List of ships of World War II (B)

The List of ships of the Second World War contains major military vessels of the war, arranged alphabetically and by type. The list includes armed vessels that served during the war and in the immediate aftermath, inclusive of localized ongoing combat operations, garrison surrenders, post-surrender occupation, colony re-occupation, troop and prisoner repatriation, to the end of 1945. For smaller vessels, see also list of World War II ships of less than 1000 tons. Some uncompleted Axis ships are included, out of historic interest. Ships are designated to the country under which they operated for the longest period of the Second World War, regardless of where they were built or previous service history. Submarines show submerged displacement.[1][2][3][4]

Click on headers to sort column alphabetically.

List of ships of World War II (B)
Ship Country or organization Class Type Displacement (tons) First commissioned Fate
Babbitt  United States Navy Wickes destroyer 1,190 24 October 1919 scrapped 1946
Bachaquero  Royal Navy Maracaibo landing ship, tank 4,193 August 1941 paid off 1945
Bache  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 14 November 1942 scrapped 1968
Badger Wickes destroyer 1,190 29 May 1919 scrapped 1945
Badsworth  Royal Navy
 Royal Norwegian Navy
Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 18 August 1941 paid off 16 November 1944, to Norway as Arendal 8 August 1944
Bagley  United States Navy Bagley destroyer 1,500 12 June 1937 scrapped 1947
Bahia  Brazilian Navy Bahia-class light cruiser 3,100 1910 lost 4 July 1945
Bailey (DD-492)  United States Navy Benson destroyer 1,620 11 May 1942 decommissioned 1946, sunk as target 1969
Bainbridge Clemson destroyer 1,200 9 February 1921 scrapped 1945
Bairoko Commencement Bay escort carrier 10,200 16 July 1945 decommissioned 1955, scrapped 1960
Baker Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 23 December 1943 to France 1952, sunk as target 1970
Balch Porter destroyer 1,850 20 October 1936 scrapped 1946
Baldwin Gleaves destroyer 1,630 30 April 1943 decommissioned 1946, scuttled 1961
Baltimore Baltimore-class heavy cruiser 17,200 15 April 1943 decommissioned 2 July 1954, scrapped 1972
Banckert  Royal Netherlands Navy Admiralen class destroyer 1,337 14 November 1930 Sunk as targetship September 1949
Bancroft  United States Navy Benson destroyer 1,620 30 April 1942 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1973
Bangust Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 30 October 1943 to Peru 1952, scrapped 1979
Barb Gato-class submarine 2460 2 April 1942 sold to Italy as Enrico Tazzoli 1954, scrapped 1973
Barber Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 10 October 1943 to Mexico 1969, struck 2001
Barham  Royal Navy Queen Elizabeth battleship 31,000 19 August 1915 sunk 25 November 1941
Bari  Regia Marina light cruiser 3,284 1925 sunk 28 June 1943
Barfleur  Royal Navy Battle destroyer 2,325 14 September 1944 paid off 1958, scrapped 1966
Barker  United States Navy Clemson destroyer 1,200 17 December 1919 scrapped 1945
Barnes Bogue escort carrier 11,400 20 February 1943 Decommissioned 29 August 1946, scrapped 1959
Barney Wickes destroyer 1,190 14 March 1919 scrapped 1946
Baroda  Royal Indian Navy Basset minesweeper 529 December 1942 to Pakistan 1948[5]
Baron  United States Navy Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 5 July 1943 to Uruguay 1952, scrapped 1990
Barr Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 16 February 1944 sunk as target 1963
Barrie  Royal Canadian Navy Flower corvette 925 12 May 1941 paid off 26 June 1945
Barry  United States Navy Clemson destroyer 1,200 15 November 1921 sunk 21 June 1945
Bartolomeo Colleoni  Regia Marina Giussano-class light cruiser 5,200 10 February 1932 Sunk 19 July 1940
Barton  United States Navy Benson destroyer 1,620 29 May 1942 sunk 13 November 1942
Barton Sumner destroyer 2,200 30 December 1943 sunk as target 1969
Basilisk  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 4 March 1931 sunk 1 June 1940
Bataan  Royal Australian Navy Tribal destroyer 2,020 25 May 1945 scrapped 1958
