Profiles Index

Battleship DKM Bismarck
DKM Bismarck was one of the most feared battleships constructed by Nazi Germany. Launched in 1939, Bismarck inspired such fear that when it first entered the Atlantic two years later the British devoted all of their resources to sinking it. After defeating HMS Hood, Bismarck was damaged by British aircraft and ultimately sunk on May 27, 1941.

World War II: USS Indianapolis
Commissioned in 1932, USS Indianapolis was a Portland-class heavy cruiser. Seeing action in the Pacific during World War II, USS Indianapolis participated in many of the conflicts major campaigns and was tasked with carrying the atomic bomb to Tinian in 1945. After delivering the bomb, USS Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk with many of the crew dying of exposure and shark attacks.

USS Constellation: The End of an Era
USS Constellation is the last all-sail warship built for the US Navy and the last naval vessel active during the Civil War still afloat. Best known for its work fighting the slave trade, USS Constellation is now preserved as a museum in Baltimore, MD.

Napoleonic Wars: HMS Victory
HMS Victory was first commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1778. A 104-gun ship of the line, HMS Victory was present at many of the key naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars and is best remembered as Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar. Retired from active service in 1812, HMS Victory was used for a variety of purposes before being restored as a museum ship.

Naval Aviation: USS Langley - First US Aircraft Carrier
USS Langley was the first aircraft carrier to see service with the US Navy. Converted from a collier in 1922, Langley conducted a wide variety of aviation testing and sailed with both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Modified into a seaplane tender in 1936, Langley was sunk by the Japanese in 1942.

World War I & II: HMS Warspite
Launched in 1913, the battleship HMS Warspite saw extensive service during both world wars. A Queen Elizabeth-class battleship, Warspite fought at Jutland in 1916. After an extensive modernization in 1935, Warspite fought in the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans during World War II and provided support during the Normandy landings.

World War II: Battleship Yamato
The Japanese battleship Yamato, and its sisters, were the largest, most powerful ships of their type ever constructed. Completed in late 1941, Yamato served with the Imperial Japanese Navy throughout World War II. In April 1945, Yamato was sunk by US aircraft while on a "suicide ride" to aid in the defense of Okinawa.

USS Nautilus: First Nuclear Submarine
USS Nautilus was the world's first nuclear-powered submarine and was the first to make a submerged transit of the North Pole. Commissioned in 1954, USS Nautilus remained in the fleet until 1980. It is currently docked at Groton, CT as a museum ship.

Pearl Harbor: The US Navy's Home in the Pacific
The homeport of the US Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor was first acquired by the United States in 1887. Slow to develop due to its shallow entrance channel, Pearl Harbor became the US Navy's premier base in the Pacific in the years prior to World War II. Attacked on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor rose from the ashes and supported the US Pacific Fleet throughout the war. Still in full use today, Pearl Harbor continues to stand guard over the "Crossroads of the Pacific."

First Ironclads: HMS Warrior
HMS Warrior was the first iron-hulled, armored warship built for the Royal Navy. Built at London, HMS Warrior immediately made every warship in the world obselete. In addition, Warrior laid the foundation for the naval arms race that would dominate the next half century.

American Civil War: USS Monitor
USS Monitor was the first ironclad built for the US Navy. Entering service in 1862, USS Monitor fought CSS Virginia in the first battle between ironclad warships on March 9, 1862. After serving in the Hampton Roads area, USS Monitor was lost at sea in late 1862, while under tow.

American Civil War: USS Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge was a Mohican-class screw-sloop built during the American Civil War. Ordered to European waters, Kearsarge famously defeated the Confederate raider CSS Alabama on June 19, 1864. Kearsarge remained in service until 1894, when it ran aground on Roncador Cay.

HMS Ark Royal: Pride of Force H
HMS Ark Royal was the second purpose-built aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy. The third ship to carry the name, Ark Royal was launched in 1937, and saw extensive service in the Mediterranean during the early years of World War II. In 1941, its aircraft successfully attacked the German battleship Bismarck, disabling its steering. Ark Royal was sunk in late 1941, after being torpedoed by U-81.

American Civil War: CSS Shenandoah
CSS Shenandoah was a former British troop transport which was purchased by the Confederate government in 1864, for use as a commerce raider. Converted to a warship at Madeira, Shenandoah proceeded to attack US shipping in the South Atlantic before moving to the Bering Sea to destroy the American whaling fleet. On November 6, 1865, Shenandoah put into Liverpool and became the last surrender of the Civil War.