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This List of World War II vessel types of the United States is a list of the types of vessels used by the United States during the time period of World War II. It includes submarines, battleships, minelayers, oilers, barges, pontoon rafts and other types of water craft, boats and ships.
(This list is not yet complete.)

Contents 1 Army 1.1 Coast Artillery Corps Mine Planter Service 1.1.1 Mine ships 1.2 Signal Corps 1.2.1 Cable ships 1.2.2 Communication ships 1.3 Transportation Corps - Water Division 1.3.1 South West Pacific Area (SWPA) - Services of Supply (USASOS) 1.3.1.1 Small Ships Section 1.3.2 Water Branch - Army Transport Service (ATS) 1.3.2.1 Troop ships 1.3.2.2 Cargo ships over 1,000 tons 1.3.3 Harbor Branch - Harbor Boat Service (HBS) 1.3.3.1 Harbor Vessels 1.3.3.2 Cargo ships under 1,000 tons 1.4 Air Corps - Quartermaster Corps (QMC) boat service 1.4.1 Rescue Boats 1.5 Corps of Engineers 1.5.1 Rivers & Harbors Division 1.5.2 Troops Division 1.5.2.1 Port & Harbor Rehabilitation 1.5.2.2 Littoral Traversal 1.5.2.3 Riverine Traversal 2 Maritime Commission 2.1 Liberty ship 2.2 Victory ship 3 Navy 3.1 Amphibious warfare type 3.2 Other types 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Army [edit]

Under the Army organization of 1940, the Army Quartermaster was charged with the responsibility of providing the Army with all water transport services except those specifically authorized; for the Corps of Engineers in river and harbor work, for the Coast Artillery Corps in mine planting, and for the Signal Corps in cable laying (the Army had no communication ships at this time). In March 1942, most of the transportation functions of the Army Quartermaster were consolidated into the Transportation Division of the newly created Services of Supply. That same year, on July 31, the Transportation Corps was established.

Water Transportation - U.S. Army, 1939-1942, ASF

FM 21-6 List of Publications for Training - January 20, 1945

Coast Artillery Corps Mine Planter Service [edit]

The Army Mine Planter Service was responsible for the mine fields of the coast defenses. The largest vessels of the service were the U.S. Army Mine Planter (USAMP ) which was equipped to install mines and associated control cables. Smaller vessels known as "junior mine planters" or "pup planters", were occasionally employed as mine planters, but for the most part they served as freight and passenger boats for river and harbor duty. In addition to the mine planters, there were distribution box boats, used for servicing the mine-cable distribution boxes and rugged utility boats called motor mine yawls.

Mine ships [edit]

L	Distribution Box Boat
M	Motor Mine Yawl
MP	Mine Planter
JMP	Junior Mine Planter

• MP-7
• JMP-70 (ex FS-70)

Signal Corps [edit]

Cable ships [edit]

BSP	Barge, self-propelled

• USASPB Col. William. A. Glassford (BSP-2098)

Communication ships [edit]

Army communications ships in the South West Pacific theater of World War II provided radio relay services and acted as command posts for forward elements ashore.

p262 The Signal Corps: The Outcome ( Mid-1943 through 1945 )

CS	Communications ship
CSM	Maintenance ship, a CS ship additionally equipped to perform radio repair
CSN	News ship, was used by civilian journalist
CSQ	Quarters ship, a floating dormitory
PCER	Patrol Craft, Escort, Rescue

• PCER-848
• Apache (S-568, CSN-1)
• FP-47 (S-430, CS-2)
• Weeroona (S-195, CSQ-1)

Schooners

• Argosy Lemal (S-6)
• Harold (S-58, CS-3)
• Geoanna (IX-61, TP-249, S-382, CS-1)
• Volador (IX-59, TP-248, S-385, CSM-1)

Transportation Corps - Water Division [edit]

South West Pacific Area (SWPA) - Services of Supply (USASOS) [edit]

U.S. Army Transportation in the Southwest Pacific Area 1941-1947

Small Ships Section [edit]

As there was a need for a fleet of shallow-draft vessels that could navigate among coral reefs and use primitive landing places far up the coast of New Guinea and along the outlying islands. An "S" fleet under Army control was created using local Australian vessels. It was a miscellaneous collection of luggers, rusty trawlers, old schooners, launches, ketches, yawls, and yachts.

