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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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  • Aviation
  • Boats-Ships--Aircraft Carriers
Document Type
  • Ship History
Wars & Conflicts
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Location of Archival Materials

Carrier Designations and Names

ATTACK CARRIERS (CV, CVA, CVB, CVL, CVAN, CVN)

The CVB and CVL designations were established within the original CV designation on 15 July 1943. CVA replaced CV and CVB on 1 October 1952; CVL went out of use on 15 May 1959. CV and CVN replaced CVA and CVAN on 30 June 1975 to designate the multimission character of aircraft carriers after the decommissioning of the last CVS in 1974.

During World War II (7 December 1941 to 2 September 1945) the Navy operated 110 carriers (includes those designated CV, CVE and CVL). It commissioned 102 carriers (includes those designated CV, CVE and CVL) during the above mentioned time frame. The Navy also operated two training carriers during World War II with the designation IX. They were USS Wolverine (IX 64) and USS Sable (IX 81).

 

Original Classes

Langley Class:     1 ship (CV 1) 

Lexington Class:   2 ships (CV 2 and 3) 

Ranger Class:      1 ship (CV 4) 

Yorktown Class:    2 ships (CV 5 and 6) 

Wasp Class:        1 ship (CV 7) 

Hornet Class:      1 ship (CV 8) 

Essex Class        24 ships; CV 9 through 21, 31 through 35, 37 through 40, 45, and 47. 

(Long-Hull         Of these numbers, 14, 15, 19, 21, 32-34,

Essex Class or     36-40, 45 and 47 are sometimes referred

Ticonderoga        to as "Long-Hull" Essex class or 

Class)             Ticonderoga Class. 

Independence Class: 9 ships, CVL 22 through 30

Midway Class:       3 ships, CVB 41 through 43. 

Saipan Class:       2 ships, CVL 48 and 49. 

Enterprise Class:   1 ship, CVAN-65. 

Forrestal Class:    4 ships, CVA 59 through 62. 

Kitty Hawk Class:   4 ships, CVA 63, 64, 66 and 67. 

Nimitz Class:       9 ships, CVN 68 through 76.

 

Carrier Listing for CV, CVA, CVB, CVAN, CVN, and CVL

 

Hull No. and Name: 1 Langley

Date of Commission: 20 Mar 1922; Decommission or Loss***: 27 Feb 1942

Designations: CV 1 (21 Apr 1937); AV-3 (8 May 1942)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action

 

Hull No. and Name: 2 Lexington

Date of Commission: 14 Dec 1927; Decommission or Loss***: 8 May 1942

Designations: CV 2

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action

 

Hull No. and Name: 3 Saratoga

Date of Commission: 16 Nov 1927 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CV 3

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Expended, Operation Crossroads, 26 Jul 1946

 

Hull No. and Name: 4 Ranger

Date of Commission: 4 Jun 1934; Decommission or Loss***: 18 Oct 1946

Designations: CV 4

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Sold for scrap 31 Jan 1947

 

Hull No. and Name: 5 Yorktown

Date of Commission: 30 Sep 1937 ; Decommission or Loss***: 7 Jun 1942

Designations: CV 5

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action

 

Hull No. and Name: 6 Enterprise

Date of Commission: 12 May 1938 ; Decommission or Loss***: 17 Feb 1947

Designations: CV 6 ; CVA 6 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 6 (8 Aug 1953)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Sold, 1 Jul 1958

 

Hull No. and Name: 7 Wasp

Date of Commission: 25 Apr 1940; Decommission or Loss***: 15 Sep 1942

Designations: CV 7

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action

 

Hull No. and Name: 8 Hornet

Date of Commission: 20 Oct 1941; Decommission or Loss***: 26 Oct 1942

Designations: CV 8

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action

 

Hull No. and Name: 9 Essex

Date of Commission: 31 Dec 1942; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Jun 1969

Designations: CV 9; CVA 9 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 9 (8 Mar 1960)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Feb 1951); 125 (Mar 1956)

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 10 Yorktown

Date of Commission: 15 Apr 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 27 Jun 1970

Designations: CV 10; CVA 10 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 10 (1 Sep 1957)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Jan 1953); 125 (Oct 1955)

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1973, Floating museum in Charleston, South Carolina

 

Hull No. and Name: 11 Intrepid

Date of Commission: 16 Aug 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 15 Mar 1974

Designations: CV 11; CVA 11 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 11 (31 Mar 1962)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27C (Jun 1954); 27C (Apr 1957)

Comments: Stricken 23 Mar 1982; Floating museum in New York City

 

Hull No. and Name: 12 Hornet

Date of Commission: 29 Nov 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 26 May 1970

