Only 1 in 42 People Can Correctly Identify the Class of Each of These Military Ships. Can You?

MILITARY

By: Bambi Turner

6 Min Quiz

Image: By U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Ace Rheaume , via Wikimedia Commons

About This Quiz

Can you tell a ship in the Nimitz class from one classified as a Ticonderoga class? Think you know the difference between America and Avenger ships, or vessels belonging to the Wasp, Freedom or Cyclone classes? If you consider yourself an expert at all things military, take our quiz to prove your Naval vessel IQ!

The U.S. military is all about order, and the ships used in battle are no exception. These ships are categorized by type -- aircraft carrier, destroyer or battleship, for example -- but also by class. Class focuses on the design of the ship, rather than its function, and vessels within the same class are often referred to as sister ships. 

Interestingly enough, the names of the ship classes typically come from the first ship commissioned based on that design. That means Nimitz-class ships take their designation from the USS Nimitz, which was commissioned in 1975. In more recent years, Navy policy requires that the name for a class of ships actually comes from the first ship authorized by Congress within that class, not necessarily the first to be built or commissioned.

Think you can choose the correct class for each of these military vessels? Take out quiz to find out!

Do you know which class this ship belongs to?

Commissioned in 1977, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that belongs to the Nimitz class of ships. The 1,092-foot long vessel first saw action off the coast of Israel, and also served in the Iran Hostage Crisis.

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Pick the class that this ship belongs to.

Nicknamed the Iron Gator, the USS Essex belongs to the Wasp class of vessels. Named for Essex County, Massachusetts, the USS Essex can transport a full Marine Expeditionary Unit into or out of combat. During an early voyage, the vessel served as support as the United Nations withdrew its operations from Somalia.

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Which class does this military ship belong to?

The namesake of the Blue Ridge class of command ships, the USS Blue Ridge was launched in 1969 and named for the iconic Blue Ridge Mountain range. Designed for command and intelligence operations, this vessel is the oldest Navy warship still being deployed as of 2018.

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Can you identify the correct class for this ship?

The USS New Orleans belongs to the San Antonio class -- a designation used to describe amphibious transport docks, or landing platforms. Launched in 2004, the New Orleans can carry 700 Marines, as well as a pair of Osprey aircraft.

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Can you match this ship to the correct class?

Named for the Revolutionary War Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania, the USS Germantown was the second ship launched as part of the Whidbey Island class. Launched in 1984, the vessel is designed primarily to transport and launch assault vehicles at sea.

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Choose the right class for the ship you see here.

The USS Carl Vinson is part of the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers, also known as supercarriers. Launched in 1980, the vessel is named for Georgia U.S. Rep. Carl Vinson. You may have heard of this ship because of its biggest claim to fame -- Osama bin Laden's remains were buried at sea from aboard its decks in 2011.

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Do you know which class this ship falls within?

The USS America is the first ship in the American class. Launched in 2012, this amphibious assault ship measures 844 feet long, and is designed to carry Marines into battle at land or sea.

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Match this ship to its class.

The USS Carter Hall belongs to the Harper's Ferry class of ships. It's named for an estate in Virginia that served as a military headquarters during the Civil War. Commissioned in 1995, the vessel serves as a dock for amphibious assault vehicles, and can also be used for repair and maintenance at sea.

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Match the ship in this image to the right class.

Named for the Battle of Yorktown during the Revolutionary War, the USS Yorktown belongs to the Ticonderoga class of ships. It was commissioned in 1984, and named in commemoration of another USS Yorktown, which sank at the Battle of Midway in 1942.

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Which of these classes does the ship in the image belong to?

Part of the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers, the USS Theodore Roosevelt is nicknamed the Big Stick. It was commissioned in 1986, and became the first aircraft carrier built using the modular design common in modern shipbuilding.

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Pick the class that the ship you see here belongs to.

The USS Boxer is part of the Wasp class of amphibious assault vessels. Commissioned in 1995, the ship is named for the HMS Boxer -- a ship U.S. forces captured from the British during the War of 1812.

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Think you know the class this ship belongs to?

Commissioned in 2009, the USS New York is part of the San Antonio class of transport dock vessels. It was built using a small amount of steel salvaged from the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in memory of the event.

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Do you know the correct class for this ship?

Named for the infamous WWII site, the USS Pearl Harbor belongs to the Harper's Ferry class of dock landing ships. Nicknamed the Black Pearl, the vessel is based on a modified Whidbey Island design, but has greater cargo space.

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Can you choose the right class based on the image you see?

The USS Fort McHenry is named for the battle that inspired the "Star-Spangled Banner" during the War of 1812. This Whidbey Island class ship was commissioned in 1987, and was assigned to assist during the Exxon Valdez oil disaster in 1989.

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Pick the proper class for this ship.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is part of the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 1989, and ended up playing a major role in saving lives after the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines on its maiden voyage.

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Which class does this military ship belong to?

The USS Wasp is the namesake of the Wasp class, and became the 10th U.S. military ship with this same name when it was commissioned in 1989. It is equipped with two massive aircraft elevators as well as an extensive medical facility that can accommodate up to 600 patients.

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Know the right class for the ship shown here?

The USS Mount Whitney belongs to the Blue Ridge class of command ships. It was commissioned in 1971 and named for the tallest peak in the continental U.S., which is located in the Sierra Nevada range in California.

