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:

Honors awarded by countries other than the United States (e.g., Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, British Admiralty Pennant)
Honors awarded to all units for serving active duty during World War II; including active duty before US entry in the war (e.g., American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal)
Honors awarded to vessels for campaigns other than World War II service (e.g. Korean War service, Vietnam War service).

Vessel	World War II Service Awards
USS Enterprise (CV-6)	20 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: 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]
USS San Francisco (CA-38)	17 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: Presidential Unit Citation^[5]
USS O'Bannon (DD-450) USS O'Bannon (DD-450)	17 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: Presidential Unit Citation^[6]
Error creating thumbnail: 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]
File:USS Maury (DD-401) as completed, in mid-1938 (NH 42150).jpg USS Maury (DD-401)	16 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: Presidential Unit Citation^[10]
Error creating thumbnail: USS Nicholas (DD-449)	16 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: Presidential Unit Citation^[11]
USS Buchanan (DD-484) USS Buchanan (DD-484)	16 Battle Stars Error creating thumbnail: Presidential Unit Citation^[12]
File:USS Portland (CA-33) at Pearl Harbor 1942.jpg USS Portland (CA-33)	16 Battle Stars Navy Unit Commendation^[13]
Error creating thumbnail: 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]
File:USS Thresher (SS-200).jpg USS Thresher (SS-200)	15 Battle Stars Navy Unit Commendation^[18]
Error creating thumbnail: 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[]

↑ Yarnall, Paul. "USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6)". https://www.navsource.net/archives/02/06.htm. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "San Diego LPD-22". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/san-diego-iv--lpd-22-.html. "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"
↑ "USS San Diego (CL-53) Memorial". Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120912034957/http://www.tourofhonor.com/pages/2012ca_sandiego.html. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "San Diego II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/san-diego-ii.html.
↑ Wiper, Steve (2000). New Orleans Class Cruisers: Warship Pictorial #7. Tucson, Az: Classic Warships Publishing. pp. 58. ISBN 0-9654829-6-0. http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/books-plans/warship-pictorial/wp-07/wp-07.html.
↑ "USS O'Bannon DD-540". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussobannon/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ Brown, Herbert C. (2001). Hell at Tassafaronga. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing. pp. 191. ISBN 0-9700721-4-7. https://archive.org/details/hellattassafaron00brow/page/191.
↑ "New Orleans II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/new-orleans-ii.html.
↑ "Minneapolis II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. https://ussminneapolisassociation.org/stars_ww2.php.
↑ "USS Maury DD-401". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussmaury/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Nicholas DD-449". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussnicholas/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Buchanan DD-484". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/benson-gleavesclass/ussbuchanan/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ Stables, Joe. "The Portland's History". http://www.ussportland.org/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Russell DD-414". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussrussell/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "Fletcher class". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "Taylor I". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. 28 June 2019. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/taylor-ii.html.
↑ "USS Taylor DD-468". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/usstaylor/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Thresher SS200 History". http://www.broseker.net/babroseker/history.htm. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "History". North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. http://www.battleshipnc.com/AbouttheShip/History. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Morris DD-417". Destroyer History Foundation.. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussmorris/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Fletcher DD-445". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussfletcher/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
↑ "USS Narwhal SS-167 Kill Record". http://www.pigboats.com/ww2/narwhal.html. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Most decorated US Naval vessels of World War II and the edit history here.

[1] Yarnall, Paul. "USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6)". https://www.navsource.net/archives/02/06.htm. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[2] "San Diego LPD-22". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/san-diego-iv--lpd-22-.html. "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. https://web.archive.org/web/20120912034957/http://www.tourofhonor.com/pages/2012ca_sandiego.html. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[4] "San Diego II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/san-diego-ii.html.

[5] Wiper, Steve (2000). New Orleans Class Cruisers: Warship Pictorial #7. Tucson, Az: Classic Warships Publishing. pp. 58. ISBN 0-9654829-6-0. http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/books-plans/warship-pictorial/wp-07/wp-07.html.

[6] "USS O'Bannon DD-540". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussobannon/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[7] Brown, Herbert C. (2001). Hell at Tassafaronga. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing. pp. 191. ISBN 0-9700721-4-7. https://archive.org/details/hellattassafaron00brow/page/191.

[8] "New Orleans II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/new-orleans-ii.html.

[9] "Minneapolis II". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. https://ussminneapolisassociation.org/stars_ww2.php.

[10] "USS Maury DD-401". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussmaury/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[11] "USS Nicholas DD-449". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussnicholas/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[12] "USS Buchanan DD-484". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/benson-gleavesclass/ussbuchanan/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[13] Stables, Joe. "The Portland's History". http://www.ussportland.org/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[14] "USS Russell DD-414". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussrussell/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[15] "Fletcher class". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[16] "Taylor I". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. 28 June 2019. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/t/taylor-ii.html.

[17] "USS Taylor DD-468". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/usstaylor/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[18] "USS Thresher SS200 History". http://www.broseker.net/babroseker/history.htm. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[19] "History". North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. http://www.battleshipnc.com/AbouttheShip/History. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[20] "USS Morris DD-417". Destroyer History Foundation.. https://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/ussmorris/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[21] "USS Fletcher DD-445". Destroyer History Foundation. https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussfletcher/. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

[22] "USS Narwhal SS-167 Kill Record". http://www.pigboats.com/ww2/narwhal.html. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

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