Warships of World War II

Admiral Scheer was Deutschland-class "pocket battleship" that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Early in the conflict, Admiral Scheer saw service against the Atlantic convoys and later operated from Norway. Admiral Scheer was sunk by Allied aircraft at Kiel in April 1945.

USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship commissioned in 1917. USS Arizona served in a variety of peacetime roles during the interwar years and was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. During the Japanese attack, USS Arizona was struck by a bomb detonating its forward magazine and destroying the ship.

HMS Ark Royal was the second purpose-built aircraft carrier built for the Royal Navy. Launched in 1937, HMS Ark Royal 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.

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.

USS Enterprise (CV-6) was an American aircraft carrier during World War II. Entering service in 1938, USS Enterprise saw action throughout the war in the Pacific including the Battle of Midway. One of the most honored ships of the war, USS Enterprise earned 20 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Franklin was an Essex-class aircraft carrier that saw service during World War II. Built at Newport News, VA, USS Franklin operated in the Pacific and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On March 19, 1945, USS Franklin was badly damaged during a Japanese air attack which ended its career.

Haruna was a Japanese battleship that saw service during World War I and World War II. Initially built as a battlecruiser, Haruna was heavily modified during the interwar years. During World War II, Haruna saw action during several of the major battles in the Pacific including Midway, Philippine Sea, and Leyte Gulf. Haruna was sunk at Kure in...

HMS Hood was a noted battlescruiser that entered service with the Royal Navy in 1920. HMS Hood was the pride of the British fleet for much of the interwar period and later took part in the 1940 attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir. HMS Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck during the Battle of the Denmark Strait in May 1941.

USS Hornet (CV-8) was an American aircraft carrier during World War II. USS Hornet gained famed for its role in the April 1942 Doolittle Raid. Taking part in the Battle of Santa Cruz that October, USS Hornet was lost in action.

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...

USS Missouri was an Iowa-class battleship that was launched during World War II. The last battleship built for the US Navy, USS Missoui saw action in the Pacific and was the site of the formal surrender of Japan. After the conflict, USS Missouri saw service in the Korean War and, after a major refit, the 1991 Gulf War.

HMS Nelson was a British battleship that saw service during World War II. Completed in 1930, HMS Nelson's design was a product of the Washington Naval Treaty. During World War II, HMS Nelson served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian Oceans.

PT-109 was an 80-ft. patrol torpedo boat used by the US Navy during World War II. Commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, PT-109 was sunk by the destroyer Amagiri on August 2, 1943. Aftet the loss of PT-109, Kennedy went to great lengths to have his crew rescued.

USS Saratoga (CV-3) was one of the US Navy's first aircraft carriers and saw service during World War II. Serving in the Pacific, USS Saratoga took part in many of the Allied campaigns against Japan. USS Saratoga was sunk as part of Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll in 1946.

Tirpitz was a large German battleship that saw service during World War II. A sister ship to Bismarck, Tirpitz largely saw duty in the North Atlantic and Norway. During the course of the war, the British made several efforts to sink Tirpitz and finally succeeded in late 1944.

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.

USS Wasp (CV-7) was an American aircraft carrier that served during World War II. Launched in 1939, USS Wasp saw duty in the Atlantic and Pacific during the early parts of the conflict. Operating in support of US forces on Guadalcanal, USS Wasp was sunk by I-19 on September 15, 1942.

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 Yorktown (CV-5) was an American aircraft carrier during World War II. Launched in 1937, USS Yorktown took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea. USS Yorktown was lost following the Battle of Midway a month later.