Survey Results: What is The Greatest Warship of All Time?
By: Jonathan Hoppe (USNI News)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Survey Results: What is The Greatest Warship of All Time?
USNI News asked its readers, "What is the greatest warship of all time and why?" Though what makes a warship great is highly subjective, our readers offered their education and expertise to put forth their ideas as to what the answer to that question should be. And with nearly 900 reader-generated answers and more than 26,000 votes, the results are in.
The answers fell into several themes. Aircraft carriers, whose use in World War II revolutionized naval warfare and strategy, were the most common. Similarly, a common theme was the ships of the two World Wars and of specific navies such as the U. S. Navy and the Royal Navy. But one ship in particular unquestionably led the poll in all aspects: USS Constitution .
USS Constitution is shown in a 1931 photograph shortly after her recommissioning in July of that year after an extensive restoration. Naval Institute Photo Archive
Constitution was not only one of the original six frigates built for the nascent U. S. Navy, she was, as one reader noted, a "technological marvel for her day", being heavily-built, well-armed, and fast. Undefeated in combat, "Old Ironsides" — her nicknamed earned during her famous battle with HMS Guerriere in 1812 when the latter's shots bounced harmlessly off her heavily-braced hull — forced the Royal Navy to reevaluate it tactics against the fledging nation and helped propel the United States onto the world stage. "America's Ship of State" still looms large in many minds as representing "all that is great and lasting about the United States Navy."
Korean 'Turtle Boats'
A fleet of “Turtle Boats” in a never-before published illustration by Yong H. Kim. Naval Institute Photo Archive
Readers also held particular esteem for the uniquely Korean "turtle boats" that came into form under Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, who in 1591 resurrected and modified the best features from designs from nearly two centuries prior to produce the Kohbukson — "turtle ship" — whose convex-covered decks resembled a turtle shell. Averaging in length from 70-110 feet, these flat-bottomed, boats, studded with spikes to prevent board and spaced with gunports, loopholes for muskets, and sporting a a powerful psychological weapon — a smoke-spewing dragon's head at the bow — were not only virtually impenetrable, but also fast and maneuverable. The ships played a decisive role in defeating regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi's numerically-superior fleets during Japan's invasion of the Korean peninsula of the Imjin War of 1592-1598. The ramifications of that defeat still resonate to this day.
Aircraft Carriers
USS Enterprise (CV-6) in 1945. National Archives Photo
Aircraft carriers were also a popular choice, and none more so than USS Enterprise (CV-6). The "Big E" as she was known, was the most decorated US ship in the whole of World War II. She served in nearly every major campaign of the Pacific War, from the earliest days just after Pearl Harbor, to Guadalcanal to Midway to Iwo Jima. The contributions of the Yorktown - class carrier, subject of the new Naval Institute Press book The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise, as one reader put it, "at Midway alone would earn her consideration, but when you factor in her overall body of work, it's no contest."
HMS Dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought in 1906
The U.K. Royal Navy's HMS Dreadnought was not known for a distinguished service record (though she does hold the distinction of being the only battleship to have sunk a submarine), but readers recognized her revolutionary design. So tremendous was the paradigm shift represented by the combination of technologies in her that the statement has often been made that her launching rendered all battleships before her obsolete. Her name came to literally define an era and her launching precipitated an arms race between world naval powers to build the biggest and the best battleship along her lines.
Battleships
USS Iowa firing in 1984. Naval Institute Photo Archive
But those battleships, readers noted, were totally outclassed by the advent of the aircraft carrier during World War I. One reader noted that the power of the carrier as a ship type "transformed along with aviation technology simply because its power comes from the aircraft it carries. This makes it the most adaptable and useful warship type yet. Even when the age of manned aircraft passes, we will still need a launch/recovery platform for high-performance UAVs that can be closer to the operational area." Of the many aircraft carriers over the years, readers were particularly mindful of the Essex- class carrier, which formed the backbone of the US fleet in World War II and whose adaptability and resilience in the years beyond served the country in Korea, Vietnam and through the early 1990s.
USS Nautilus
USS Nautilus (SSN-571). US Navy Photo
USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was also recognized as the leader of a new class of weapon: the nuclear submarine. Though submarines had played a decisive role in WWII, the impact of a revolutionary type of ship that could lurk silently under the ocean's surface for extended periods, yet still "profoundly" affect ground operations through the use of cruise missiles and nuclear weapons when needed, as embodied by the Nautilus , was not lost.
