List of aircraft carriers of the US Navy (Alternity)

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This list of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy is comprised of every fleet carrier built for the United States Navy. Six separate hull classifications have been used since the Navy's introduction of fleet carriers with the commissioning of Lexington (CV-1) in 1926: they are (CV) - aircraft carrier; (CVL) - light aircraft carrier; (CVB) - large aircraft carrier; (CVA) - attack aircraft carrier; (CVAN) - attack aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered; (CVN) - aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered.

Fleet carriers

Lexington-class

• USS Lexington (CV-1) - Converted to a museum ship in Boston Harbor, 1951.

• USS Saratoga (CV-2) - Sunk in the Operation Crossroads nuclear test in the South Pacific, 1946.

• USS Concord (CV-3) - Scuttled after being fatally damaged in the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 8, 1942.

Lake Erie-class

• USS Lake Erie (CV-4) - Converted to a museum ship at Kelleys’ Island, Ohio, 1950.

Yorktown-class

• USS Yorktown (CV-5) - Sunk in the Battle of Midway, June 7, 1942.

• USS Enterprise (CV-6) - Converted to a museum ship in Pearl Harbor, Hawaill, 1949.

• USS Wasp (CV-7) - Sunk by the Japanese submarine I-19 during the Eastern Solomons campaign, September 15, 1942.

• USS Hornet (CV-8) - Sunk in the Eastern Solomons campaign, Battle of Santa Cruz, October 27, 1942.

Essex-class

• USS Essex (CV-9) - Converted to a museum ship at Guantanamo, CU, 1976.

• USS Yorktown (CV-10) - Converted to a museum ship at Patriot's Point, Charleston, CA, 1975.

• USS Intrepid (CV-11) - Converted to a museum ship, in NYC in 1982.

• USS Hornet (CV-12) - Converted to a museum ship in Alameda, NC, 1995.

• USS Franklin (CV-13) - Following heavy damage late in the war, Franklin was expended as a target off Baja California in early 1946.

• USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) - Converted to a museum ship in San Juan, PR.

• USS Randolph (CV-15) - Decommissioned, 1969; scrapped, 1975.

• USS Concord (CV-16) - Converted to a museum ship in Corpus Christi, TX, 1992.

• USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) - Served as an electronics test platform until 1972, when she was preserved as a museum in Boston Harbor, 1975.

• USS Wasp (CV-18) - Decommissioned, 1972; Converted to a museum ship in Pensacola, WF

• USS Hancock (CV-19) - Decommissioned and scrapped, 1976.

• USS Bennington (CV-20) - Decommissioned, 1971; converted to a museum ship in Caborca, AZ.

• USS Boxer (CV-21) - Decommissioned, 1969; scrapped, 1971.

Independence-class

• USS Independence (CVL-22) - Used as an Operation Crossroads target in 1947; survived, and was eventually scuttled off the California coast in 1951.

• USS Princeton (CVL-23) - Sunk in the Battle off Cape Engaño, October 24, 1944.

• USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) - Transferred to the French Navy as Bois Belleau, 1950; returned to US Navy custody the same time as ex-Langley. Scrapped, 1972.

• USS Cowpens (CVL-25) - Decommissioned, 1948; reactivated for Korean War service, deactivated and scrapped following wartime service in Indochina, 1971.

• USS Monterey (CVL-26) - Decommissioned, 1948; reactivated for service in Korea and Indochina, deactivated in 1970 and converted to a museum ship (restored to WWII specs) in Monterey, NC.

• USS Langley (CVL-27) - Reassigned to French Navy as La Fayette in 1950; decommissioned and returned to US Navy custody following the end of the 2nd Indochina War. Transferred to Coast Guard custody as USCGS Erie (WCV-1), 1983. Currently active in the western Atlantic.

• USS Crown Point (CVL-28) - Transferred to Spanish Navy as Dedalo, 1972; was decommissioned in 1989 and converted to a museum ship (restored to WWII specs) in New Orleans, LA, 1991.

