Table of Contents
USS Constitution
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Laid down | 1 November 1794 |
| Launched | 21 October 1797 |
| Maiden voyage | 22 July 1798 |
steamer Harriet Lane
The sidewheel steamer Harriet Lane was launched in 1857. She was the first armed ship in service with the U.S. Navy to be named for a woman.
the Secretary of the Navy
Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time.
Why do we name ships?
It’s tradition, and it’s luck. Boat naming started over a thousand years ago, when sailors named vessels after gods, goddesses or saints hoping to bring good fortune to their travels. Today’s boat-namers still seek luck, as vessels are often named after winning lottery tickets, companies and, still, the occasional god.
Where did ship names come from in the Continental Navy?
Ship names in the Continental Navy and the early federal Navy came from a variety of sources. As if to emphasize the ties that many Americans still felt to Britain, the first ship of the new Continental Navy was named Alfred in honor of Alfred the Great, the king of Wessex, who is credited with building the first English naval force.
Thus, an historical accounting of this evolution, as it appeared in modern times, may help the reader understand the ship naming process as it exists today. The Civil War expanded the Navy to an extent undreamed of in prewar times. More than 200 new ships were built, and another 418 were purchased for naval use.
What is the official designation of a vessel of war?
In order that there shall be uniformity in the matter of designating naval vessels, it is hereby directed that the official designation of vessels of war, and other vessels of the Navy of the United States, shall be the name of such vessel, preceded by the words, United States Ship, or the letters U.S.S., and by no other words or letters.
When did the government start assigning ship names to ships?
On 3 March 1819, an act of Congress formally placed the responsibility for assigning names to the Navy’s ships in the hands of the Secretary of the Navy, a prerogative which he still exercises.