What was the most powerful ship in the US navy?

Answer 1

Since the advent of steam-powered, steel-hulled vessels in the late 19th century, battleships have referred to the largest, most heavily armored, most heavily armed warships. They dominated naval warfare for over a half century until displaced by the aircraft carrier during World War II. These battleships were the direct descendants of the wooden, sail-powered "ships of the line" from previous centuries. Indeed, the term battleship derives from these "line of battle" ships. Let's assume these great steel warships are the kind of battleship to which you're referring.

In today's world where a nation's power is often described in terms of its nuclear weapons, it is perhaps hard to imagine that a century ago, a nation's power rested on its fleet of battleships. As such, battleships represented the nation and their names might become household names - at least in their own countries. Sometimes fame arose when a battleship introduced new technology or was particularly powerful compared to other battleships of the time. Such was the case of Great Britain's HMS Dreadnought, which introduced so many significant innovations when it was commissioned in 1906 that all other battleships of the time were deemed obsolete. This realization set in motion an arms race amongst the leading nations of the world that led, in part, to the First World War less than a decade later.

However, a battleship's fame more often resulted from its association with a particular world event, rather than because it was itself such a stunning example of naval architecture. For example, the catastrophic explosion of the battleship USS Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898 became a patriotic rallying point in the United States, leading to a brief, but historically significant war with Spain. To this day, the slogan, "Remember the Maine," remains etched in American history - thus immortalizing this early American battleship.

Oddly enough, the most famous Russian battleship in history, the Potemkin, gained fame because of a rebellion or mutiny of its crew in the early days of the revolutionary movement that led ultimately to the rise of the Communist government in Russia over a decade later.

Despite their perceived importance as measures of a nation's power, few battleships ever participated in decisive battles that led to the victor winning the overall conflict. One rare exception was the Battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War. The flagship of the victorious Japanese fleet, the Mikasa, gained a degree of fame that persists to this day. Indeed, the ship still exists as a museum outside of Tokyo in part because the commander of American naval forces in the Pacific at the end of World War II, Adm. Chester Nimitz, recognized the significance of the Mikasa (some 40 years and two World Wars after the Tsushima battle) and personally intervened to preserve her.

During World War II, battleships were displaced by aircraft carriers as the most important ships in the world's navies, but their mystique lingered on even as their preeminence faded. Early in the war, Great Britain's HMS Hood (technically a battlecruiser, but to the layman basically a battleship) was lost in an epic engagement with the German battleship Bismarck, gaining both a measure of immortality.

The United States was drawn into the war with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, where the USS Arizona and her sister battleships were sunk on December 7, 1941. Echoing the response to the destruction of the Maine almost a half-century earlier, the phrase, "Remember Pearl Harbor," became the rallying cry for the nation. Some 70 years later, the destroyed hulk of the Arizona remains a shrine that beckons visitors to remember the events of that fateful Sunday morning. For Americans, another battleship from World War II, the USS Missouri, remains famous as the setting for war's end with the signing of the Japanese surrender on her deck in Tokyo Bay in 1945. Today, she rests as a museum ship in Pearl Harbor, just a short distance away from the Arizona memorial.

So, battleships may be famous for their design, for a battle where they played a key role, or simply because they were involved in some event that was important to their nation's history. However, it is impossible to say which battleship is the most famous because each nation's history is different and what may be important to that nation's citizens may not be so to another's.

Answer 2

In WWII it was the USS Enterprise. Some will argue it was an Iowa Class Battleship (Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, New Jersey). However, the WWII Enterprise (CV6) could sink all four of those BBs within 48 hours...by itself! If it were a fair fight of course...4 battleships against the Enterprise (no destroyer, cruiser, or fighter cover).

CV6 was also the USN's most decorated warship in history. Ironically, the Iowa Class battleship USS New Jersey is currently the most decorated US warship; as well as the only Vietnam War veteran battleship.

As an added note: The battleship New Jersey was the world's last "all gun" battleship to see combat.

Answer 3

Yamamoto was the biggest ove ever, but the biggest American battleships wre the Iowa-class.

Answer 4

Japan's Yamato, weighing in at 72,809 tons.

Answer 5

The Battle of Hampton Roads.