US Army Small Ships Section

The Formation and Operation of the US Army Small Ships in World War II

pp. 430, 448-53 The Transportation Corps: Operations Overseas

• Coringle (S-31)
• Jane Moorhead (S-63)
• Will Watch (S-116)
• Tuhoe (S-132) 1 2

Water Branch - Army Transport Service (ATS) [edit]

Troop ships [edit]

Ships and Men of the Army Transport Service (ATS)

Army Transport Service WW II

Troops and Cargo Transported During World War II under U.S. Army Control

• USAT Agwileon
• USAT George Washington
• USAT Orizaba

Sunk

• USAT Cynthia Olsen (sunk December 7, 1941)
• USAT Dorchester
• USAT Meigs
• USAT Liberty
• USAT General John McE. Hyde

Cargo ships over 1,000 tons [edit]

The Army's Cargo Fleet in World War II

FM 55-105 Water Transportation: Oceangoing Vessels (War Department 25SEPT1944)

Harbor Branch - Harbor Boat Service (HBS) [edit]

FM 55-130 Small Boats and Harbor Craft - January 31, 1944

Harbor Vessels [edit]

HARBOR CRAFT COMPANY

The harbor craft company is organized for the purpose of ferrying to shore cargo from freighters and transports arriving in theaters of operation. The vessels may either be riding offshore at anchor in the open sea or more likely, anchored in a harbor. Cargo from the ships is loaded by Transportation Corps port company personnel onto barges. Then tugs, tow boats, or marine tractors propel the barges to the shore for unloading. Any cargo too heavy for the vessel's gear to lift is handled by a 60-ton floating crane.

• B Barge or Lorcha
• BB Balloon Barge
• BBP Balloon Barrage Leader
• BC Cargo Barge (Med. 110'-130')
• BCS Cargo Barge (Sm. 45' - 60')
• BCL Cargo Barge (Large - 210' or more)
• BD Derrick and Crane Barges
• BDP Pontoon Derrick Barge
• BK Knocked-down barge
• BG Gasoline Barge
• BSP Self-propelled Barge
• BW Water Barge
• BTL Truck Lighter
• C Navy Type Launch (Obsolete designation)
• CL Landing Boat
• D Dory and Dinghie
• G Marine Tractor
• HA Hoisting or Retrieving Vessel
• JR Radio Controlled Boat
• J Launch up to 50'
• MT Motor Towboat (Sm. 26')
• MTL Motor Towboat (Large, over 26')
• OB Outboard Launch - Detachable Motor
• OBM Outboard Motor - Stationary Motor
• Q Launch, more than 60'
• R Rowboat
• TKL Tank Lighter
• V Speed Boat
• Y Tanker - 176'

Cargo ships under 1,000 tons [edit]

Coastwise & Inter-island cargo ships   a.k.a. Coastal freighters

SMALL BOAT COMPANY

The small boat company provided regular coastal and island service to bases in the Aleutian and Pacific Islands to supply food and equipment transported by small coastal and inter-island vessels and water craft that were under 200 feet or under 1,000 gross tons of the following vessel types;

• Ferry
• Tanker
• Water Boat
• Motor Launch
• Seagoing Tug
• Freight-Passenger Vessel

Army FP/FS Vessels

p159 The Coast Guard at War, USCG crewed F ships

U.S. Army "FS" (Freight-Supply) Vessels Manned by Coast Guard crews

Menhaden fishing fleet of converted FS vessels

U.S. ARMY T-BOAT PICTURES

T	tender lighter towing vessel transport boat	Vessel 65' Wood
TP	tug, passenger	Utility Vessel 96' Wood (Design 333) - Harbor Tug
	trawler tow boat purse seiner sailing schooner	Freight & Passenger Vessel (Small) - under 100' (plus private vessels refitted for wartime service)
F		Cargo Vessel 99' Steel
FT		Vessel 115' Wood
FP		Freight & Passenger Vessel (Large) - over 100' (plus private vessels refitted for wartime service)
FS	small, 99' and under	Freight and Supply Vessel (F, FT & FP were reclassified FS early in World War II)
	medium, 100' to 139'
	large, 140' and over

FS-80 to FS-90 were merchant vessels refitted for wartime operation

• USAFS Major J. R. Wessely (FS-80)

Built during World War II

• F-76 image-1 image-2
• FS-64 image-1 media-1
• FS-206 image-1 image-2
• FS-240
• FS-244 1 2
• FS-246 image-1 image-2
• FS-263
• FS-344
• FS-391
• T-57
• T-89
• T-147
• TP-225 image-1 image-2

QS	Quick Supply Boat Design 235-C (Boat, Supply, High Speed, Gasoline, Wood, 104'), see P type
ST	Small Tug, under 100'
LT	Large Tug, over 100'

• LT-5 the only surviving Army vessel that participated in the D-Day Normandy landing.
• LT-152
• LT-638