Designations: CV 12; CVA 12 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 12 (27 Jun 1958)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Oct 1953); 125 (Aug 1956)

Comments: Stricken 25 Jul 1989; Floating museum in Alameda, California

 

Hull No. and Name: 13 Franklin

Date of Commission: 31 Jan 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 17 Feb 1947

Designations: CV 13; CVA 13 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 13 (8 Aug 1953)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 10 Oct 1964

 

Hull No. and Name: 14 Ticonderoga

Date of Commission: 8 May 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Sep 1973

Designations: CV 14; CVA 14 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 14 (21 Oct 1969)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27C (Dec 1954); 27C (Mar 1957)

Comments: Stricken 16 Nov 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 15 Randolph

Date of Commission: 9 Oct 1944; Decommission or Loss***: 13 Feb 1969

Designations: CV 15; CVA 15 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 15 (31 Mar 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Jul 1953); 125 (Feb 1956)

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 16 Lexington

Date of Commission: 17 Feb 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 8 Nov 1991

Designations: CV 16; CVA 16 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 16 (1 Oct 1962); CVT 16 (1 Jan 1969);

AVT 16 (1 Jul 1978)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27C (Sep 1955)

Comments: Stricken 30 Nov 1991; Floating museum in Corpus Christi, Texas

 

Hull No. and Name: 17 Bunker Hill

Date of Commission: 25 May 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 9 Jul 1947

Designations: CV 17; CVA 17 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 17 (8 Aug 1953)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Nov 1966, retained as moored electronic test ship San Diego until Nov 1972; Scrapped 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 18 Wasp

Date of Commission: 24 Nov 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Jul 1972

Designations: CV 18; CVA 18 ( Oct 1952); CVS 18 (1 Nov 1956)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Sep 1951); 125 (Dec 1955)

Comments: Sold for scrap 21 May 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 19 Hancock

Date of Commission: 15 Apr 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Jan 1976

Designations: CV 19; CVA 19 (1 Oct 1952); CV 19 (30 Jun 1975 )

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27C (Mar 1954); 17C (Nov 1956)

Comments: Stricken 31 Jan 1976

 

Hull No. and Name: 20 Bennington

Date of Commission: 6 Aug 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 15 Jan 1970

Designations: CV 20; CVA 20 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 20 (30 Jun 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Nov 1952); 125 (Apr 1955)

Comments: Stricken 20 Sep 1989

 

Hull No. and Name: 21 Boxer

Date of Commission: 16 Apr 1945; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Dec 1969

Designations: CV 21; CVA 21 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 21 (1 Feb 1956); LPH 4 (30 Jan 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Dec 1969

 

Hull No. and Name: 22 Independence

Date of Commission: 14 Jan 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 28 Aug 1946

Designations: CVL 22

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Sunk in weapons test 29 Jan 1951

 

Hull No. and Name: 23 Princeton

Date of Commission: 25 Feb 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 24 Oct 1944

Designations: CVL 23

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Lost, enemy action.

 

Hull No. and Name: 24 Belleau Wood

Date of Commission: 31 Mar 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 13 Jan 1947

Designations: CVL 24

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: To France 1953-1960; Stricken 1 Oct 1960

 

Hull No. and Name: 25 Cowpens

Date of Commission: 28 May 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 13 Jan 1947

Designations: CVL 25; AVT 1 (15 May 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Nov 1959

 

Hull No. and Name: 26 Monterey

Date of Commission: 17 Jun 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 16 Jan 1956

Designations: CVL 26; AVT 2 (15 May 1959 )

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1970

 

Hull No. and Name: 27 Langley

Date of Commission: 31 Aug 1943; Decommission or Loss***: 11 Feb 1947

Designations: CVL 27

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Transferred to France 1951- 1963. Sold 19 Feb 1964

 

Hull No. and Name: 28 Cabot

Date of Commission: 24 Jul 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Aug 1967

Designations: CVL 28 AVT 3 15 May 1959

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Transferred to Spain on 21 Jan 1955, returned to private U.S. organization in 1989

 

Hull No. and Name: 29 Bataan

Date of Commission: 17 Nov 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 9 Apr 1954

Designations: CVL 29; AVT 4 (15 May 1959 )

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Sep 1959

 

Hull No. and Name: 30 San Jacinto

Date of Commission: 15 Dec 1943 ; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Mar 1947

Designations: CVL 30; AVT 5 (15 May 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1970

 

Hull No. and Name: 31 Bon Homme Richard

Date of Commission: 26 Nov 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 2 Jul 1971

