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 (A) Ship Country or organization Class Type Displacement (tons) First commissioned Fatedestroyer1,6304 March 1942Sunk 7 April 1943minelayer destroyer2,20028 October 1944Constructive loss 30 April 1945, scrapped 1946destroyer2,05023 April 1943Decommissioned 1965, scrapped 1975minelayer2,65015 April 1941Sunk 10 September 1943corvette9253 February 1941Constructive loss 9 January 1944monitor8,5365 May 1943Scrapped 1954destroyer escort1,3501 May 1944Decommissioned 1946, sunk as target 1968destroyer2,0505 February 1943Sunk 1 November 1944light cruiser5,08826 May 1925Sunk 26 October 1944Adestroyer1,35011 February 1930Sunk 8 June 1940 merchant aircraft carrier8,010October 1943Returned to merchant service post-warAdestroyer1,35027 March 1930Sunk 31 December 1942Adestroyer1,35013 October 1931Sunk 17 December 1940light cruiser7,2706 October 1933Sold to India 1948corvette92523 July 194130 April 1947destroyer escort1,24019 July 1943Decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1973 Flower modifiedcorvette1,01522 November 19426 September 1945Adestroyer1,3509 February 1930Scrapped 1947minelayer destroyer2,20010 October 1944Decommissioned 1947, scrapped 1971light cruiser5,5505 August 1922Scrapped 1949cruiser12,1036 January 1936scuttled 17 December 1939heavy cruiser14,00025 April 1939Scuttled 2 May 1945cruiser12,10012 November 1934Sunk 9 April 1945escort carrier7,80013 June 1944Scrapped 1947destroyer escort1,0505 August 1942Damaged by mine 22 October 1943, scrapped 1945minelayer cruiser6,8504 November 1916Landing repair ship 1944; scrapped 1947 merchant aircraft carrier16,000February 1944Returned to merchant service post-war destroyer1,03019 October 1912Decommissioned 1946 destroyer2,0203 May 1938Sunk 3 May 1940 light cruiser6,65031 October 1942Sunk 15 February 1944 corvette92523 January 1941Paid off 14 June 1945 minesweeper5291941–19441941–1944 minesweeper5291941–19441941–1944 destroyer escort1,40012 February 1944Decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1967destroyer escort1,050Sunk June 1942light cruiser7,2203 June 1935Scrapped 1949aircraft carrier36,50027 March 1927Sunk 5 June 1942Akitsu MaruType Clanding craft carrierescort carrier11,800 30 January 1942sunk 15 November 1944 destroyer2,70011 June 1942Sunk 25 October 1944battleship35,00016 August 1942Decommissioned 9 January 1947, museum shipFlower modifiedcorvette1,01510 December 19424 October 1945battlecruiser ("large cruiser")27,50017 June 1944Scrapped 1960seaplane carrier6,35029 September 1938Torpedoed 1944, not repaired, scrapped 19541923 Raubvogel-class torpedo boat1,2905 May 1927Beached 10 April 1940 light cruiser5,2009 June 1931Sunk 13 December 1941corvette9254 February 1941Sunk on 21 August 1944 by destroyer escort1,35029 November 1944Sunk as target 1969destroyer2,05024 November 1943Decommissioned 1971, scrapped 1972light cruiser5,2001 January 1931Sunk 13 December 1941destroyer escort1,05022 February 1942Paid off 6 January 1956Armed merchant cruiser22,1811927Scrapped 1958destroyer1,09026 July 1929Discarded 1957destroyer1,25024 November 1919Scrapped 30 November 1945destroyer escort1,0505 February 1942Sunk 14 December 1944destroyer escort1,40019 February 1944Decommissioned 1947, sunk as target 1970 merchant aircraft carrier8,0101 December 1943Returned to merchant service post-wardestroyer2,20023 November 1944Decommissioned 1971, sunk as target 1979 destroyer escort1,24012 November 1943To Brazil 10 March 1945 as Babitonga, scrapped 1964heavy cruiser10,00015 September 1934scuttled 27 November 1942Algériendestroyer escort1,24023 January 1944To France after war, scrapped November 1965corvette92511 July 1941paid off 6 July 1945 Vdestroyer2,70028 February 1944paid off 1 April 1970corvette92513 February 1941destroyer2,20026 January 1944Scrapped 1974 heavy cruiser6,80018 July 1931scrapped 1962 destroyer1,430January 1914Decommissioned 1945 super dreadnought28,5501 August 1920Scrapped 1959destroyer1,4301913Decommissioned 1945 submarine2,0201929Discarded 1957escort carrier7,90015 September 1942Scrapped 1946destroyer escort1,3507 October 1944Sunk as target 1969corvette92517 June 19419 February 1942aircraft carrier17,15010 August 1944Sunk 27 July 1945corvette92512 February 1941AmastraRapanamerchant aircraft carrier16,0001 September 1943prototypedestroyer1,3505 May 1927Scrapped 25 October 1948prototypedestroyer1,17315 March 1927Scrapped 1946Rulerescort carrier11,40020 July 1943paid off 20 March 1946, scrapped 1969 destroyer escort1,40031 August 1943sold for scrap, sank under tow 1962Sloop1,3502 November 1943Scrapped 19 January 