Air Corps - Quartermaster Corps (QMC) boat service [edit]

late in 1943 all rescue-boat activities were reassigned to the Army Air Forces

Unit Designation Chronology

1. Air Corps Marine Rescue Service
2. Quartermaster Boat Company, Avn. (note; Avn=Aviation)
3. AAF Emergency Rescue Boat Squadron (ERBS)

Rescue Boats [edit]

p131 The 10th ERBS in Alaska

SG	Swamp Glider
P	Rescue Boat, various sizes (42',63',85',104') also referred too as a Crash Boat, or Crash Rescue Boat Design 235 (Boat, Rescue, Gasoline, Wood, 104'), see QS type

• P-239

Corps of Engineers [edit]

Rivers & Harbors Division [edit]

Reorganized 6 June 1942 as;

Construction Division - Engineering and Operations branches

HISTORIC SHIPS TO VISIT - ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

towboat	a powerful small boat designed to pull or push larger vessels
dredge	a vessel equipped for digging out the bed of a water way
snagboat	a vessel equipped for removing obstructions in a water way

• Sergeant Floyd (towboat)
• William M. Black (dredge)
• Montgomery (snagboat)
• WT Preston

Troops Division [edit]

FM 5-5	11 October 1943	Engineer Field Manual, Engineer Troops
FM 5-5 C-1	31 March 1944	CHANGES No. 1} FM 5-5, 11 October 1943 is changed as follows:
FM 5-5 C-2	10 May 1944	CHANGES No. 2} FM 5-5, 11 October 1943 is changed as follows:
FM 5-5 C-3	5 July 1944	CHANGES No. 3} FM 5-5, 11 October 1943 is changed as follows:
FM 5-5 C-4	11 October 1944	CHANGES No. 4} FM 5-5, 11 October 1943 is changed as follows:
FM 5-5 C-5	28 December 1944	CHANGES No. 5} FM 5-5, 11 October 1943 is changed as follows:
FM 5-5,C1..C5		Engineer Units with Army Air Forces Engineer Units with Army Service Forces port repair ship port construction and repair group special brigade Engineer Units, SERVICE, with Army Ground Forces Engineer units, COMBAT, with Army Ground Forces airborne battalion combat battalion light ponton company heavy ponton battalion treadway bridge company

Port & Harbor Rehabilitation [edit]

Engineer Port Repair ship

The engineer port repair ship is equipped with repair facilities that include a heavy crane and a machine shop and maintains channels and ship berths by removing sunken ships and other obstructions. It also maintains channel markings and other aids for pilots. It does needed work on docks and wharves in conjunction with engineer port construction and repair groups.

Port Construction and Repair Group

The primary mission of the engineer port construction and repair group is to make ready for use the facilities of ports of debarkation in a theater of operations. and to perform work involved in improvement or expansion of such ports, exclusive of harbors. Its work is performed in conjunction with engineer port repair ship operations offshore.
The construction platoon consists of a divers' section under the supervision of an officer, as master diver. Enlisted personnel consists of marine divers and divers' attendants. This section does underwater work incident to construction of quay walls, wharves, piers, etc.

Port Restoration - WWII

The dredge "William L. Marshall" in World War II

The Corps of Engineers: The War Against Germany: CHAPTER XVI Developing Beaches and Reconstructing Ports

The District, A History of the Philadelphia District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1866-1971, Marine Design - Unique Mission

United States Army in World War II - The Corps of Engineers: Troops and Equipment - Chapter XVII - Preparing to Reconstruct Ports

Historic Dredging Photos

Militarized Dredge	3-inch gun turrets (fore and aft), 20-millimeter gun turrets (midship)
Port Repair Ship	workshops, cranes, machine shops, U.S Army divers' complement

• Chester Harding (dredge)

• Junior N. Van Noy (Only one of the ten Port Repair Ships not a Maritime Commission type N3-M-A1 type conversion.)

Littoral Traversal [edit]

Engineer Amphibian Brigade

redesignated in 1943 as;

Engineer Special Brigade

The engineer special brigade provides personnel and equipment for transporting combat troops from a friendly near shore to a hostile far shore when the distance is not over 100 miles. The brigade resupplies these troops during the early stages of establishing a beachhead. The brigade can transport one division when reinforced by naval LCT boats.

