DANFS Online

Aircraft Carriers

Naming: Aircraft carriers were traditionally named for famous ships (many of which, in turn, had been named for famous battles), but there were several exceptions to this scheme, even during WWII.

Numbering: 'Fleet' carriers (CV), light carriers (CVL), 'battle' (large) carriers (CVB), attack carriers (CVA) and antisubmarine carriers (CVS) were all numbered in a single series, designated "CVx xx", from the start of the carrier era.


DANFS Online: Aircraft Carriers
Listed Numerically
LANGLEY (CV 1)
LEXINGTON (CV 2)
SARATOGA (CV 3)
RANGER (CV 4)
YORKTOWN (CV 5)
ENTERPRISE (CV 6)
WASP (CV 7)
HORNET (CV 8)
ESSEX (CV 9)
YORKTOWN (CV 10)
INTREPID (CV 11)
HORNET (CV 12)
FRANKLIN (CV 13)
TICONDEROGA (CV 14)
RANDOLPH (CV 15)
LEXINGTON (CV 16)
BUNKER HILL (CV 17)
WASP (CV 18)
HANCOCK (CV 19)
BENNINGTON (CV 20)
BOXER (CV 21)
INDEPENDENCE (CVL 22)
PRINCETON (CVL 23)
BELLEAU WOOD (CVL 24)
COWPENS (CVL 25)
MONTEREY (CVL 26)
LANGLEY (CVL 27)
CABOT (CVL 28)
BATAAN (CVL 29)
SAN JACINTO (CVL 30)
BON HOMME RICHARD (CV 31)
LEYTE (CV 32)
KEARSARGE (CV 33)
ORISKANY (CV 34)
REPRISAL (CV 35)
ANTIETAM (CV 36)
PRINCETON (CV 37)
SHANGRI-LA (CV 38)
LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CV 39)
TARAWA (CV 40)
MIDWAY (CVB 41)
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVB 42)
CORAL SEA (CVB 43)
CVB 44 CANCELLED
VALLEY FORGE (CV 45)
IWO JIMA (CV 46)
PHILIPPINE SEA (CV 47)
SAIPAN (CVL 48)
WRIGHT (CVL 49)
(CV 50) CANCELLED
(CV 51) CANCELLED
(CV 52) CANCELLED
(CV 53) CANCELLED
(CV 54) CANCELLED
(CV 55) CANCELLED
(CVB 56) CANCELLED
(CVB 57) CANCELLED
UNITED STATES (CVA 58)
FORRESTAL (CVA 59)
SARATOGA (CVA 60)
RANGER (CVA 61)
INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62)
KITTY HAWK (CVA 63)
CONSTELLATION (CVA 64)
ENTERPRISE (CVAN 65)
AMERICA (CVA 66)
JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA 67)
NIMITZ (CVN 68)
CVN 69 through CVN 77 NOT LISTED
Listed Alphabetically
AMERICA (CVA 66)
ANTIETAM (CV 36)
BATAAN (CVL 29)
BELLEAU WOOD (CVL 24)
BENNINGTON (CV 20)
BON HOMME RICHARD (CV 31)
BOXER (CV 21)
BUNKER HILL (CV 17)
CABOT (CVL 28)
CONSTELLATION (CVA 64)
CORAL SEA (CVB 43)
COWPENS (CVL 25)
ENTERPRISE (CV 6)
ENTERPRISE (CVAN 65)
ESSEX (CV 9)
FORRESTAL (CVA 59)
FRANKLIN (CV 13)
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CVB 42)
HANCOCK (CV 19)
HORNET (CV 8)
HORNET (CV 12)
INDEPENDENCE (CVL 22)
INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62)
INTREPID (CV 11)
IWO JIMA (CV 46)
JOHN F. KENNEDY (CVA 67)
KEARSARGE (CV 33)
KITTY HAWK (CVA 63)
LAKE CHAMPLAIN (CV 39)
LANGLEY (CV 1)
LANGLEY (CVL 27)
LEXINGTON (CV 2)
LEXINGTON (CV 16)
LEYTE (CV 32)
MIDWAY (CVB 41)
MONTEREY (CV 26)
NIMITZ (CVN 68)
ORISKANY (CV 34)
PHILIPPINE SEA (CV 47)
PRINCETON (CVL 23)
PRINCETON (CV 37)
RANDOLPH (CV 15)
RANGER (CV 4)
RANGER (CVA 61)
REPRISAL (CV 35)
SAIPAN (CVL 48)
SAN JACINTO (CVL 30)
SARATOGA (CV 3)
SARATOGA (CVA 60)
SHANGRI LA (CV 38)
TARAWA (CV 40)
TICONDEROGA (CV 14)
UNITED STATES (CVA 58)
VALLEY FORGE (CV 45)
WASP (CV 7)
WASP (CV 18)
WRIGHT (CVL 49)
YORKTOWN (CV 5)
YORKTOWN (CV 10)

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These histories are taken from Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (US Naval Historical Center, 1959-1991). The histories may not reflect the most recent information concerning the ships' status and operations.

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