Bataan  United States Navy Independence light aircraft carrier 11,000 17 November 1943 decommissioned 9 April 1954, scrapped 1960
Bates Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 13 September 1943 sunk by kamikazes 25 May 1945
Bath  Royal Navy
 Royal Norwegian Navy
Town destroyer 1,190 23 September 1940 to Norway as HNoMS Bath 9 January 1941, sunk on 19 August 1941
Battleford  Royal Canadian Navy Flower corvette 925 31 July 1941 paid off 18 July 1945
Battler  Royal Navy Attacker escort carrier 10,000 31 October 1942 paid off 12 February 1946, scrapped 14 May 1946
Bauru  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 11 October 1943 to Brazil 16 August 1944, paid off 17 September 1981, museum ship
Beacon Hill  Royal Canadian Navy River frigate 1,445 16 May 1944 paid off 15 September 1967
Beagle  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 9 April 1931 scrapped January 1946
Beale  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 23 December 1942 sunk as target 1969
Béarn  French Navy
 Free French Naval Forces
aircraft carrier 22,150 May 1927 stricken November 1966, scrapped March 1967
Bearss  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 12 April 1944 decommissioned 1963, scrapped 1976
Beatty (I) Gleaves destroyer 1,630 7 May 1942 sunk 6 November 1943
Beatty (II) Sumner destroyer 2,200 31 March 1945 to Venezuela 1972, scrapped 1981
Beaufort  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,000 3 November 1941 scrapped 1965
Beauharnois  Royal Canadian Navy Flower modified corvette 1,015 25 September 1944 12 July 1945
Bebas  United States Navy Evarts destroyer escort 1,140 15 May 1943 scrapped 1945
Beberibe  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 6 October 1943 to Brazil 1 August 1944, paid off 1968
Bedouin  Royal Navy Tribal destroyer 2,020 15 March 1939 Sunk 15 June 1942
Begonia  Royal Navy
 United States Navy
Flower corvette 925 3 March 1941 to USA as Impulse 10 March 1942, to UK 22 August 1945, paid off 22 July 1948[6]
Begum  Royal Navy Ruler escort carrier 11,400 2 August 1943 paid off 20 March 1946, scrapped 1974
Belfast  Royal Navy Town-class cruiser 11,553 5 August 1939 Museum ship since 21 October 1971 moored in London next to Tower Bridge
Bell  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 4 March 1943 decommissioned 1946, sunk as target 1975
Belleau Wood Independence light aircraft carrier 11,000 31 March 1943 decommissioned 13 January 1947, scrapped 1961
Belleville  Royal Canadian Navy Flower modified corvette 1,015 19 October 1944 5 July 1945
Bellwort  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 20 November 1941
Belmont Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 sunk 31 January 1942
Belvoir Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 29 March 1942 paid off 1957, scrapped 21 October 1957
Benevente  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 23 October 1943 to Brazil 19 December 1944, paid off 1964
Bengal  Royal Indian Navy Bathurst corvette 1,025 8 August 1942 Decommissioned 1960
Benham (I)  United States Navy Benham destroyer 1,500 2 February 1939 sunk 15 November 1942
Benham (II) Fletcher destroyer 2,050 20 December 1943 to Peru 1960, scrapped 1980
Benner Gearing destroyer 2,250 13 February 1945 scrapped 1975
Bennett Fletcher destroyer 2,050 9 February 1943 to Brazil 1959, scrapped 1978
Bennington Essex aircraft carrier 30,800 6 August 1944 decommissioned 15 January 1970, scrapped 1994
Bennion Fletcher destroyer 2,050 14 December 1943 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1973
Benson Benson destroyer 1,620 25 July 1940 transferred to Taiwan 1954, scrapped 1974
Berar  Royal Indian Navy Basset minesweeper 529 October 1942 decommissioned 1946[7]
Bergamot  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 12 May 1941
Berkeley Hunt destroyer escort 1,000 6 June 1940 scuttled 19 August 1942
Bermuda Fiji-class cruiser 8,000 21 August 1942 scrapped 1965
Bernadou  United States Navy Wickes destroyer 1,190 19 May 1919 scrapped 1945
Bertioga  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 15 September 1943 to Brazil 1 August 1944, paid off 1964
Betony  Royal Navy
 Royal Indian Navy
Flower modified corvette 1,015 31 August 1943 to RIN as Sind 24 March 1945