Designations: CV 31; CVA 31 (1 Oct 1952)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 20 Sep 1989; Scrapped 4 Feb 1992

 

Hull No. and Name: 32 Leyte

Date of Commission: 11 Apr 1946; Decommission or Loss***: 15 May 1959

Designations: CV 32; CVA 32 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 32 (8 Aug 1953); AVT 10 (15 May 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1969

 

Hull No. and Name: 33 Kearsarge

Date of Commission: 2 Mar 1946; Decommission or Loss***: 15 Jan 1970

Designations: CV 33; CVA 33 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 33 (1 Oct 1958)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Mar 1952); 125 (Jan 1957)

Comments: Stricken 1 May 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 34 Oriskany

Date of Commission: 25 Sep 1950 ; Decommission or Loss***: 20 Sep 1976

Designations: CV 34; CVA 34 (1 Oct 1952); CV 34 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Oct 1950); 125 (May 1959)

Comments: Stricken 25 Jul 1989; Artificial reef off the coast of Pensacola, Florida

 

Hull No. and Name: 36 Antietam

Date of Commission: 28 Jan 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 8 May 1963

Designations: CV 36; CVA 36 (1 Oct 1952 ); CVS 36 (8 Aug 1953)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: **

Comments: Stricken 1 May 1973

 

Hull No. and Name: 37 Princeton

Date of Commission: 18 Nov 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Jan 1970

Designations: CV 37; CVA 37 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 37 (1 Jan 1954); LPH 5 (2 Mar 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 30 Jan 1970

 

Hull No. and Name: 38 Shangri-La

Date of Commission: 15 Sep 1944 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Jul 1971

Designations: CV 38; CVA 38 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 38 (30 Jun 1969)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27C (Feb 1955)

Comments: Stricken 15 Jul 1982

 

Hull No. and Name: 39 Lake Champlain

Date of Commission: 3 Jun 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 2 May 1966

Designations: CV 39; CVA 39 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 39 (1 Aug 1957)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Sep 1952)

Comments: Stricken 1 Dec 1969

 

Hull No. and Name: 40 Tarawa

Date of Commission: 8 Dec 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 13 May 1960

Designations: CV 40; CVA 40 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 40 (10 Jan 1955); AVT 12 (17 Apr 1961)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 27A (Sep 1952)

Comments: Stricken 1 Jun 1967

 

Hull No. and Name: 41 Midway

Date of Commission: 10 Sep 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 11 Apr 1992

Designations: CVB 41; CVA 41 (1 Oct 1952); CV 41 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 110 (Nov 1957)

Comments: Stricken 17 Mar 1997; Floating museum in San Diego, California

 

Hull No. and Name: 42 Franklin D. Roosevelt

Date of Commission: 27 Oct 1945 ; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Oct 1977

Designations: CVB 42; CVA 42 (1 Oct 1952); CV 42 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 110 (Jun 1956)

Comments: Stricken 30 Sep 1977

 

Hull No. and Name: 43 Coral Sea

Date of Commission: 1 Oct 1947 ; Decommission or Loss***: 26 Apr 1990

Designations: CVB 43; CVA 43 (1 Oct 1952); CV 43 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed: 110A (Jan 1960)

Comments: Stricken 30 Apr 1990; Scrapped 8 Sep 2000

 

Hull No. and Name: 45 Valley Forge

Date of Commission: 3 Nov 1946 ; Decommission or Loss***: 15 Jan 1970

Designations: CV 45; CVA 45 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 45 (1 Jan 1954); LPH 8 (1 Jul 1961)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 15 Jan 1970

 

Hull No. and Name: 47 Philippine Sea

Date of Commission: 11 May 1946 ; Decommission or Loss***: 28 Dec 1958

Designations: CV 47; CVA 47 (1 Oct 1952); CVS 47 (15 Nov 1955); AVT 11 (15 May 1959)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Dec 1969

 

Hull No. and Name: 48 Saipan

Date of Commission: 14 Jul 1946 ; Decommission or Loss***: 14 Jan 1970

Designations: CVL 48; AVT 6 (15 May 1959); AGMR 2 (8 Apr 1965)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 15 Aug 1975; Scrapped 1 Jun 1976

 

Hull No. and Name: 49 Wright

Date of Commission: 9 Feb 1947 ; Decommission or Loss***: 22 May 1970

Designations: CVL 49; AVT 7 (15 May 1959); CC 2 (11 May 1963)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 1 Dec 1977; Sold 1 Aug 1980

 

Hull No. and Name: 59 Forrestal

Date of Commission: 1 Oct 1955 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Sep 1993

