Military

These Are the Most Mass-Produced US Navy Ships of World War II

D-Day landing craft
tness74 / iStock via Getty Images

After Pearl Harbor, the United States went into overdrive in producing military weapons, ships, and planes. Defense companies increased production while commercial companies were transformed to help the war effort. American shipyards began manufacturing vessels at a rapid pace. By the time fighting was done, the number of active ships in the U.S. military had grown from 790 to 6,768. (Also see every carrier-based aircraft the United States used during WWII.)

24/7 Wall St. reviewed warship production figures from Military Factory, an online repository of military equipment data, to determine the most mass-produced American military ships used during the Second World War. We exclusively considered ship classes that served in WWII and had a minimum production of nine units during the class’s lifespan. The classes are ranked by their total production count, including those built before or after the war. Additional information regarding the type, notable ships, crew, and year of service also originated from the Military Factory. Ships within the same class often exhibited distinct crew complements.

Why Does This Matter?

Defense.gov/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

World War II was a unique time for the American economy in terms of the war effort (bonds, material drives, rationing) and the mass production of weapons and vehicles by some of its biggest manufacturers, many of which are still around today. The biggest American shipbuilders were Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock, New York Shipbuilding Corporation, and the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock is currently owned by Huntington Ingalls Industries, one of the top current shipbuilders of the United States Navy.

Here are the most mass-produced US Navy ships in World War II:

29. Independence-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 9
  • Type: Conventionally-powered light aircraft carrier
  • Notable ship(s): USS Independence (CVL-22), USS Cabot (CVL-28), USS Cowpens (CVL-25)
  • Year USS Independence (CVL-22) entered service: 1943
  • USS Independence (CVL-22) personnel: 1,569

28. Sims-class

U.S. Navy via Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 12
  • Type: Destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS Wainwright (DD-419)
  • Year USS Wainwright (DD-419) entered service: 1940
  • USS Wainwright (DD-419) personnel: 192

27. Fargo-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 13
  • Type: Light cruiser
  • Notable ship(s): USS Fargo (CL-106)
  • Year USS Fargo (CL-106) entered service: 1945
  • USS Fargo (CL-106) personnel: 1,255

26. Baltimore-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 14
  • Type: Heavy cruiser
  • Notable ship(s): USS Fall River (CA-131), USS Saint Paul (CA-73)
  • Year USS Fall River (CA-131) entered service: 1945
  • USS Fall River (CA-131) personnel: 1,142

25. Mahan-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 18
  • Type: Multicole destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS Downes (DD-375)
  • Year USS Downes (DD-375) entered service: 1937
  • USS Downes (DD-375) personnel: 158

24. PT 95

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 18
  • Type: Motorized torpedo fast boat
  • Notable ship(s): Huckins PT Boat (Patrol Torpedo)
  • Year Huckins PT Boat (Patrol Torpedo) entered service: 1942
  • Huckins PT Boat (Patrol Torpedo) personnel: 11

23. Rudderow-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 22
  • Type: Destroyer escort
  • Notable ship(s): USS Rudderow (DE-224)
  • Year USS Rudderow (DE-224) entered service: 1944
  • USS Rudderow (DE-224) personnel: 221

22. Essex-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 24
  • Type: Conventionally-powered aircraft carrier
  • Notable ship(s): USS Essex (CV-9), USS Hancock (CV-19), USS Franklin (CV-13)
  • Year USS Essex (CV-9) entered service: 1942
  • USS Essex (CV-9) personnel: 2,600

21. Cleveland-class

Naval History & Heritage Command / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 29
  • Type: Light cruiser
  • Notable ship(s): USS Cleveland (CL-55), USS Oklahoma City (CL-91), USS Wilkes-Barre (CL-103)
  • Year USS Cleveland (CL-55) entered service: 1942
  • USS Cleveland (CL-55) personnel: 1,255

20. Benson-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 30
  • Type: Destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS Laffey (DD-459)
  • Year USS Laffey (DD-459) entered service: 1942
  • USS Laffey (DD-459) personnel: 208

19. Tolland-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 33
  • Type: Attack cargo ship
  • Notable ship(s): USS Alamance (AKA-75)
  • Year USS Alamance (AKA-75) entered service: 1944
  • USS Alamance (AKA-75) personnel: 395

