List of United States Navy ships named after US states

Summary

The table below is a list of United States Navy ships named after US states. The practice of naming commissioned ships for US states and territories dates back to the Continental Navy during the time of the American Revolution. The conventions for naming ships of the US Navy were made law in 1862;

The vessels of the Navy shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy under direction of the President according to the following rule: Sailing-vessels of the first class shall be named after the States of the Union, those of the second class after the rivers, those of the third class after the principal cities and towns and those of the fourth class as the President may direct." - sec. 1531 (Title Thirteen, Chapter Six, of the U.S. Code)

A large majority of the ships named for states are battleships (BB), followed by submarines (SSN, SSBN & SSGN). The remainder are cruisers (ACR & CGN), monitors (BM) and patrol craft (SP) and an amphibious transport dock (LPD).

As of March 2021, thirty-seven ships currently in commission are named after US states and one is named after a territory. Eleven states and one territory have been announced as names for ships that are under construction or authorized. Two state names (Kansas and South Carolina) and four populated territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands) are not currently planned for use.

The Virginia-class, which envisions a class size of 66 attack submarines, is the most recent class to use state names, with 28 of the active and announced boats being named after US states, though that convention appears to have changed. The Ohio-class of ballistic missile submarines has 17 boats with state names, and the Seawolf-class (attack subs), the Columbia-class (missile subs) and the San Antonio-class of amphibious transport docks use one name each, for a total of 48.

States edit

US Navy Ships named after US States
State Currently Commissioned Formerly Commissioned Remarks
  Alabama SSBN-731 BB-60, SP-1052, BB-8
  Alaska SSBN-732 CB-1 and ID-3035 were named for the Territory of Alaska, not the state
  Arizona BB-39 SSN-803 authorized
  Arkansas CGN-41, BB-33, BM-7 SSN-800 under construction
  California SSN-781 CGN-36, BB-44, SP-647, SP-249, ACR-6
  Colorado SSN-788 BB-45, ACR-7
  Connecticut SSN-22 BB-18
  Delaware SSN-791 BB-28
  Florida SSGN-728 BB-30, BM-9
  Georgia SSGN-729 BB-15
  Hawaii SSN-776 CB-3 was named for the Territory of Hawaii, not the state
  Idaho BB-42, SP-545, BB-24 SSN-799 under construction
  Illinois SSN-786 BB-65 (cancelled), BB-7
  Indiana SSN-789 BB-58, BB-50 (cancelled), BB-1
  Iowa BB-61, BB-53 (cancelled), BB-4 SSN-797 under construction
  Kansas BB-21
  Kentucky SSBN-737 BB-66 (cancelled), BB-6
  Louisiana SSBN-743 BB-71 (cancelled), BB-19
  Maine SSBN-741 BB-69 (cancelled), BB-10, ACR-1
  Maryland SSBN-738 BB-46, ACR-8
  Massachusetts BB-59, BB-54 (cancelled), BB-2 SSN-798 under construction
  Michigan SSGN-727 BB-27
  Minnesota SSN-783 BB-22
  Mississippi SSN-782 CGN-40, BB-41, BB-23
  Missouri SSN-780 BB-63, BB-11
  Montana SSN-794 BB-67 (cancelled), BB-51 (cancelled), ACR-13
  Nebraska SSBN-739 BB-14
  Nevada SSBN-733 BB-36, BM-8
  New Hampshire SSN-778 BB-70 (cancelled), BB-25
  New Jersey BB-62, BB-16 SSN-796 under construction
  New Mexico SSN-779 BB-40
  New York LPD-21 BB-34, ACR-2
  North Carolina SSN-777 BB-55, BB-52 (cancelled), ACR-12
  North Dakota SSN-784 BB-29
  Ohio SSGN-726 BB-68 (cancelled), BB-12, 1820
  Oklahoma BB-37 SSN-802 authorized
  Oregon SSN-793 BB-3
  Pennsylvania SSBN-735 BB-38, ACR-4
  Rhode Island SSBN-740 BB-17
  South Carolina CGN-37, BB-26
  South Dakota SSN-790 BB-57, BB-49 (cancelled), ACR-9
  Tennessee SSBN-734 BB-43, ACR-10
  Texas SSN-775 CGN-39, BB-35
  Utah BB-31 SSN-801 under construction
  Vermont SSN-792 BB-20
  Virginia SSN-774 CGN-38, SP-1965, SP-746, SP-274, BB-13
  Washington SSN-787 BB-56, BB-47, ACR-11 CVN-73, SSBN-598, and ID-3018 are named after the president, not the state
  West Virginia SSBN-736 BB-48, ACR-5
  Wisconsin BB-64, BB-9 SSBN-827 authorized
  Wyoming SSBN-742 BB-32, BM-10

Territories and Federal District edit

US Navy Ships named after US Territories and D.C.
Territory Currently Commissioned Formerly Commissioned Remarks
Populated territories
  American Samoa CB-6 cancelled before construction
  District of Columbia SSBN-826 under construction.
SSN-771, CL-56, AG-9, & C-12 were named after American cities also named Columbia
  Guam PG-43, CB-2, LPH-9, T-HST-1
  Northern Mariana Islands USS Saipan (CVL-48) and (LHA-2), both named for the Battle of Saipan, which took place on the island of Saipan, the largest and most populous island and the capital of CNMI
  Puerto Rico T-EPF-11 HST-2 CB-5 cancelled before construction
  United States Virgin Islands USS Saint Croix (APA-231) was most likely named for St. Croix County, Wisconsin, as opposed to the USV Island of Saint Croix
Minor territories
  Midway Atoll AG-41, CVE-63, CV-41 Technically named after the Battle of Midway
  Palmyra Atoll ARST-3
  Wake Island PR-3, CVE-65
Former territories
  Philippines CB-4 cancelled before construction.

See also edit

References edit