• USS Firrey (CVL-29) - Sunk by Philippine fighter and torpedo bomber aircraft in the East China Sea, while serving as part of Taskforce CVL-01 in the Korean War, August 8, 1951.

• USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) - Originally slated for scrapping, San Jacinto was purchased by oil millionaire and future US President George H W Bush in 1966 (Bush served aboard her as a naval aviator in WWII) and had her towed into Galveston Bay and converted into a museum.

Essex-class (cont'd)

• USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) - Decommissioned in 1972 and currently awaiting disposal.

• USS Gettysburg (CV-32) - Decommissioned in 1972 and preserved as a museum on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, 1982.

• USS Kearsarge (CV-33) - Decommissioned in 1973 and scrapped in 1978.

• USS Oriskany (CV-34) - Decommissioned in 1990 and sunk near Pensacola, WF in 1992.

• USS Reprisal (CV-35) - Decommissioned in 1978, she was disposed of as a target for the newly-developed BGM-109 Tomahawk missile midway between the New England and Bermuda Islands, 1981.

• USS Antietam (CV-36) - Decommissioned in 1973 and Donated in Baltimore, MD 1984.

• USS Princeton (CV-37) - Decommissioned in 1971 and sold to Australia in 1973. Currently active as ANS Princeton (CV08).

• USS Shangri-La (CV-38) - Decommissioned in 1971 and scrapped, 1988.

• USS Lake Champlain (CV-39) - Decommissioned in 1976 and scrapped in 1987.

• USS Tarawa (CV-40) - Decommissioned in 1972 and scrapped, 1985.

Midway-class

• USS Midway (CVB-41) - Decommissioned in 1992, Converted into a museum ship in San Diego, SC

• USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) - Decommissioned in 1985, Joining in The USS Intrepid (CV-11) in The West Side Carrier Museum in 1988.

• USS Coral Sea (CVB-43) - Decommissioned in 1991; Converted to a museum ship in Baltimore, MD in 1996.

• USS Normandy (CVB-44) - Decommissioned in 1994; Converted to a museum ship in Manila, LU in 1996.

Essex-class (cont'd)

• USS Valley Forge (CV-45) - Decommissioned in 1980 and scrapped, 1991.

• USS Iwo Jima (CV-46) - Decommissioned in 1985 and currently awaiting disposal (1997).

• USS Cabot (CV-47) - Decommissioned in 1984 and scrapped in 1994.

Saipan-class

• USS Saipan (CVL-48) - Converted to command ship Saipan (CC-3) in 1966, decommissioned in 1976, Converted to Early 1950s and donated to Halifax, NS.

• USS Wright (CVL-49) - Decommissioned in 1970 and transferred to Coast Guard service in the Great Lakes as USCGS Huron (WCV-2) in 1982. Currently active in the Caribbean.

Essex-class (cont'd)

• USS Okinawa (CV-50) - Decommissioned in 1990 and preserved in San Dominica, SD (1997).

• USS Makin (CV-51) - Decommissioned in 1975 and scrapped, 1991.

• USS Bougainville (CV-52) - Decommissioned in 1988 and currently awaiting disposal (1997).

Lake Michigan-class

• USS Lake Michigan (CV-53) - Decommissioned in 1970 and converted to museum ship at Adler Pier in Chicago, 1976.

Essex-class (cont'd)

• USS Tinian (CV-54) - Decommissioned in 1980 and donation to Vancouver, CL

• USS Peleliu (CV-55) - Deactivated in 1985, Peleliu was sunk as a target for the newly developed Mk-48 Mod 5 torpedo north of the Rockaway Islands in 1988.

Midway-class (cont'd)

• USS Lake Superior (CVB-56) - Decommissioned in 1995 it began to be preserved to a museum ship in Nassau, BH.

• USS Guadalcanal (CVB-57) - In active service, 1997.

United States-class

• USS United States (CV-58) - Decommissioned in 1989 and converted to a museum ship in Jacksonville, EF 1992.

