Top 20 Famous Military Ships

Hunley was a Confederate submarine, launched during the American Civil War. It wasn’t the first submarine in history, but it was the first to successfully sink a warship. It was still early days for the technology, since it wasn’t fully submerged, and the ship and crew perished after its famous attack. Its victim was the U.S.S. Housatonic in 1864, which sank following the Hunley’s deployment of a spare torpedo, a very primitive weapon consisting of a bomb on the end of a big pole. We don’t know why it sank following this successful attack, but the whole crew was lost. The sub was recovered a century later in 1970, and is now on display in Charleston.

We’re cheating a little here, but considering the fact that both of these ships played a large role in making the other one famous, we decided to combine them as one entry. The CSS Virginia and USS Monitor were two ironclad warships who squared off against each other during the American Civil War. Called the Battle of Hampton Roads or the Battle of Ironclads, it was the first time in history that two ships made from iron engaged each other. The Union-controlled Monitor and Confederate-controlled Virginia fought for hours, but neither side emerged victorious. Although the battle may not have been glorious, it marked a significant change in naval warfare.

Our second submarine on the list is the U.S.S. Nautilus, which became the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine back in 1954. It was built during the Cold War, and to the Americans, launching a nuclear submarine wasn’t quite intimidating enough. They had to send it on a mission too, to show off how strong it was. In 1958 Nautilus completed “Operation Sunshine,” a mission to cross the North Pole by ship. It departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and made it all the way to Greenland, prompting the commander to send the message “Nautilus 90 North” to the President. In 1982, it was designated a historic landmark, and can be visited in Groton, Connecticut.

Also known as Mighty Mo or Big Mo, the USS Missouri was the site where World War II officially ended. She participated in numerous battles in the Pacific Theatre, including assisting with the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Not long after, the Japanese officially surrendered and the documents making this official were signed on board. Her service wasn’t done yet, however, as she participated in the Korean War and provided support during Operation Desert Storm. Today, the 45,000-ton battleship is located in Pearl Harbor and serves as a war memorial and museum.

This entry isn’t one specific ship, but a type, which dominated the Mediterranean during the age of antiquity. We believe it was the Phoenicians who developed them, an ancient civilization originating on the coast of the Levant, in modern-day Lebanon. They were probably first seen in the 7th century BCE, and were popular for roughly five centuries. After the Phoenicians used them, the Greeks, Persians, and Romans all adopted them, and could have even been seen during the early Roman Empire. It was innovative for its speed, agility, and use of three rows of oars, making it one of the most efficient and powerful ancient warships.

“Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!” That was the rallying cry after the USS Maine exploded and sank in 1898. The Maine, which was equipped with a range of guns including 4 Gatling guns, 4 Hotchkiss guns, and 4 torpedo tubes, was anchored in Havana Harbor during the Cuban revolt against Spain. On February 15th 1898, however, she exploded, which resulted in the deaths of more than 260 people. This was the catalyst for the Spanish-American War, as the Spanish were blamed for causing the explosion by “yellow press” such as William Randolph Heart and Joseph Pulitzer. The Spaniards’ culpability has never been proven, however, and the incident remains a source of controversy.

Yorktown was an American sloop-of-war, fitted with 16 guns and launched in 1839. It became part of the Africa Squadron and as such, its primary task was suppressing the transatlantic slave trade,which had been recently outlawed by America and the British Empire. It did a remarkable job at patrolling the West African coast, intercepting illegal slave ships, and cracking down on the despicable human traffickers, who shipped Africans to the Americas. Unfortunately, it was wrecked on a reef near the Cape Verde Islands in 1850. The crew managed to survive, but ultimately the ship needed to be abandoned.

No one will refute the claim that the Vikings were some of the greatest sailors in human history. This group of Scandinavian seafaring people conquered the waves, voyaging as far as Baghdad and America. The Long Serpent is one of their most famous vessels, built for King Olaf Tryggvason [b]in the 10th century, it was the grandest longship of its time. Documents tell us it had 34 pairs of oars, kitted for a crew of 68 rowers. This leads experts to believe it would have been approximately 148 feet long. Olav met his maker in the Battle of Svolder, and this is the last tale we have of the great warship.

The Richelieu[c] was a French battleship, first launched in 1939 and decommissioned almost three decades later in 1967. It was one of the French Navy’s most important warships during World War II, with a complex and extensive career. It was capable of up to 32 knots, making it one of the fastest and most armed battleships of its era. After the German invasion of France in 1940, Richelieu escaped to French West Africa, allowing it to remain operational under Vichy France. This remained the case until 1943, when it finally joined the allies, eventually fighting in the Indian Ocean. It served as the French flagship until it was decommissioned long after the war’s closure.

The world’s oldest serving carrier is the USS Nimitz, which is also one of the largest warships in the world. Nicknamed Old Salt, she’s over 1,000 feet long and can travel at speeds as high as 31.5 knots. After first being deployed in the 1970s, Nimitz has provided support during both the Persian Gulf War and the War in Iraq. In 2010, she was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for her service in both Iraq and Afghanistan in the mid-2000s. Ships like the Nimitz are why the United States Navy is so powerful.

