National Battleship Registry
Battleships of the US Navy 1894-1944*A campaign of the Pacific Battleship Center dba National Museum of the Surface Navy, a 501(c)3 non-profit.
National Battleship Registry
The National Battleship Registry is a comprehensive resource dedicated to documenting and preserving the history, design, and legacy of the world’s most powerful warships. From early dreadnoughts to modern naval giants, the registry provides detailed information on battleship classes, specifications, service histories, and the sailors who served aboard them. Designed for historians, enthusiasts, educators, and the general public, the registry connects people to the ships that shaped global naval power and maritime history. This page and information has been compiled by Craig Johnson, Dave McCandless, & Chris Gascon with battleship drawings from Donn Thorson.
Select your favorite battleship below to learn more!
PRE-DREADNOUGHTS
1895-1908
DREADNOUGHTS
1910-1914
STANDARD BATTLESHIPS
1916-1921
FAST BATTLESHIPS
1941-1944
Pre-Dreadnoughts
Pre-dreadnought battleships were the dominant capital ships of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterized by mixed-caliber guns, heavy armor, and coal-powered engines. They represented a transitional era in naval warfare before the revolutionary launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 reshaped battleship design.
- USS Maine (BB-00/ACR-1) 1895-1898
- USS Texas (BB-00/ACR-2) 1895-1911
INDIANA CLASS
- USS Indiana (BB-1) 1895-1919
- USS Massachusetts (BB-2) (1896-1921)
- USS Oregon (BB-3) 1896-1919
USS Iowa (BB-4)
- USS Iowa (BB-4) 1897-1923
KEARSARGE CLASS
- USS Kearsarge (BB-5) 1900-
- USS Kentucky (BB-6) 1900-
ILLINOIS CLASS
- USS Illinois (BB-7) 1900-
- USS Alabama (BB-8) 1900
- USS Wisconsin (BB-9) 1901
MAINE CLASS
- USS Maine (BB-10) 1902
- USS Missouri (BB-11) 1903
- USS Ohio (BB-12) 1904
VIRGINIA CLASS
- USS Virginia (BB-13) 1906
- USS Nebraska (BB-14) 1907
- USS Georgia (BB-15) 1906
- USS New Jersey (BB-16) 1906
- USS Rhode Island (BB-17) 1906
CONNECTICUT CLASS
- USS Connecticut (BB-18) 1906
- USS Lousiana (BB-19) 1906
- USS Vermont (BB-20) 1907
- USS Kansas (BB-21) 1907
- USS Minnesota (BB-22) 1907
- USS New Hampshire (BB-25) 1908
Dreadnoughts
Dreadnought battleships revolutionized naval warfare with the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906, introducing an all-big-gun armament and steam turbine propulsion. This new design rendered earlier battleships obsolete and set a global standard, sparking an arms race among the world’s naval powers. Faster, more heavily armed, and more efficient, dreadnoughts defined capital ship design in the early 20th century.
SOUTH CAROLINA CLASS
- USS South Carolina (BB-26) 1910
- USS Michigan (BB-27) 1910
DELAWARE CLASS
- USS Delaware (BB-28) 1910
- USS North Dakota (BB-29) 1910
FLORIDA CLASS
- USS Florida (BB-30) 1911
- USS Utah (BB-31) 1911
WYOMING CLASS
- USS Wyoming (BB-32) 1912
- USS Arkansas (BB-33) 1912
NEW YORK CLASS
- USS New York (BB-34) 1914
- USS Texas (BB-35) 1914
Standard Battleships
Standard-type battleships were a series of U.S. Navy battleships built from the 1910s through the early 1920s, designed with consistent speed, maneuverability, and tactical characteristics to operate as a unified battle line. Featuring heavy armor, improved firepower, and an emphasis on long-range engagement, these ships reflected a strategic shift toward coordinated fleet operations during World War I and the interwar period.