Beverley  Royal Navy Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 sunk 11 April 1943
Biddle  United States Navy Wickes destroyer 1,190 22 April 1919 scrapped 1946
Bicester  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 9 May 1942 paid off 1955, scrapped 1956
Bideford Shoreham Sloop 1,105 23 February 1932 Sold 14 September 1947
Big Horn  United States Navy Q-ship 15 April 1942 6 May 1946
Biloxi Cleveland-class light cruiser 11,800 31 August 1943 Scrapped 1962
HMS Birmingham  Royal Navy Southampton-class light cruiser 9,770 18 November 1937 scrapped 1960
USS Birmingham  United States Navy Cleveland-class light cruiser 11,800 29 January 1943 Scrapped 1959
Bismarck  Kriegsmarine Bismarck battleship 41,700 24 August 1940 sunk 27 May 1941
Bismarck Sea  United States Navy Casablanca escort carrier 7,800 20 May 1944 sunk 21 February 1945
Biter  Royal Navy Attacker escort carrier 8,200 5 May 1942 Transferred to France as Dixmude 1945
Bittersweet  Royal Navy
 Royal Canadian Navy
Flower corvette 925 23 January 1941 to Canada 15 May 1941, paid off 22 June 1945
Bivin  United States Navy Butler destroyer escort 1,350 31 October 1944 decommissioned 1947, sunk as target 1969
Black Fletcher destroyer 2,050 21 May 1943 scrapped 1971
Black Prince  Royal Navy Dido-class light cruiser 5,950 30 November 1943 Decommissioned March 1962
Blackmore Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 14 April 1942
Blair  United States Navy Edsall destroyer escort 1,250 13 September 1943 decommissioned 1960, scrapped 1972
Blakeley Wickes destroyer 1,190 8 May 1919 scrapped 1945
Blanche  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 14 February 1931 sunk 13 November 1939
Blanco Encalada  Chilean Navy cruiser 3,435 1893 scrapped 1946
Blankney  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 11 April 1941 scrapped 1958
Blean Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 23 August 1942 sunk 11 December 1942 by U-443
Bleasdale Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 16 April 1942 paid off 1956, scrapped14 September 1956
Blencathra Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 14 December 1940 paid off July 1948, scrapped 1957
Blessman  United States Navy Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 19 September 1943 to Taiwan 1967, scrapped 1995
Block Island Bogue escort carrier 9,800 8 March 1943 Sunk 29 May 1944
Block Island Commencement Bay escort carrier 14,400 30 December 1944 decommissioned 1954, scrapped 1960
Blücher  Kriegsmarine Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser 14,000 20 September 1939 sunk 9 April 1940
Blue (I)  United States Navy Bagley destroyer 1,500 14 August 1937 sunk 22 August 1942
Blue (II) Sumner destroyer 2,200 20 March 1944 sunk as target 1974
Bluebell  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 19 July 1940[6] sunk on 17 February 1945 by U-711[8]
Błyskawica  Poland Grom destroyer 1,975 25 November 1937 decommissioned 1 May 1976, preserved as museum ship
Boadicea  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 7 April 1931 sunk 13 June 1944
Bocaina  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 3 September 1943 to Brazil 20 March 1945, paid off 1975
Boggs  United States Navy Wickes minesweeper destroyer 1,190 23 September 1918 scrapped 1946
Bogue Bogue escort carrier 9,800 26 September 1942 Decommissioned 30 November 1946, scrapped 1960
Boise Brooklyn-class light cruiser 9,950 12 August 1938 Decommissioned 11 January 1951, sold to Argentina. Scrapped 1978
Bolzano  Regia Marina Trento class heavy cruiser 10,511 1933 sunk 1944
Bombay  Royal Indian Navy Bathurst corvette 1,025 24 April 1942 Decommissioned 1960
Bon Homme Richard  United States Navy Essex aircraft carrier 30,800 26 November 1944 decommissioned 2 July 1971, scrapped 1992
Booth Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 19 September 1943 to Philippines 1967, lost in typhoon 1981
Borage  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 29 April 1942
Bordelon  United States Navy Gearing destroyer 2,250 5 June 1945 to Iran 1977
Boreas  Royal Navy
 Hellenic Navy
B destroyer 1,350 20 February 1931 to Greece as Salamis 1944, scrapped 1951