18. Bogue-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 45
  • Type: Escort carrier/aircraft carrier
  • Notable ship(s): USS Bogue (CVE-9)
  • Year USS Bogue (CVE-9) entered service: 1942
  • USS Bogue (CVE-9) personnel: 890

17. Lapwing-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 49
  • Type: Minesweeper
  • Notable ship(s): USS Lapwing (AM-1)
  • Year USS Lapwing (AM-1) entered service: 1918
  • USS Lapwing (AM-1) personnel: 78

16. Casablanca-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 50
  • Type: Escort carrier
  • Notable ship(s): USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68), USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56), USS Shamrock Bay (CVE-84)
  • Year USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) entered service: 1943
  • USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) personnel: 860

15. Allen M. Sumner-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 58
  • Type: Destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), USS Laffey (DD-724), USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774)
  • Year USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) entered service: 1944
  • USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) personnel: 336

14. Crater-class freighter

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 62
  • Type: Cargo ship
  • Notable ship(s): USS Serpens (AK-97)
  • Year USS Serpens (AK-97) entered service: 1943
  • USS Serpens (AK-97) personnel: 206

13. Gleaves-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 66
  • Type: Destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS Gleaves (DD-423), USS McCalla (DD-488)
  • Year USS Gleaves (DD-423) entered service: 1940
  • USS Gleaves (DD-423) personnel: 276

12. John C. Butler-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 83
  • Type: Destroyer escort
  • Notable ship(s): USS John C. Butler (DE-339), USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413)
  • Year USS John C. Butler (DE-339) entered service: 1944
  • USS John C. Butler (DE-339) personnel: 186

11. Edsall-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 85
  • Type: Destroyer escort
  • Notable ship(s): USS Pillsbury (DE-133)
  • Year USS Pillsbury (DE-133) entered service: 1943
  • USS Pillsbury (DE-133) personnel: 209

10. Gearing-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 98
  • Type: Destroyer/submarine hunter
  • Notable ship(s): USS Gearing (DD-710), USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884)
  • Year USS Gearing (DD-710) entered service: 1945
  • USS Gearing (DD-710) personnel: 336

9. Admirable-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 123
  • Type: Minesweeper / anti-submarine warfare vessel
  • Notable ship(s): USS Improve (AM-247)
  • Year USS Improve (AM-247) entered service: 1944
  • USS Improve (AM-247) personnel: 104

8. Clemson-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 156
  • Type: Destroyer
  • Notable ship(s): USS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS McCalla (DD-253), USS Reuben James (DD-245)
  • Year USS John D. Ford (DD-228) entered service: 1920
  • USS John D. Ford (DD-228) personnel: 122

7. Fletcher-class

national_museum_of_the_us_navy / Public Domain / Flickr
  • Number produced: 175
  • Type: Destroyer / anti-submarine warfare platform
  • Notable ship(s): USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Stoddard (DD-566), USS The Sullivans (DD-537)
  • Year USS Fletcher (DD-445) entered service: 1942
  • USS Fletcher (DD-445) personnel: 273

6. Higgins PT Boat

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 199
  • Type: Patrol boat/motor torpedo boat
  • Notable ship(s): N/A
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Personnel: 11

5. PT 103-class

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 326
  • Type: Patrol boat/motor torpedo boat
  • Notable ship(s): N/A
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Personnel: 14

4. Landing Craft Infantry (Large)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 923
  • Type: Amphibious assault ship
  • Notable ship(s): N/A
  • Year entered service: 1943
  • Personnel: 24

3. Landing Ship, Tank MkII (LST2)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 1,051
  • Type: Amphibious assault transport vessel
  • Notable ship(s): N/A
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Personnel: 265

2. EC2-S-C1-class (Liberty Ship)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Number produced: 2,751
  • Type: Cargo ship vessel
  • Notable ship(s): SS John Brown B4611
  • Year SS John Brown B4611 entered service: 1942
  • SS John Brown B4611 personnel: 87

1. Higgins Boat LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel)

Robert Sargent / Archive Photos via Getty Images
  • Number produced: 20,000
  • Type: Amphibious assault landing craft
  • Notable ship(s): N/A
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Personnel: 39

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