Geobukseon, also called a Turtle Ship, was a remarkable warship crafted by Korea during the 15th century, and a central part of the Joseon Navy until the 19th century. Some believe it to be one of the first ironclad warships, with a covered deck useful for protecting its crew. It was originally developed during the Imjin War, by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, when Japan sought to invade Korea in 1592. These ships were instrumental in preventing the invasion, winning a total of 16 battles against the Japanese navy. Its design influenced naval warfare not only in Korea, but across the entirety of East Asia, showcasing the brilliance of admiral Yi Sun-sin.

Mikasa was a battleship built in the 1890s for a freshly industrialized Imperial Japan, which famously squared off against the Russian Navy at the Battle of Tsushima in 1905. It was the first modern battleship owned by Japan, and played a pivotal role in Japan’s victory over Russia. Admiral Togo Heihachiro used Mikasa as his flagship, and then devastated the Russian fleet, which lost most of its ships. This was one of the most significant wars in history, since it showed Japan could compete with Western powers, and fueled the imperialistic mentality that would eventually cause the Pacific War. It now sits in a historic museum in Yokosuka, on the edge of Tokyo Bay.

U.S.S. Johnston was a destroyer built for the U.S. Navy in World War II. Its most famous moment was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history. It was fought over 4 days in the Philippines, and Johnston was part of a task force that faced a much larger Japanese fleet. Despite being overwhelmingly outgunned, Johnston took part in a legendary last stand, launching a daring torpedo attack at the Japanese ships. Unfortunately, the ship was eventually overwhelmed, but the heroism of the crew was historic, and the Captain, Ernest E. Evans, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

HMS Dreadnought revolutionized warships. First deployed in 1906, it was the first dreadnought ever crafted. It had remarkable speed and firepower for the time, with ten 12-inch guns and able to reach speeds up to 21 knots. It was so powerful it kickstarted a naval arms race between the UK and Germany, with countries all over the world racing to build dreadnoughts. HMS Dreadnought itself saw little action during its time, eventually being decommissioned in 1919, but the impact it had on the world was monumental, influencing naval engagements and strategies throughout the entirety of World War I.

Another of the heavy hitters from World War II on our list, the USS Enterprise (CV-6) was involved in more naval engagements with Japan than any other U.S. ship. Known as the “Big E,” she became something of a mythological ship to the Japanese: they believed they had sunk her on numerous occasions only to find themselves squared off against the Enterprise again in the next naval battle. She was decommissioned in 1947 and finished the war with 20 battle stars, more than any other American ship in World War II.

The USS Constitution first set sail from Boston Harbor in 1797, and remarkably you can still find her there today. Perhaps best known as “Old Ironsides,” she became famous during the War of 1812 where she fought against Britain and defeated five British warships, including the frigates HMS Guerriere and HMS Java. This was especially impressive as the British Navy was considered the most powerful in the world at the time. She officially retired in 1881, but is still fully commissioned and equipped with a 60-man crew.

The Japanese battleship Yamato, and its sister ship Musashi, were the mightiest warships in the entirety of human history, being both the most armed and the heaviest battleships. Yamato was armed with nine 18-inch guns, the largest ever mounted on a ship, and displaced roughly 72,000 tons when fully loaded. No ships have been built since to overtake its size, and it represents the apex of Japanese battleship design. Despite its power, it saw relatively little action, only firing her main guns at enemies in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. In April 1945, it was sunk by Americans, highlighting the rise of air power in naval warfare and showing the end of an era dominated by battleships.

#3: USS Arizona


Whether you are an avid military history buff or not, you’ve probably heard of the USS Arizona. Representing American resolve and sacrifice, the Arizona was hit by a Japanese bomb during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. She was blown up and sank, killing 1,177 people and pushing the United States into World War II. She could not be salvaged, and today she remains at the bottom of Pearl Harbor below the USS Arizona Memorial, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year.


#2: Bismarck


For hundreds of years, the Royal Navy was the most feared fleet in the world. But in 1941, they met their match. The Bismarck was over 800 feet long and could travel at a speed of 30 knots, making it one of the biggest and fastest ships in the world at the time. She sank the near-invincible HMS Hood and badly damaged the HMS Prince of Wales, sending the Royal Navy in hot pursuit. The Bismarck abandoned the Atlantic due to damage, however, and was attacked by the British off the coast of France just days later. She was scuttled by her crew, and the wreck was finally found in 1989 by Robert Ballard, the same man who found the Titanic.


#1: HMS Victory


A truly majestic ship, the HMS Victory is one of the largest wooden ships ever built and represents the remarkable power of the Royal Navy during the 18th and 19th centuries. Serving as Lord Nelson’s flagship at 1805’s Battle of Trafalgar, the Victory helped lead the British to victory over the Spanish and French, despite the British being outnumbered. The ship was allegedly saved by the First Sea Lord’s wife, who was moved to tears upon hearing of its proposed destruction. Currently, the Victory serves as a museum in Portsmouth, England, and remains the oldest commissioned warship in the world.




Were there any powerful warships we forgot to include? Let us know in the comments section!

https://forvo.com/word/ormurin_langi/
[b]kiNG oLAF https://youtu.be/3_C9UdQUooU?si=xSF_V9zYx4bk9YJo&t=22
[c]Richelieu
https://youtu.be/t-8fHqtoezw?si=25kiDTKZS8pg7nHY&t=30
[d]kaw- BOOK-suhn