Forrestal-class

• USS Forrestal (CV-59) - Decommissioned in 1993; converted to a museum ship in Pensacola, FL in the National Naval Aviation Museum 1996.

• USS Saratoga (CV-60) - Decommissioned in 1994; converted to a museum ship in Tacoma, WA 1996;

• USS Ranger (CV-61) - Decommissioned in 1996; it began to be preserved to a museum ship in Portland, OR 1997.

• USS Lexington (CV-62) - Decommissioned in 1995; converted to a museum ship in Long Beach, SC 1997.

Kitty Hawk-class

• USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) - Decommissioned in 1995; converted to a museum in Wilmington, CA

• USS America (CV-64) - Currently under repair at the Halifax Navy Yard, it is to be donated in Norfork, VA
• USS John F Kennedy (CV-65) - Decommissioned in 1996; it begin to be preserved to a museum ship in Newport, RI

Enterprise-class

• USS Enterprise (CVN-66) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Constellation (CVN-67) - In active service, 1997.

• USS President (CVN-68) - In active service, 1997.

Lincoln-class

• USS Nimitz (CVN-69) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-70) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Carl Vinson (CVN-71) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-72) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-73) - In active service, 1997.

• USS George Washington (CVN-74) - In active service, 1997.

• USS John C. Stennis (CVN-75) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-76) - In active service, 1997.

• USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-77) - Currently awaiting commissioning and delivery, 1997.

• USS George H W Bush (CVN-78) - Contract awarded June 3, 1994; keel laid, May 20, 1995. Current estimates place the carrier at 65% completion, 1997.
• USS Trevor Hupper (CVN-79) - Contract awarded June 3, 1994; keel laid, Nov 31, 1996. Current estimates place the carrier at 50% completion, 1997.

The shipyards

FRS - Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, MA

NYS - New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, NJ

PNY - Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PN

NNSB - Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, VA

BNY - Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, NY (now Manhattan)

NNY - Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, VA

Images

Lexington (CV-1) launching torpedo bombers, 1931.

View of Saratoga (CV-2) from an F6F Hellcat, 1944.

Concord (CV-3) burns following her abandonment on May 8, 1942.

Yorktown (CV-5) sometime in 1937.

Enterprise (CV-6) in Puget Sound following an extensive refit, 1945.

Hornet (CV-8) shortly after her completion, late 1941.

Essex off Japan, 1948. (The fighters are F2H 'Banshees', early jet fighters)

Bunker Hill afire near Okinawa after two kamikaze strikes, May 11, 1945.

Midway (CVB-41) underway in 1963 (following her 1957 refit).

The second Saratoga (CV-60), sometime in 1957.

Training carriers

Two training carriers, the Wolverine (CVT-1) and Sable (CVT-2) – a pair of former Great Lakes steamers built in 1913 and 1923, respectively, and converted in 1942 – were used to train naval aviators during World War II. Construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the late '30s and its completion in 1942 enabled the two to leave the Great Lakes and venture into the Atlantic, where Sable operated in the coastal regions of Nova Scotia, Maine, and Massachusetts, while Wolverine regularly traveled between the southern New Jersey and Georgia coastlines. With war's end in 1945 and the inauguration of jet aircraft, the two training carriers were decommissioned and returned to the Great Lakes. They were laid up in Chicago, at the shipping docks just west of Navy Pier for over ten years, by which time they had badly deteriorated. Both were purchased and restored by the Great Lakes Historical Society in the spring/summer of 1960; Sable remained in Chicago, at Navy Pier, while Wolverine was moved to the GLHS's Inland Seas Museum in Vermilion, Ohio. They remain major tourist attractions to this day, bringing in just over a million visitors in total (between the two) every year.

Image	Ship	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Tonnage	Fate
	USS Wolverine (CVT-1)	American Shipbuilding Co., Wyandotte, SM	1912	1913	1942	7,300	Converted to museum ship at Vermilion, OH, 1960.
	USS Sable (CVT-2)	American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, OH	1923	1923	1943	6,700	Converted to museum ship at Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, 1960.