Borie (I)  United States Navy Clemson destroyer 1,200 24 March 1920 sank 2 November 1943 after ramming and sinking U-405
Borie (II) Sumner destroyer 2,200 21 September 1944 to Argentina 1972, scrapped 1984
Borum Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 30 November 1943 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1966
Boston Baltimore-class heavy cruiser 17,200 30 June 1943 decommissioned 1970, scrapped 1975
Bostwick Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 1 December 1943 to Republic of China 1948, scrapped 1972
Bougainville Casablanca escort carrier 7,800 18 June 1944 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1960
Bowers Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 27 January 1944 to Philippines 1961
Boxer  Royal Navy landing ship, tank 3,620 10 April 1943 paid off 1958
Boxer  United States Navy Ticonderoga aircraft carrier 30,800 16 April 1945 decommissioned 1 December 1969, scrapped 1971
Boyd Fletcher destroyer 2,050 8 May 1943 to Turkey 1969, scrapped 1981
Boyle Benson destroyer 1,620 15 August 1942 decommissioned 1946, sunk as target 1973
Brackett Evarts destroyer escort 1,140 18 October 1943 scrapped 1947
Bracui  United States
 Brazilian Navy
Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 29 September 1943 to Brazil 15 August 1944, paid off 11 July 1972
Bradford  Royal Navy Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 scrapped 1946
Bradford  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 12 June 1943 to Greece 1962, scrapped 1981
Braid  Royal Navy
 Free French Naval Forces
River frigate 1,370 21 January 1944 to Free French as Aventure 21 January 1944, paid off 1964
Braine  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 11 May 1943 to Argentina 1971, sunk as target 1983
Bramham  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 16 June 1942 paid off March 1943, scrapped 1960
Brandenburg  Kriegsmarine minelayer 3,894 1 May 1943 captured French transport Kita, sunk 21 September 1943
Brandon  Royal Canadian Navy Flower corvette 925 22 July 1941 paid off 22 June 1945
Brantford Flower corvette 925 15 May 1942 paid off 17 August 1945
Brazen  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 8 April 1931 sunk 20 July 1940
Breckinridge  United States Navy Wickes destroyer 1,190 27 February 1919 scrapped 1946
Brecon  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,175 18 December 1942 Paid off 12 December 1945
Breeman  United States Navy Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 12 December 1943 to Republic of China 1948, scrapped 1972
Breese Wickes minelayer destroyer 1,190 23 October 1918 scrapped May 1946
Bremerton Baltimore-class heavy cruiser 17,200 29 April 1945 decommissioned 1960, scrapped 1974
Brennan Evarts destroyer escort 1,140 20 January 1943 scrapped 1946
Bretagne  French Navy Bretagne super dreadnought 22,200 September 1915 sunk 3 July 1940
Breton  United States Navy Bogue escort carrier 7,800 12 April 1943 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1972
Bright Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 30 June 1944 to France 1950, scrapped 1965
Brighton  Royal Navy
 Soviet Navy
Town destroyer 1,200 23 September 1940 to USSR as Zharki 16 July 1944
Brilliant  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 21 February 1931 scrapped August 1947
Brisk  United States Navy Flower modified corvette 1,015 6 December 1942 9 October 1945
Brissenden  Royal Navy Hunt destroyer escort 1,175 12 February 1943 Paid off 19 June 1948
Brister  United States Navy Edsall destroyer escort 1,250 30 November 1943 scrapped 1968
Bristol (I) Gleaves destroyer 1,630 22 October 1941 sunk 13 October 1943
Bristol (II) Sumner destroyer 2,200 17 March 1945 to Taiwan 1969, scrapped 1993
Broadwater  Royal Navy Town destroyer 1,200 9 October 1940 sunk 18 October 1941
Broadway Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 scrapped 1947
Brocklesby Hunt destroyer escort 1,050 9 April 1941 paid off 22 June 1963, scrapped 1968
Bronstein  United States Navy Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 13 December 1943 to Uruguay 1952, scrapped 1988