NEVADA CLASS
- USS Nevada (BB-36) 1916
- USS Oklahoma (BB-37) 1916
PENNSYLVANIA CLASS
- USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) 1916
- USS Arizona (BB-39) 1916
NEW MEXICO CLASS
- USS New Mexico (BB-40) 1918
- USS Mississippi (BB-41) 1917
- USS Idaho (BB-41) 1919
TENNESSEE CLASS
- USS Tennessee (BB-43) 1920
- USS California (BB-44) 1921
COLORADO CLASS
- USS Colorado (BB-45) 1923
- USS Maryland (BB-46) 1921
- USS West Virginia (BB-48) 1921
Lost Battleships
Lost battleship classes refer to planned U.S. Navy battleships that were never completed, including the South Dakota (BB-47 to BB-54) and Montana (BB-65 to BB-71) classes. Authorized during periods of naval expansion, these ships were ultimately canceled due to treaty limitations, shifting strategic priorities, or the changing nature of naval warfare. Though never built, they represent some of the most ambitious and powerful battleship designs ever conceived.
COLORADO CLASS
- Washington (BB-47)
SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS
- South Dakota (BB-49)
- Indiana (BB-50)
- Montana (BB-51)
- North Carolina (BB-52)
- Iowa (BB-53)
- Massachusetts (BB-54)
IOWA CLASS
- Illinois (BB-65)
- Kentucky (BB-66)
MONTANA CLASS
- Montana (BB-67)
- Ohio (BB-68)
- Maine (BB-69)
- New Hampshire (BB-70)
- Louisiana (BB-71)
Fast Battleships
Fast battleships emerged in the 1930s and 1940s as a response to evolving naval warfare, combining heavy armor and powerful guns with significantly higher speeds. Designed to operate alongside aircraft carriers and respond rapidly to threats, these ships marked a shift from traditional battle lines to more flexible, fast-moving naval task forces. They represented the final and most advanced evolution of the battleship.
NORTH CAROLINA CLASS
- USS North Carolina (BB-55) 1941 – Open as a museum
- USS Washington (BB-56) 1941
SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS
- USS South Dakota (BB-57) 1942
- USS Indiana (BB-58) 1942
- USS Massachusetts (BB-59) 1942 – Open as a museum
- USS Alabama (BB-60) 1942 – Open as a museum
IOWA CLASS
- USS Iowa (BB-61) 1943 – Open as a museum
- USS New Jersey (BB-62) 1943 – Open as a museum
- USS Missouri (BB-63) 1944 – Open as a museum
- USS Wisconsin (BB-64) 1944 – Open as a museum
The Registry Team
- Project Leads: Craig Johnson; CAPT Larry Seaquest, USN (Ret.)
- Research Lead: Danny Jaimez
- Website Leads: Dave McCandless; Chris Gascon
- Weapon System Lead: GMC Steve Tibbetts, USN (Ret.)
- Members: Arthure Huhta; Brian Clune; Carl Adams; Dan Blumberg; Don Prichard; Doug Johnson; Emily Cohen; Eric Geier; George J Sliney; Gordon Hopkins; Jeff Heier; John Francis; Kathy Meyer; Kook K Dean; Leo Guo; Mike Newell; Milton Boudov; Nick Rowland; Robert E Lee; Sandy Edwards; Scott Lockhart; Peter Strand.
- Source Material Credit: USN; USMC; USCG; NavSource.com; NHHC; Navweaps.com; military.wikia.com; pwencycl.com; earlyradiohistory.us; ibiblio.org; hnsa.org; navypradio.com
Multiple Ways to Donate
- Donate to the Overall Showcase Online
- Mail A Check
- Corporate Sponsorship (call for details)
- Multi-Year Pledges (call for details)
- Adopt-A-Showcase Ambassador (call for details)
- Planned Giving / Legacy Gift
- Stocks or Bonds
- In-Kind / Pro Bono