LCM	Landing Craft Mechanized
P	Command Boat (Crash boat 63')

• 2+1/2-ton amphibian trucks,
• command and navigation boats
• tank lighters
• patrol boats
• surf-landing boats

Riverine Traversal [edit]

Reconnaissance Boat	small two-man inflatable rubber boat
M-2 Assault Boat	10 man plywood boat that could also be used for infantry support rafts or used in the assembly of an expedient assault boat bridge
Storm Boat	8 man (6+2 crew) hi speed powerboat with a 55 HP Outboard Motor, designed to beach at speed, thus allowing the soldiers onboard to "Storm the Shore"
DUKW	six-wheel-drive amphibious truck
Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT)	amphibious vehicle
Treadway Bridge	steel treadway laid on pneumatic floats
[sic]Ponton Bridge	heavy ponton(25 ton) and light ponton(10 ton)
[sic]ponton-raft

• Treadway bridge company

"How Tank-Carrying Bridges Are Built" , Popular Mechanics, December 1943

The company is attached to an armored division in river-crossing operations, to provide a bridge for heavy vehicles.

1 steel-treadway bridge M1, providing a floating bridge about 1.080 feet long

or

1 steel-treadway bridge M2, providing a floating bridge about 864 feet long.

Ponton Bridge

M1938 foot bridge

• Light ponton company

The company is attached to a division in river-crossing operations, to provide bridges and rafts.

2 units of M3 pneumatic bridge equipage

or

2 units of M1938 10-ton ponton bridge equipage

Stream-crossing equipment includes;

1 unit of footbridge, M1938

4 ferry set, No. 1, Infantry Support

12 raft, set No. 1, Infantry Support

70 assault boats, M2

• Heavy ponton battalion

The battalion is attached to a corps in river-crossing operations, to provide a bridges and rafts capable of supporting heavier loads. Bridges and rafts are constructed of 25-ton ponton equipage.

4 units of heavy ponton equipage, 25-ton, M1940.

• Airborne Engineer Battalion

       pneumatic reconnaissance boats

• Combat Engineer Battalion

15    boat, reconnaissance, pneumatic, canvas, 2-man

14    boat, assault, M-2, with paddles and canvas bag

Maritime Commission [edit]

Liberty ship [edit]

• SS John W. Brown
• SS Jeremiah O'Brien the only surviving Merchant Marine ship that was in the D-Day armada

Victory ship [edit]

• SS Kingsport Victory
• SS Simmons Victory (end USS Liberty (AGTR-5))

Navy [edit]

Amphibious warfare type [edit]

WWII British terminology

Amphibious Force Flagship

Landing Ship, Headquarters

Attack Transport

Landing Ship, Infantry

Amphibious warfare vessels include all ships having organic capability for amphibious warfare and which have characteristics enabling long duration operations on the high seas. There are two classifications of craft: amphibious warfare ships which are built to cross oceans, and landing craft, which are designed to take troops from ship to shore in an invasion. Some vessels called “landing ships” did not have the capability to off-load troops and supplies onto beaches; they were just transports or command-and-control vessels. ^[1][2][3][4]

Ships

AGC 

Amphibious Force Flagship

class anewed (1969) too, LCC -- Amphibious Command Ship

AKA 

Attack Cargo Ship

APA 

Attack Transport

APD 

High speed transport

LSD 

Landing Ship, Dock

LSM 

Landing Ship, Medium

LSMR or LSM(R) -- Landing Ship, Medium (Rocket)

LST 

Landing Ship, Tank

LSTH or LST(H) -- Landing Ship, Tank (Hospital)

LSV 

Landing Ship, Vehicle

Landing Craft

LCC 

Landing Craft, Control

LCFF · LC(FF) 

Flotilla Flagship

LCI · LCIL · LCI(L) 

Landing Craft, Infantry (Large)

class anewed (1949) too, LSI -- Landing Ship, Infantry

LCI(G)(M)(R) -- Landing Craft, Infantry (Gunboat) (Mortar) (Rocket)

LCM 

Landing Craft, Mechanized

LCP · LCPL · LCP(L) 

Landing Craft, Personnel (Large)

LCR · LCRS · LCR(S) 

Landing Craft, Rubber (Small)

LCR · LCRL · LCR(L) 

Landing Craft, Rubber (Large)

LCSS · LCS(S) 

Landing Craft, Support (Small)

an LCP{L) conversion, fitted with heavy machine guns

LCS · LCSL · LCS(L) 

Landing Craft, Support (Large)

class anewed (1949) too, LSSL -- Landing Ship, Support (Large)

LCT 

Landing Craft, Tank

class anewed (1949) too, LSU -- Landing Ship, Utility

class anewed (1956) too, LCU -- Landing Craft, Utility

LCV 

Landing Craft, Vehicle

LCVP or LCV(P) -- Landing Craft, Vehicle (Personnel)

an LCV, fitted with 1/4 inch armor

LCA -- Landing Craft, Assault (British term for LCVP)

Other types [edit]

