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
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Territories and Federal District
edit| 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
editReferences
edit- Naval Vessel Register online at www.nvr.navy.mil.