Naming Conventions of US Navy Ships, 1940-1945

Cargo Ships and Aircraft Ferries

Aircraft Carriers
Fleet Aircraft Carriers	CV	Famous old ships of USN, famous battles
Light Aircraft Carriers	CVL	Famous old ships of USN, famous battles
Escort Carriers	CVE	US Sounds & bays, Naval Battles of WWII
Battleships	BB	States of the Union
Cruisers
Large Cruisers	CB	US Territories & insular possessions
Heavy Cruisers	CA	Large American Cities & towns
Light Cruisers	CL	Medium American Cities & towns
Destroyers
Destroyers	DD	Distinguished officers & men of USN & USMC
Destroyer Escorts	DE	Distinguished officers & men of USN & USMC
Submarines	SS	Fish and other marine creatures
Submarine Chasers
Submarine Chasers (Steel Hull)	PC	(none)
Submarine Chasers (Wooden Hull)	SC	(none)
Minecraft
Minelayers & Coastal Minelayers	CM	Old monitors of USN
Light Minelayers	DM	Old monitors of USN
Auxiliary Minelayers	ACM	Obstructions
Minesweepers	AM	Birds or abstract qualities, word of action, etc.
Coastal Minesweepers	AMc	Birds or abstract qualities, word of action, etc.
Fast Minesweepers	DMS	Birds or abstract qualities, word of action, etc.
Motor Minesweepers	YMS	(none)
Patrol Craft
Gunboats	PG	Cities & towns
Converted Yachts	PG	Precious & semiprecious stones, general words
Frigates	PF	Cities & towns
River Gunboats	PR	Islands
Smaller Converted Yachts	PY	Precious & semiprecious stones, general words
Coastal Yachts	PYc	Precious & semiprecious stones, general words
Escort Patrol Craft	PCE	(none)
Eagle Boats	PE	(none)
Patrol Craft, Sweepers	PCS	(none)
Motor Gunboats	PGM	(none)
Motor Torpedo Boats
Motor Torpedo Boats	PT	(none)
Motor Boat Submarine Chasers	PTC	(none)
Oilers & Tankers
Oilers	AO	American rivers with Indian names
Gaoline Tankers	AOG	American rivers with Indian names
Cargo Ships
Cargo Ships	AK	Stars, or counties of the US
Attack Cargo Ships	AKA	Counties of the US
Net Cargo Ships	AKN	Stars, or counties of the US
General Stores Issue Ships	AKS	Stars?
AKV	Places associated with history of aviation
Transports
Transports	AP	Presidents; Signers of Declaration of Independence; distinguished generals & admirals; famous women; historic places
Attack Transports	APA	Counties of the US
Self-Propelled Barracks Ships	APB	(none)
Coastal Transports	APc	(none)
High Speed Transports	APD	(Retained original DD/DE name)
Evacuation Transports	APH	Surgeons General of the USN
Barracks Ships	APL	None; unofficially: famous hotels
Mechanized Artillery Transport	APM	"Lakehurst" (only 1)
Transport Submarine	APS	"Argonaut" (only 1)
Aircraft Ferries	APV	Places associated with history of aviation
Repair Ships
Repair Ships	AR	Mythological figures
Battle Damage Repair Ships	ARB	Mythological figures
Auxiliary Repair Dock (Concrete)	ARDC	(n/a)
Deisel Engine Repair Ships	ARG	Islands
Heavy Hull Repair Ships	ARH	Mythological figures
Landing Craft Repair Ships	ARL	Mythological figures
Salvage Vessels	ARS	Terms associated with marine salvage
Salvage Craft Tenders	ARS(T)	?
Aircraft Repair Ships (Aircraft)	ARV(A)	?
Aircraft Repair Ships (Engine)	ARV(E)	?
Submarine Tenders
Submarine Tenders	AS	Submarine pioneers & mythological characters
Submarine Rescue Vessels	ASR	Birds
Seaplane Tenders & Aviation Supply Ships
Seaplane Tenders	AV	Aviation pioneers, bays, sounds & straits
Catapult Lighter	AVC	(none)
Seaplane Tenders (Destroyers)	AVD	?
Small Seaplane Tenders	AVP	Birds
Aviations Supply Ships	AVS	(none)
Distilling Ships	AW	(none)
Tugboats
Auxiliary Tugs	ATA	Indian Tribes
Fleet Ocean Tugs	ATF	Indian Tribes
Old Ocean Tugs	ATO	Indian Tribes
Rescue Tugs	ATR	(none)
Auxiliaries
Crane Ship	AB	"Crane Ship No. 1"
Advanced Base Section Dock	ABSD	(n/a)
Advanced Base Dock	ABD	(n/a)
Destroyer Tenders	AD	Geographical areas of the US
Ammunition Ships	AE	Volcanoes, or explosive related
Provision Store Ships	AF	Stars
Auxiliary Floating Dock	AFD
Miscellaneous Auxiliaries	AG	(unknown)
Amphibious Force Command Ships	AGC	Mountains
MTB Tenders	AGP	Mythological tenders
Surveying Ships	AGS	Distinguished marine surveyors
Hospital Ships	AH	Peaceful or comforting words
Net Laying Ships	AN	Trees or old USN monitors
Unclassified Vessels	IX	Various
Landing Ships & Craft
Landing Ships, Vehicle	LSV	Old Monitors of USN*
Landing Ships, Dock	LSD	Homes of famous Americans, famous spots
Landing Ships, Tank	LST	(none)
Landing Ships, Medium	LSM	(none)
Landing Ships, Medium (Rocket)	LSM(R)	(none; later, US rivers with non-Indian names)
Landing Craft, Flotilla Flagships	LC(FF)	(none)
Landing Craft, Flak	LCF	(none)
Landing Craft, Infantry (Gunboat)	LCI(G)	(none)
Landing Craft, Infantry (Large)	LCI(L)	(none)
Landing Craft, Infantry (Mortar)	LCI(M)	(none)
Landing Craft, Infantry (Rocket)	LCI(R)	(none)
Landing Craft, Support (Large)	LCS(L)	(none)
Landing Craft, Tank	LCT	(none)
Landing Craft, Control	LCC	(none)
Landing Craft, Mechanized	LCM	(none)
Landing Craft, Personnel (Large)	LCP(L)	(none)
Landing Craft, Personnel (Ramp)	LCP(R)	(none)
Landing Craft, Rubber (Large)	LCR(L)	(none)
Landing Craft, Rubber (Small)	LCR(S)	(none)
Landing Craft, Support (S)	LSC(S)	(none)
Landing Craft, Vehicle	LCV	(none)
Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel	LCVP	(none)
Landing Vehicle, Tracked	LVT	(none)
Landing Vehicle, Tracked (Armored)	LVT(A)	(none)
Landing Vehicle, Wheeled (Mark)	LVW	(none)
Amphibious Trucks	DUKW	(none)
Coast Guard Vessels
Cruising Cutters	WPG	?
Weather Patrol Ships	WIX	?
Weather Patrol Cutters	WPC	?
Icebreakers	WAG	Winds
Yard and District Craft **
Ash Lighter	YA
District Auxiliary, Miscellaneous	YAG
Open Lighter	YC
Car Float (Railroad)	YCF
Open Cargo Lighter	YCK
Aircraft Transportation Lighter	YCV
Floating Derrick	YD
Degaussing Vessel	YDG
Diving Tender	YDT
Ammunition Lighter	YE
Covered Lighter	YF
Ferry Boat or Launch	YFB
Floating Dry Dock	YFD
Torpedo Transportation Lighter	YFT
Garbage Lighter	YG
Ambulance Boat	YH
House Boat	YHB
Heating Scow	YHT
Open Landing Lighter	YLA
Dredge	YM
Motor Mine Sweeper	YMS
Net Tender	YN
Gate Vessel	YNg
Net Tender (tug class)	YNT
Fuel Oil Barge	YO
Gasoline Barge	YOG
Oil storage Barge	YOS
District Patrol Vessel	YP
Pile Driver (floating)	YPD
Pontoon Stowage Barge	YPK
Floating Workshop	YR
Floating Workshop-Drydock, Hull	YRD(H)
Floating Workshop- Drydock, Machinery	YRD(M)
Stevedoring Barge	YS
Seaplane Wrecking Derrick	YSD
Salvage Pontoon	YSP
Sludge Removal Barge	YSR
Harbour Tug-Big	YTB
Harbour Tug-Little	YTL
Harbour Tug-Medium	YTM
Torpedo Testing Barge	YTT
Water Barge	YW

