..