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Match the ship in the image to its class.

The USS Mesa Verde became the third ship in the Blue Ridge class when it was commissioned in 2007. Named for a natioanl park in Colorado, the Mesa Verde can carry 800 Marines.

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Can you guess the class this ship belongs to?

The USS Tripoli is named for the 1805 Battle of Derne, which took place during the Barbary War. Launched in 2017, this America class vessel is designed as an amphibious assault ship, and measures 884 feet long.

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Think you can match this ship to its class?

The USS Ronald Reagan is a nuclear-powered supercarrier belonging to the Nimitz family of ships. It became the first vessel named for a still-living former U.S. president when it was commissioned in 2003.

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Guess the class this ship belongs to.

Named for the famous national memorial in South Dakota, the USS Rushmore belongs to the Whidbey Island class of dock landing ships. Commissioned in 1991, it's used to transport and load vehicles and crew, and to perform dock-based repairs.

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Match this ship to its class.

Named for the city of Arlington, VA -- home of the Pentagon, the USS Arlington belongs to the San Antonio class of amphibious transport docking ships. It was built using a small amount of steel salvaged from the 2001 attack on the Pentagon.

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Pick the class that this ship belongs to.

The USS Makin Island belongs to the Wasp class of assault vessels. Named for the site of a 1942 raid on Japanese forces, the ship was commissioned in 2009. It was the first Naval ship built with a gas-powered propulsion system rather than one powered by steam.

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What is the correct class for this military ship?

The USS John S. McCain belongs to the Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers. Commissioned in 1994, it made headlines for a 2017 collision near Singapore in which 10 crew members were killed.

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Do you know which class this ship falls within?

Named for a 1775 Revolutionary War battle, the USS Bunker Hill is part of the Ticonderoga class of guided missile cruisers. It was commissioned in 1986, and became the first ship in its class equipped to fire Tomahawk missiles.

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Think you know the class this ship belongs to?

The USS Harry S. Truman belongs to the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers. Commissioned in 1998, it's as tall as a 24-story building and contains four elevators large enough to transport aircraft between decks.

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Can you match this ship to the correct class?

The USS Oak Hill was named for the home of former President James Monroe. Part of the Harper's Ferry class of dock landing ships, it was commissioned in 1996.

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Do you know which class this ship belongs to?

The USS Fort Worth is part as the Freedom class of ships -- a designation given to smaller combat ships designed for use near the coast. It was commissioned in 2012, and measures 387 feet long.

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Can you identify the correct class for this ship?

Named for the infamous WWII battle, the USS Iwo Jima belongs to the Wasp class of assault vessels. It was commissioned in 2001 and carried around 2000 veterans -- many survivors of WWII -- on its maiden voyage.

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Can you choose the right class based on the image you see?

The USS Gabrielle Giffords is part of the Independence class of ships -- littoral combat ships designed for use close to the shore. It became the 16th naval ship named for a woman when it was commissioned in 2017.

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Which of these classes does the ship in the image belong to?

The USS Lyndon B. Johnson is the third and final member of the Zumwalt class of destroyers. Named for the 36th president, it measures 600 feet long and has an 80-foot beam.

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Choose the right class for the ship you see here.

The USS Devastator is part of the Avenger class of ships. Commissioned in 1990, this 224-foot vessel is designed to disable mines along waterways.

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Pick the proper class for this ship.

Named for a site made famous during the Revolutionary War, the USS Valley Forge is classified as a member of the Ticonderoga class. Commissioned in 1986, it sank in 2006 during a practice exercise near Hawaii.

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Know the right class for the ship shown here?

The USS Hurricane was the third member of the Cyclone class of coastal patrol boats to be authorized. The other members of this class have similar stormy names, including Monsoon, Typhoon, Squall and Tornado.

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Match the ship in this image to the right class.

The USS Gladiator is part of the Avenger class of ships. Commissioned in 1993, it is designed to locate and disable mines planted along critical waterways.

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Do you know the correct class for this ship?

The USS Gerald P. Ford is the namesake of the Gerald P. Ford class of aircraft carriers. Commissioned in 2017, this class is designed to replace the Nimitz class over time, and offers greater efficiency and more advanced technology than Nimitz vessels.

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What is the correct class for this military ship?

The USS Bonhomme Richard is part of the Wasp class of amphibious assault vessels. It is named for Ben Franklin -- writer of "Poor RIchard's Almanac," which is where the Richard part comes in -- and was commissioned in 1998.

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Pick the class that the ship you see here belongs to.

The USS Green Bay belongs to the San Antonio class of amphibious transport docking vessels. Commissioned in 2009, it's named for Green Bay, Wisconsin. The flight deck of the ship is called Lambeau Field, which comes from the stadium where the iconic Green Bay Packers play.

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Think you can match this ship to its class?

The USS Winston S. Churchill belongs to the Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers. Named for the popular British Prime Minister during WWII, this vessel was commissioned in 2001, and designed to carry both torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles.

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Match the ship in the image to its class.

Named for the city of St. Louis, Missouri, the USS St. Louis belongs to the Freedom class of littoral combat ships. It measures 378 feet long with a 58-foot beam, and is intended for use near the shore or coastline.

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