* Converted Minecraft & Net Tenders
** Yard and District Craft section contributed by Alan Chanter

Source: Hyperwar

Last Major Update: Mar 2009

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. david eldridge says:
8 Jun 2009 01:18:12 PM

After whom was USS Eldridge named, please?

C. Peter Chen says:
8 Jun 2009 03:37:11 PM

@david eldridge: USS Eldridge (DE-173) was named after Lieutenant Commander John Eldridge, Jr. of Buckingham County, Virginia, United States, who was killed in action in the Solomon Islands on 2 Nov 1942.

3. Charlie Lewis says:
15 Jul 2013 12:52:45 PM

Familiar with the USN's naming convention in WWII, I've always been perplexed by the fact that the name of the cruiser Brooklyn (CL41), the then-4th largest city in the US, should be a light, as opposed to a heavy, cruiser.

David Stubblebine says:
15 Jul 2013 08:38:48 PM

Mr. Lewis:

Your point about Brooklyn is well taken. I don’t know what the thinking was in 1935, but I imagine the reasoning was that Brooklyn was a lesser city to New York so the name would be better applied to a “lesser” cruiser.

There are many other cases where the Navy did not follow their own rules as well.

5. Jeanette Stanley Jean says:
11 Feb 2015 09:22:55 AM

Why does the USS Appalachian (AGC-1) not show up on WWII navy ship lists. My dad's (Floyd "Y" Stanley Jr.) muster lists clearly say Appalachian (AGC-1)

6. Mike Babcock says:
28 May 2016 09:30:10 PM

I found this site very interesting, but I was looking for the USN's naming convention for World War II. Charlie Lewis says he knows it, but I don't and would like to. For instance, I understand that LVT would stand for 'Landing Vehicle Tracked', but what does 'BB' for Battleship, 'DD' for Destroyer, and 'SS' for Submarine stand for? Please let me know where I can learn this.
Thanks.

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Naming Conventions of US Navy Ships, 1940-1945