Designations: CVA 59; CV 59 (30 Jun 1975); AVT 59 (4 Feb 1992)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 11 Sep 1993

 

Hull No. and Name: 60 Saratoga

Date of Commission: 14 Apr 1956 ; Decommission or Loss***: 20 Aug 1994

Designations: CVA 60; CV 60 (30 Jun 1972)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 30 Sep 1994

 

Hull No. and Name: 61 Ranger

Date of Commission: 10 Aug 1957 ; Decommission or Loss***: 10 Jul 1993

Designations: CVA 61; CV 61 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 8 Mar 2004

 

Hull No. and Name: 62 Independence

Date of Commission: 10 Jan 1959 ; Decommission or Loss***: 30 Sep 1998

Designations: CVA 62; CV 62 (28 Feb 1973)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 8 Mar 2004

 

Hull No. and Name: 63 Kitty Hawk

Date of Commission: 29 Apr 1961 ; Decommission or Loss***: 12 May 2009

Designations: CVA 63; CV 63 (29 Apr 1973)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Inactive reserve

 

Hull No. and Name: 64 Constellation

Date of Commission: 27 Oct 1961 ; Decommission or Loss***: 6 Aug 2003

Designations: CVA 64; CV 64 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 2 Dec 2003

 

Hull No. and Name: 65 Enterprise

Date of Commission: 25 Nov 1961 ; Decommission or Loss***: 3 Feb 2017

Designations: CVAN 65; CVN 65 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 3 Feb 2017

 

Hull No. and Name: 66 America

Date of Commission: 23 Jan 1965 ; Decommission or Loss***: 9 Aug 1996

Designations: CVA 66; CV 66 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 9 Aug 1996; Sunk in fleet exercise 14 May 2005

 

Hull No. and Name: 67 John F. Kennedy

Date of Commission: 7 Sep 1968 ; Decommission or Loss***: 1 Aug 2007

Designations: CVA 67; CV 67 (29 Apr 1973)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Stricken 16 Oct 2009

 

Hull No. and Name: 68 Nimitz

Date of Commission: 3 May 1975 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVAN 68; CVN 68 (30 Jun 1975)

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 69 Dwight D. Eisenhower

Date of Commission: 18 Oct 1977 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 69

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 70 Carl Vinson

Date of Commission: 13 Mar 1982 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 70

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 71 Theodore Roosevelt

Date of Commission: 25 Oct 1986 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 71

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 72 Abraham Lincoln

Date of Commission: 11 Nov 1989 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 72

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 73 George Washington

Date of Commission: 4 Jul 1992 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 73

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 74 John C. Stennis

Date of Commission: 9 Dec 1995 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 74

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 75 Harry S. Truman

Date of Commission: 25 Jul 1998 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 75

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 76 Ronald Reagan

Date of Commission: 12 Jul 2003 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 76

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 77 George H. W. Bush

Date of Commission: 10 Jan 2009 ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 77

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 78 Gerald Ford

Date of Commission: 22 Jul 2017; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 78

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Active

 

Hull No. and Name: 79 John F. Kennedy

Date of Commission: ; Decommission or Loss***:

Designations: CVN 79

Conversion Project*/Date completed:

Comments: Keel laid 20 Jul 2015

 

For the most up-to-date information regarding ship status, please consult the Naval Vessel Register.

 

* Projects 27A and the first 27Cs are axial deck modernizations; all others are angled deck conversions. For more detail, see chronology entries for 4 Jun 1947, 1 Feb 1952, 2 Sep 1953 and 27 May 1954.

** Experimental angle deck installation completed Dec 1952.

*** There were a number of carriers that were decommissioned and then recommissioned for further service. Only the final decommissioning date is listed for these carriers. Several carriers were also placed out of commission during major rennovations or yard periods.

 

Note 1: Construction of hull numbers omitted above were either terminated or cancelled. Numbers 35, 46, and 50-55 were scheduled for Essex class; 44, 56 and 57 for Midway class. Number 58 was United States. Note 2: The contracts originally let for CV 59 and 60 (Forrestal and Saratoga) did not include an angled deck in their designs. In 1953 the Navy redesigned the flight deck plans for the Forrestal and incorporated an angled landing deck. These changes were also made to the designs for the Saratoga. The contract for Forrestal was awarded in 1951 and for Saratoga in 1952. The contract for Ranger and Indpendence (CV 61 and 62) were not awarded until 1954. Therefore, the original contract designs for the Ranger and Indpendence would have included an angled deck. Technically speaking, Ranger (CVA 61) was the first carrier designed and built as an angled deck carrier. 

 

Published: Tue Aug 01 13:56:54 EDT 2017