List of US Navy hospital ships

Pre Geneva Conventions

• USS Intrepid (1798)
• USS Red Rover (1859)
• USS Ben Morgan (1826)
• USS Home (1862)
• USS Illinois
• USS Pawnee (1859)
• USS Relief (1896)

Confederate States Hospital Ship

• Star of the West renamed CSS Saint Philip

Post Geneva Conventions

• USS Relief (AH-1) (1920–1946)
• USS Solace (AH-2) (1898–1905, 1908–1909, 1909–1921)
• USS Comfort (AH-3) (1907–1917)
• USS Mercy (AH-4) (1917)
• USS Solace (AH-5) (1941–1946)
• USS Comfort (AH-6) (1944–1946)
• USS Hope (AH-7) (1944–1946)
• USS Mercy (AH-8) (1944–1946)
• USS Bountiful (AH-9) (1944–1946)
• USS Samaritan (AH-10) (1944–1946)
• USS Refuge (AH-11) (1944–1946)
• USS Haven (AH-12) (1945–1947), (1950–1957)
• USS Benevolence (AH-13) (1945–1947)
• USS Tranquillity (AH-14) (1945–1946)
• USS Consolation (AH-15) (1945–1946, 1950–1955)
• USS Repose (AH-16) (1945–1950, 1950–1954, 1965–1970)
• USS Sanctuary (AH-17) (1945–1946, 1966–1971, 1972–1975)
• USS Rescue (AH-18) (1945–1946)
• USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) (1986-)
• USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) (1987-)

Receiving Ships, Supply Ships, and Guard Ships

A receiving ship is any vessel that serves as a point of induction into the service for new recruits. Vessels were not built for the purpose of serving in this role, rather, vessels were appointed. This normally came at the end of a vessels combat career. As such, the vessels condition was such that it was best to remain in port, at anchor. Modifications to ships serving in this role often included the removal of weapons, and the erecting of a housing structures on the main deck. Upon release from receiving duties most ships were either decommissioned or transferred to a states Naval Militia.

Records for the receiving ship were particularly modest and as such very little history is recorded of these once proud ships upon impressment into receiving duties. The actual medical duties of these ships usually was defined by the space available, and based on the need, availability of local Naval Hospitals, and the availability of a medical staff. Each receiving ship played a different role as a hospital ship if any. Refits were done locally and at discretion, if at all. In addition to the receiving ships, store ships and guard ships often took on hospital ship, hospital tender, health ship, or quarantine duties as the need or opportunity arose.

• USS Ohio (1820)
• USS Pennsylvania (1837)
• USS Jamestown (1844)
• USS Vermont (1848)
• USS Princeton (1851)
• USS A. Houghton (1852)
• USS Mohawk (1853)
• USS Hartford (1858)
• USS Franklin (1864)
• USS New Hampshire (1864)
• USS Boston (1884)
• USS Reina Mercedes (IX-25)
• USS Puritan (BM-1)
• USS Commodore (IX-7)
• USS Cumberland (IX-8)
• USS Seattle (IX-39)
• USS Newark (C-1)
• USS Philadelphia (C-4)
• USS Southery (IX-26)
• USS Relief I
• USS Valparaiso

Ambulance Boats and Transports

A relatively large number of hospital or ambulance boats have been used by various commands, squadrons, bases, districts, and theaters through most times of conflict and peace. These boats came in all shapes and sizes, and were picked for a variety of reasons, such as availability and need.

• USS Adrian (ex-Westport)
• USS Seagate
• USS Southport
• Ambulance Boat No. One
• Ambulance Boat No. Two
• Landing Craft Utility (Type 1610, 1627, 1646)
• Landing Craft Mechanized (Type 6 and 8)

Landing Ship Tank (Casualty Evacuation)

A number of Commanders modified, outfitted, or simply designated Tank Landing Ships to serve in a dual role as an interim hospital designated LST(H).

Rescue Ships

The PCER-848 class is an armed rescue ship built on the hull of the PCE (Patrol Craft Escort) by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co. in Chicago, Illinois. Of the 54 PCERs ordered, 13 were laid down, 12 were commissioned, and 5 saw service as rescue ships. The ships served three missions: damage control / firefighting; casualty treatment / evacuation; and patrol / guardship. Each ship's hospital was composed of 65 beds, a surgical suite, and X-Ray facilities. The medical department consisted of a staff of 11 doctors and hospital corpsmen. Ships designated PCER were numbers 847 to 859. However, PCER-847 was redesignated before commissioning as a PCE. PCERs 848, 849 and 850 underwent conversion in Brisbane, Australia. The refits converted their expansive hospital space into a communications center and the ships new mission was to serve as a signal ship for the US army landings in the Philippines and Japan. PCERs 856, 857, and 859 missed WWII and saw virtually no service as they were intended. The remaining ships of interest, PCERs 851-855 have had a short but remarkable war record.

• USS PCER-848
• USS Somersworth (PCER-849)
• USS Fairview (PCER-850)
• USS Rockville (EPCE-851)
• USS Brattleboro (PCER 852)
• USS Amherst (PCER-853)
• USS PCER-854
• USS Rexburg (EPCER-855)
• USS Whitehall (PCE-856)
• USS Marysville (EPCER-857)
• USS PCER-859

Rescue Transport Ships

All five of these ships were ordered and cancelled before construction began 12 March 1943. This class was the replacement of the theoretical class referred to as APH (Auxiliary Personnel Transport Hospital). The five ships were named: USS Berkshire (APR 2), USS Burleigh (APR 3), USS Baxter (APR 4), USS Duchess (APR 5), USS Douglas (APR 7).

Evacuation Ships of WWII

Evacuation ships carried light armament, but did not meet the criteria established by the Geneva Conventions for the designation of Hospital Ship because they carried troops and sometimes arms in combination with injured. An example would be ferrying injured troops away from combat zones and troops and military supplies to combat zones. Most notably the Evacuation ships took part in returning troops at the end of the World War II.

• USS Tryon (APH 1)
• USS Pinkney (APH 2)
• USS Rixey (APH 3)
• USS Hope (APH 112)
• USS Tranquility (APH-114)

Modified Barracks Ships of Vietnam

Originally planned as Riverine Hospital Ships, the idea was scratched due to the need to bring the ships too close to shore, and required a dual support role. Of the Barracks Ships assigned to the U.S. Mobile Riverine Force, only the Colleton was specially refitted for the expanded hospital role and unofficially assigned the designation APBH (Auxiliary Propulsion Barracks Hospital).

• USS Colleton (APB-36)

References

• This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.