The List of ships of the Second World War contains major military vessels of the war, arranged alphabetically and by type. The list includes armed vessels that served during the war and in the immediate aftermath, inclusive of localized ongoing combat operations, garrison surrenders, post-surrender occupation, colony re-occupation, troop and prisoner repatriation, to the end of 1945. For smaller vessels, see also list of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons. Some uncompleted Axis ships are included, out of historic interest. Ships are designated to the country under which they operated for the longest period of the Second World War, regardless of where they were built or previous service history. Submarines show submerged displacement.
Click on headers to sort column alphabetically.
+ List of ships of World War II (W)ShipCountry or organizationClassTypeDisplacement (tons)First commissionedFateWdestroyer1,71014 April 1944paid off January 1946submarine1,525 surfaced15 May 1942Sunk 11 October 1943Simsdestroyer1,57015 April 1940scuttled after A-bomb test 1948escort carrier7,8007 November 1943scrapped April 1946Wdestroyer1,71017 February 1944scrapped 5 JulySimsdestroyer1,57027 April 1940sunk 15 November 1942Flowercorvette9257 March 1941Wickesdestroyer1,19024 July 1918Sunk 7 December 1944Colossusaircraft carrier18,3002 April 1945paid off 1970, scrapped 1971Tribaldestroyer2,02023 November 1942scrapped 1963destroyer leader1,850 9 February 1938foundered in hurricane 13 September 1944Queen Elizabethbattleship31,0008 March 1915scrapped 1950Ärancoastal defence ship3,6501901paid off 1940, scrapped 1961North Carolinabattleship35,00015 May 1941Decommissioned 27 June 1947, scrapped 1960Riverfrigate1,44516 June 1943paid off 29 January 1946 (I)aircraft carrier14,70025 April 1940sunk 15 September 1942 (II)Essexaircraft carrier30,80024 November 1943decommissioned 1 July 1972Gleavesdestroyer1,63016 August 1943decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1969Abdielminelayer2,65025 August 1941sunk 1 February 1943Huntdestroyer1,05020 October 1942constructive loss 11 December 1944Riverfrigate1,4457 December 1943paid off 10 October 1945Wdestroyer1,71011 May 1944paid off January 1946Coloradobattleship31,5001 December 1923Decommissioned 9 January 1947, scrapped 1959Flower modifiedcorvette1,0156 October 19449 July 1945Flowercorvette92517 December 1940paid off 19 June 1945Flowercorvette92526 November 1941paid off 22 February 1943Huntdestroyer1,00028 February 1941broken up April 1959Huntdestroyer1,0503 November 1941paid off 19 June 1945, scrapped 20 September 1959Wdestroyer1,71025 April 1944paid off January 1946WhetstoneCasa GrandeDock landing ship7,93012 February 1946scrapped 17 February 1983Wdestroyer1,7101943foundered 29 October 1974Flower modifiedcorvette1,0156 June 194416 July 1945White MarshAshlandDock landing ship7,93029 January 1944 Transferred to Taiwan November 1960escort carrier7,80015 November 1943scrapped 29 July 1958WicherWicherdestroyer1,40013 July 1930sunk 3 September 1939Wichita heavy cruiser10,00016 February 1939decommissioned 1947, scrapped 1959Widderauxiliary cruiser16,80030 November 1939became repair ship Neumark 1941Willem van der Zaanminelayer1,40721 August 1939decommissioned 27 February 1970, sold for scrap 6 October 1970Fletcherdestroyer2,05022 February 1945decommissioned 9 August 1946Gleavesdestroyer1,63022 April 1941decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1972Cleveland light cruiser11,8001 July 1944sunk as target 1972Fletcher destroyer2,0506 July 1943sunk 10 June 1945Flower modifiedcorvette1,01530 August 1943paid off 11 June 1946Benhamdestroyer1,5005 July 1939scuttled after A-bomb test 1948Huntdestroyer1,05018 February 1942paid off 19 June 1945, scrapped 1959Flowercorvette92520 October 1940to Canada 15 May 1941, sunk 7 December 1941escort carrier7,8003 May 1944scrapped February 1961Riverfrigate1,370February 1944to France February 1944 as Découverte; decommissioned 1959Porterdestroyer1,85017 February 1937scrapped 1959Iowabattleship45,00016 April 1944decommissioned 30 September 1991; museum shipAdmiralendestroyer1,33720 February 1930Scuttled 2 March 1942Wdestroyer1,71030 March 1944scrapped 1967WolfRaubtier torpedo boat1,32015 November 1928sunk 8 January 1941Flowercorvette9257 April 1941Flowercorvette9251 May 1942paid off 27 January 1945Bensondestroyer1,62030 April 1942to Italy 1951, scrapped 1971Gleavesdestroyer1,6307 May 1941decommissioned 1947, scrapped 1974Farragutdestroyer1,36515 January 1935sunk 12 January 1943Wdestroyer1,71014 July 1944to South Africa after warAdmiralty Wdestroyer1,18815 May 1918mined 6 June 1944, scrapped July 1944
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