Navy Ships History
The concept of the naval ship dates to the era of the Vikings and has evolved over the centuries into a nuclear-powered tool to protect sea lanes worldwide. British Naval ships owned the oceans for more than 200 years before giving way at the end of the 19th Century to the U.S. Navy and its Great White Fleet. Today, the U.S. Navy has more than 280 ships on active duty.
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Origins
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The Vikings perhaps made first full use of the naval ship for exploration and military operations from about 793-1066, crossing the North Atlantic in a Knarr, a shallow-bottom boat driven by oars and sails. By the 15th century Europeans mastered the Atlantic Ocean winds and developed sturdy but tiny ships (See Reference 1).
USS Constitution
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The U.S. Navy was created in 1775, and in 1797 the government launched the 44-gun USS Constitution, the country's longest surviving active-duty ship today in the U.S. Navy. "Old Ironsides" defeated a larger British force in the War of 1812. It displaces 2,200 tons, and at its peak it carried 450 men (See Reference 2).
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Ship Classifications
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In 1858, the U.S. government classified ships depending on the number of guns employed. First Class ships carried 40 or more guns. Second Class ships were equipped with 20-39 guns. During the Civil War the U.S. Navy began replacing its wooden-hull sailing ships and muzzle-loading guns with steel ships and breach-loading weaponry (See Reference 2).
Ironclads
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The Civil War created a need for coastal protection and blockade duty. More than 600 ships were built or purchased for the U.S. Navy. This included the ironclads which were powered by steam and protected by steel or iron armor and were heavily armed. Many ironclads were built and demonstrated their superiority to wooden-hull fighting ships (See Reference 2).
Great White Fleet
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From 1907 to 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to demonstrate the U.S. Navy's superiority by circling the globe with four squadrons of 16 battleships and escorts. Among those battleships were the USS Kearsarge and the USS Georgia. The Kearsarge was launched in 1898 and served as the flagship for the north Atlantic Fleet before joining the Great White Fleet. It displaced 11,540 tons and carried 553 men. The Georgia was launched in 1904, served in the Atlantic Fleet and transported troops during World War I. She displaced 14,948 tons and carried 772 men (See Reference 2).
Postwar Era
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At the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy accounted for more than 70 percent of the world's naval craft with 18 active aircraft carriers and eight battleships. By 1947, plans were laid to develop the first nuclear-powered submarine and aircraft carrier. The most impressive ship was the USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier launched in 1961, displacing 92,325 tons and carrying a crew of 3,000 (See References 3-4).
USS Nautilus
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Navy ships entered a new age in 1951 with the launch of the nuclear-powered USS Nautilus in 1954. She was the first ship to reach the North Pole submerged on Aug. 1, 1958. The nuclear submarine proved that it could launch long-range nuclear missiles from anywhere in the world (See Reference 5).
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit U.S. Navy
