USS United States - Definition and Overview

Four ships of the United States Navy have bore the name USS United States in honor of that nation, but only one of them was launched, and it became part of the Confederate Navy.

• The first United States was a sailing frigate that saw action during the War of 1812 and was later captured and commissioned by the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, thus becoming the "Confederate States' Ship United States."
• The second USS United States (CC-6), a Lexington-class battlecruiser, was cancelled and scrapped when the vessel was only 12.1 percent complete.
• The third USS United States (CVA-58) was to be an aircraft carrier of radically new design, but was cancelled five days after her keel was laid down.
• CVN-75 was laid down as the fourth United States, but was renamed Harry S. Truman during construction.

See also the ocean liner SS United States.