Most decorated US Naval vessels of World War II

This list catalogs the most honored US Naval vessels of the Second World War. It is placed in descending order of earned Battle Stars; descending accorded unit recognitions; descending ship size by type; and ascending hull number. It contains only vessels that earned fifteen or more Battle Stars for World War II service.

Honors awarded that are not listed may include:

Vessel World War II Service Awards

USS Enterprise (CV-6)

20 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation
Navy Unit Commendation[1]

USS San Diego underway in 1944

USS San Diego (CL-53)

18 Battle Stars[2][3] though the Naval Historical center only lists 15 battle stars.[4]
Entering San Francisco Bay in December 1942.

USS San Francisco (CA-38)

17 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation[5]

USS O'Bannon (DD-450)

USS O'Bannon (DD-450)

17 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation[6]


USS New Orleans (CA-32)

17 Battle Stars,[7] though the Naval Historical center lists 16 battle stars.[8]
USS Minneapolis

USS Minneapolis (CA-36)

17 Battle Stars[9]

USS Maury (DD-401)

16 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation[10]

USS Nicholas (DD-449)

USS Nicholas (DD-449)

16 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation[11]

USS Buchanan (DD-484)

USS Buchanan (DD-484)

16 Battle Stars

Presidential Unit Citation[12]


USS Portland (CA-33)

16 Battle Stars

Navy Unit Commendation[13]

IUSS Russell (DD-414)

USS Russell (DD-414)

16 Battle Stars[14]
USS Saufley (DD-465)

USS Saufley (DD-465)

16 Battle Stars[15]
USS Taylor (DD-468), 1944.

USS Taylor (DD-468)

15 Battle Stars (Naval History and Heritage Command only lists 14 Battle stars for USS Taylor.[16])

Navy Unit Commendation[17]


USS Thresher (SS-200)

15 Battle Stars

Navy Unit Commendation[18]

USS North Carolina (BB-55) off the coast of New York City

USS North Carolina (BB-55)

15 Battle Stars[19]
USS Morris (DD-417)

USS Morris (DD-417)

15 Battle Stars[20]
USS Fletcher (DDE-445) underway, c. the 1960s.

USS Fletcher (DD-445)

15 Battle Stars[21]
USS Narwhal (SS-167), underway in 1931.

USS Narwhal (SS-167)

15 Battle Stars[22]

References

edit
  1. ^ Yarnall, Paul. "USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6)". Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  2. ^ "San Diego LPD-22". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. The eighteen (18) gold stars pay tribute to the battle stars awarded to light cruiser San Diego (CL-53) for her service during World War II
  3. ^ "USS San Diego (CL-53) Memorial". Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. ^ "San Diego II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  5. ^ Wiper, Steve (2000). New Orleans Class Cruisers: Warship Pictorial #7. Tucson, Az: Classic Warships Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 0-9654829-6-0.
  6. ^ "USS O'Bannon DD-540". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  7. ^ Brown, Herbert C. (2001). Hell at Tassafaronga. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing. pp. 191. ISBN 0-9700721-4-7.
  8. ^ "New Orleans II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  9. ^ "Minneapolis II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command.
  10. ^ "USS Maury DD-401". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  11. ^ "USS Nicholas DD-449". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  12. ^ "USS Buchanan DD-484". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  13. ^ Stables, Joe. "The Portland's History". Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  14. ^ "USS Russell DD-414". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Fletcher class". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  16. ^ "Taylor I". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 28 June 2019.
  17. ^ "USS Taylor DD-468". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  18. ^ "USS Thresher SS200 History". Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  19. ^ "History". North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  20. ^ "USS Morris DD-417". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  21. ^ "USS Fletcher DD-445". Destroyer History Foundation. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  22. ^ "USS Narwhal SS-167 Kill Record". Retrieved 4 May 2012.