SMS Emden
SMS Emden
One of the more surprising results was the recognition of SMS Emden , the German light cruiser that raided commerce and attacked Allied shipping in the Pacific during World War I. Though ultimately sunk at the Battle of Cocos, the Emden and her crew, whose subsequent adventures were well-chronicled by Hellmuth von Mucke for the Naval Institute Press, demonstrated, in the words of one respondent, "what a small ship with a dedicated crew and under a good captain can do against a much larger host of foes."
The Author
Jonathan Hoppe
Jon Hoppe is the Digital Assets Administrator at the U.S. Naval Institute. He has a background in art conservation and has a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
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I have actually been on board the ship that was chosen to be the greatest warship of all time one of the times that I was in Boston, the USS Constitution.
I was on board her as a kid. A school day trip as I recall.
I don't think I realized its importance then as much as I do now.
I like the little testimonial you gave it.
I had two iconic experiences during the times I was in Boston. One was being on board the Constitution, and the other was watching a Red Sox game in Fenway Park, and seeing a home run hit over the Green Monster.
Those are definitely Boston moments, and Fenway remains the best ballpark to watch a game close up to the players.
We had great seats, about the third row about halfway between home plate and third base.
Amazing!!! This article has lasted a whole 10 hours without being wiped off the Front (Home) Page.
There is weakness to the system. It is unlikely to change.
The Constitution and article are still around. I think Battleships are interesting
Maybe now it will stick around for a while.
My vote goes to The USS Enterprise, winner of 20 battle stars and after seeing action in countless battles, survived WWII.
A good choice - both service and survival.
Many of the veterans of the Enterprise have been interviewed about their experiences. They all take great pride in their service aboard the Enterprise, though I recall one who said he tries to forget all the death & destruction that was a part of that ship's lifespan.
Wars do cause death and destruction. I don't think the university students back then protested against the allies. Maybe they were just a lot smarter back then. I suppose the only kind of protest was shown individually by the conscientious objectors.
I agree with them being a lot smarter back then, as well as being better people.
Conscientious objectors were persona non grata right up until James Garner played Charles Madison and College students lost their draft deferment.
Got to sign off now, it's approaching 11:30 p.m., much later for me than usual - back in the morning, I hope.
I'll go with the USS New Jersey (BB-62) for sheer size, firepower, and length of service.
When I posted this article I thought you'd be the first one to post a comment, but happy to see you finally got here.
All great warships but I would name the USS Johnston, a destroyer in the Pacific in WWII and a close runner up the Samual B. Roberts a destroyer escort at one of the largest naval battles in history, where, ''Taffy 3'''' known as the ''tin can navy'' stopped the might of the Japanese Navy at the Battle of Leyte Gulf off Samar.
As the Johnston turned to face the might of the Japanese fleet, the Roberts and Heermann turned with her in a suicide mission to save the baby flat tops of the USN.
The last radio transmission from the Roberts was:
Over his ship's 1MC public-address circuit, he told his crew " This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can." Without orders and indeed against orders, he set course at full speed to follow Heermann in to attack the cruisers.
Naval historians have said ''This was the Navies greatest moment''.
Good story, thanks.
I don't think there can be a "Greatest of all time". There can be greatest milestone ships of their eras though, and personal biases will always apply.
The Constitution is an obvious choice for me really, but there is an older ship of sail that still exists, a contemporary of her, HMS Victory, still in existance .
There are a few battleships still around, the 4 Iowa's a couple of the W W 2era south Dakota class and at least one dreadnaught class/style ship left. All now museums and relegated to history.
Though the Iowa class is seen as the Pinnacle of battleship design, it's the So Daks that have my eye, Big Mamie in particular and she is still afloat.
Today's power players and projectors, the aircraft carriers, are still being developed and upgraded to fit changing situations and tactics. So the limits of their greatness is still being tested.
I don't think it is the ships themselves that make them great, it is the people that man and crew them that is the source of their greatness.
These "Best of" articles all differ because every author caters to his/her own taste. Your choices are just as valid as those of the author of this article.
That's a good point!
Thank you very much.
What navy does that kayak belong to?
The Inuit Ice Navy.
LOL
USS Enterprise, the Big E herself hands down. The Japanese called her the "Grey Ghost." At the early stages of the Pacific war, she was deemed "Enterprise vs. Japan" until America's industrial capability built up needed naval forces and power. It's a true shame she was never converted into a museum. But the name Enterprise has a storied and solid legacy, even going into the 25th century 😉
Of course, the Enterprise could go where no man had ever gone before.
And save civilization as we know it multiple times.