Brooklyn Brooklyn-class light cruiser 9,950 30 September 1937 Decommissioned 3 January 1947, sold to Chile. Sank in Pacific 1992
Brooks Clemson destroyer 1,200 18 June 1920 constructive loss 6 January 1945, scrapped
Broome Clemson destroyer 1,200 31 October 1919 scrapped 1946
Brough Edsall destroyer escort 1,250 18 September 1943 scrapped 1967
Brown Fletcher destroyer 2,050 10 July 1943 to Greece 1962, scrapped 1981
Brownson Fletcher destroyer 2,050 3 February 1943 sunk 26 December 1943
Brummer  Kriegsmarine minelayer 1,924 9 April 1940 Captured from Norway 9 April 1940, sunk May 1945
Brush  United States Navy Sumner destroyer 2,200 17 April 1944 to Taiwan 1969
Brutus  Royal Navy Special Service Ship 5,945 paid off March 1941
Bryant  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 4 December 1943 decommissioned 1947, sunk as a target 1969
Bryony  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 4 June 1942 sunk on 15 April 1941by aircraft
Buchanan (II)  United States Navy Gleaves destroyer 1,630 21 March 1942 to Turkey 1949, scrapped 1976
Buck Sims destroyer 1,570 15 May 1940 sunk 9 October 1943
Buckingham  Royal Canadian Navy River frigate 1,445 2 November 1944 paid off 23 March 1965
Buckingham  United States Navy Haskell class attack transport 536 23 January 1945 scrapped 1974
Buckley Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 30 April 1943 scrapped 1969
Buctouche  Royal Canadian Navy Flower corvette 925 5 June 1941 paid off 15 June 1945
Buenos Aires  Argentine Navy Buenos Aires destroyer 1,375 4 April 1938 1971
Bull  United States Navy Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 12 August 1943 to Taiwan 1966, scrapped 1995
Bullard Fletcher destroyer 2,050 9 April 1943 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1973
Bulldog  Royal Navy B destroyer 1,350 8 April 1931 scrapped January 1946
Bulmer  United States Navy Clemson destroyer 1,200 16 August 1920 scrapped 1947
Bunch Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 21 August 1943 decommissioned 1946, scrapped 1965
Bunker Hill Essex aircraft carrier 30,800 24 May 1943 decommissioned 9 January 1947, scrapped 1973
Burden R. Hastings Evarts destroyer escort 1,140 1 May 1943 scrapped 1946
Burdock  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 27 March 1941
Burke  United States Navy Buckley destroyer escort 1,400 20 July 1943 to Colombia 1968, scrapped 1974
Burnet  Royal Navy
 Royal Indian Navy
Flower modified corvette 1,015 23 September 1943 to RIN as Gondwana 15 May 1945
Burnham  Royal Navy Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 scrapped 1948
Burns  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 3 April 1943 decommissioned 1946, sunk as target 1974
Burrows Cannon destroyer escort 1,240 19 December 1943 to Netherlands 1950, scrapped 1968
Burwell  Royal Navy Town destroyer 1,200 8 October 1940 scrapped 1947
Burza  Poland Wicher destroyer 1,400 10 July 1932 Scrapped 1977
Bush  United States Navy Fletcher destroyer 2,050 10 May 1943 sunk 6 April 1945
Butler Gleaves destroyer 1,630 15 August 1942 scrapped 1948
Buttercup  Royal Navy Flower corvette 925 24 April 1942 served RNSB, to Norway 20 December 1944
Buxton  Royal Navy
 Royal Canadian Navy
Town destroyer 1,215 8 October 1940 to RCN August 1942 as HMCS Buxton, paid off 1945

References

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  1. ^ "Hulls Listed by Name". Naval Vessel Register. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007.
  2. ^ "US Navy Inactive Classification Symbols". Naval Vessel Register. NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Index". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
  4. ^ "Royal Navy operations in the Second World War". The National Archives. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMIS Baroda (T 249)". Uboat.net.
  6. ^ a b Lambert, John & Brown, Les (2008). Flower Class Corvettes. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-8483-2001-7.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMIS Berar (T 256)". Uboat.net.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Bluebell (K 80) (British Corvette)". Uboat.net.

Bibliography

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