1957corvette9255 August 1941paid off 16 July 1945destroyer escort1,24026 July 1943To Japan 1955, to Philippines 1976, scrapped 1989 minelayer81214 June 1939To Romania 1939, to Soviet Union 1944, scrapped 1989 destroyer2,05012 March 1943Scrapped 1960 minesweeper5291941–19441941–1944 light cruiser11,8008 January 1945Scrapped 1971 Q-ship7,50031 August 194221 March 1946corvette9251 March 1941 merchant aircraft carrier16,000October 1943 corvette9251 October 1941 destroyer1,57019 May 1939Sunk in nuclear bomb test 1946 battleship25,92013 March 1916Scrapped 1956 destroyer escort1,14015 March 1943Scrapped 1946corvette92512 August 1940 frigate1,44513 January 1944paid off 20 June 1945 destroyer1,19024 September 1940paid off 4 June 1945battleship35,00022 June 1942Scrapped 1957Adestroyer1,35020 March 1930Scrapped 1946Adestroyer1,35014 February 1930Scrapped 1948destroyer2,05026 February 1943To West Germany 1958, sunk as target 1979aircraft carrier30,80028 January 1945Decommissioned 8 May 1963, scrapped 1974 frigate1,4454 July 1944paid off 30 November 1966 destroyer1,219former (Portugal) Special Service Ship1,030paid off March 1941heavy cruiser5,08820 September 1927Sunk 28 July 1945minelayer2,6509 October 1943Scrapped 1962aircraft carrier23,500not completedScrapped 1952 (I)corvette9255 April 1940to US 30 April 1942, to UK 26 August 1945 (II)Flower modifiedcorvette1,01516 March 1944paid off 1948 coastal defence ship3,6507 September 1902paid off 16 June 1947, scrapped 1961Rulerescort carrier7,80031 December 1943paid off 12 April 1946, scrapped 1972 (I)corvette92512 October 1940sunk on 5 February 1942 by (II)Flower modifiedcorvette1,0155 July 1944paid off 1948escort carrier8,20017 November 1941paid off 6 November 1943, scrapped 1962Floating anti-aircraft battery2,65718 May 1901Scrapped 1948/1949Adestroyer1,35014 April 1930Sunk 8 June 1940aircraft carrier14,860September 1918Scrapped 1946minelayer2,65012 February 1944Scrapped 1965Ariguanifighter catapult ship19401943super dreadnought32,60017 October 1916Sunk 7 December 1941, war memorialbattleship26,10017 September 1912Sunk 25 July 1946 in A-bomb testaircraft carrier22,00016 December 1938Sunk 14 November 1941 destroyer2,3252 July 1945paid off 1960, scrapped 1965light cruiser5,31629 April 1933Sunk 25 February 1941corvette92528 March 1941Adestroyer1,35014 April 1930Irreparably damaged, 1944corvette92522 November 1940to Canada 15 May 1941, paid off 27 June 1945 patrol boat1,640Commissioned as Lorelei (Germany)destroyer2,02030 March 1942Scrapped 1968corvette92522 May 1941paid off 14 June 1945Flower modifiedcorvette1,01516 June 19448 July 1945destroyer2,02021 December 1938Scrapped 1949 heavy cruiser13,30020 August 1929Sunk 8 June 1945AshlandAshlandDock landing ship7,9305 June 1943Stricken 25 November 1969corvette92511 September 1940sunk 10 March 1944 by Flower modifiedcorvette1,01519 February 1945paid off 1947Cdestroyer1,39030 May 1932transferred to RCN 19 October 1939, paid off 8 August 1945corvette9259 April 1941 Q-ship6,610March 1942transferred to Coast Guard 16 December 1943 converted to weather shipheavy cruiser9,95028 April 1934Sunk 9 August 1942 Battle of Savo Islandlight cruiser11,80017 May 1944Scrapped 1971heavy cruiser14,61630 March 1932Sunk 23 October 1944destroyer2,0203 February 1943Sunk 29 April 1944Rulerescort carrier7,80028 October 1943paid off 6 December 1946, scrapped 1967destroyer escort1,00023 March 1940paid off 23 September 1945, scrapped 1957destroyer escort1,24029 August 1943To Japan 1955, to Philippines 1976, active as of 2012Flower modifiedcorvette1,01514 October 194317 July 1945 Q-ship6,6105 March 1942sunk 26 March 1942 light cruiser6,00024 December 1941Sunk 13 November 1942 Guadalcanallight cruiser11,8003 December 1944Sunk as target 1970auxiliary cruiser7,86219 December 1939Sunk 21 November 1941Attackerescort carrier11,40030 September 1942paid off 5 January 1946, scrapped 24 May 1980light cruiser3,750August 1942ceded to France 1948escort carrier7,80030 June 1944Scrapped 1947corvette92523 December 1940heavy cruiser9,20030 January 1931Scrapped 1960destroyer2,05027 October 1942To Greece 1959, scrapped 1997destroyer2,20031 May 1944Scrapped 1974corvette9255 March 19416 May 1942Protected cruiser6,73129 July 1903In 1957 became a museum ship. destroyer escort1,14013 February 1943Scrapped 1947 heavy cruiser9,85024 April 1928Scrapped 1955 escort carrier8,2002 March 1942Sunk 15 November 1942 destroyer escort1,05017 February 1941scrapped 1958destroyer2,09030 April 1930Sunk 15 November 1942 destroyer1,3651 March 1935Scrapped 1947corvette92527 January 1941

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