Aircraft Carriers

Fleet Aircraft Carriers, Large CVB

Fleet Aircraft Carriers CV

Light Aircraft Carriers CVL

Escort Carriers CVE

Battleships

Battleships BB

Cruisers

Large Cruisers CB

Heavy Cruisers CA

Light Cruisers CL

Destroyers

Destroyers DD

Destroyer Escorts DE

Submarines

Submarines SS

Minecraft

Minelayers & Coastal Minelayers CM

Light Minelayers DM

Auxiliary Minelayers ACM

Minesweepers AM

Coastal Minesweepers AMc

Fast Minesweepers DMS

Motor Minesweepers YMS

Patrol Craft

Gunboats PG

Converted Yachts PG

Frigates PF

River Gunboats PR

Smaller Converted Yachts PY

Coastal Yachts PYc

Escort Patrol Craft PCE

Eagle Boats PE

Patrol Craft, Sweepers PCS

Motor Gunboats PGM

Submarine Chasers

Submarine Chasers (Steel Hull) PC

Submarine Chasers (Wooden Hull) SC

Motor Torpedo Boats

Motor Torpedo Boats PT

Motor Boat Submarine Chasers PTC

Auxiliaries

Crane Ship AB

Advanced Base Section Dock ABSD

Advanced Base Dock ABD

Destroyer Tenders AD

Ammunition Ships AE

Provision Store Ships AF

Auxiliary Floating Dock AFD

Large Auxiliary Floating Dock (non-self-propelled) AFDB

Small Auxiliary Floating Dock (non-self-propelled) AFDL

Medium Auxiliary Floating Dock (non-self-propelled) AFDM

Miscellaneous Auxiliaries AG

Amphibious Force Command Ships AGC

MTB Tenders AGP

Surveying Ships AGS

Hospital Ships

Hospital Ships AH

Cargo Ships

Cargo Ships AK

Attack Cargo Ships AKA

Net Cargo Ships AKN

General Stores Issue Ships AKS

Cargo Ships and Aircraft Ferries AKV

Net-Laying Ships AN Oilers & Tankers

Oilers AO

Gaoline Tankers AOG

Transports

Transports AP

Attack Transports APA

Self-Propelled Barracks Ships APB

Coastal Transports APc

High-Speed Transports APD

Evacuation Transports APH

Barracks Ships APL

Mechanized Artillery Transport APM

Transport Submarine APS

Aircraft Ferries APV

Repair Ships

Repair Ships AR

Battle-Damage Repair Ships ARB

Auxiliary Repair Dock (Concrete) ARDC

Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ships ARG

Heavy Hull Repair Ships ARH

Landing Craft Repair Ships ARL

Salvage Vessels ARS

Salvage Craft Tenders ARS(T)

Aircraft Repair Ships (Aircraft) ARV(A)

Aircraft Repair Ships (Engine) ARV(E)

Submarine Tenders & Rescue Vessels

Submarine Tenders AS

Submarine Rescue Vessels ASR

Tugboats

Auxiliary Tugs ATA

Fleet Ocean Tugs ATF

Old Ocean Tugs ATO

Rescue Tugs ATR

Seaplane Tenders & Aviation Supply Ships

Seaplane Tenders AV

Catapult Lighter AVC

Seaplane Tenders (Destroyers) AVD

Small Seaplane Tenders AVP

Aviations Supply Ships AVS

Distilling Ships

Distilling Ships AW

Unclassified Vessels

Unclassified Vessels IX

Yard and District Craft Coast Guard Cutters

Cruising Cutters WPG

Weather Patrol Ships WIX

Weather Patrol Cutters WPC

Icebreakers WAG

See also [edit]

• Hull classification symbol
• List of hull classifications
• War Shipping Administration
• United States Maritime Commission
• Services of Supply
• South West Pacific Area (command)

References [edit]

1. ^ General Instructions for Transports Cargo Vessels, and Landing Craft of Amphibious Forces
2. ^ HyperWar Subject Index Amphibious Warfare
3. ^ The Amphibious Revolution
4. ^ Great-Grandad, What's An LSV?

External links [edit]

• Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
• SHIPS of the UNITED STATES ARMY
• Naval Vessel Register -NAVY SHIP CLASSIFICATIONS
• U.S. Navy Abbreviations of World War II
• Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945
• HISTORIC SHIPS TO VISIT - LISTED BY TYPE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE
• NavSource Naval History
• Summary of Vessels Built in WWII, by Type
• Comparison of U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Vessels in World War II
• Army Ships -- The Ghost Fleet
• History of US Army T Boats
• Hero Ships: LST
• Engineer Assault Boats in Canadian Service
• Amphibious Forces