If You Can Get 18/35 on this Navy Ships Quiz, You Might Be a Born Admiral!

By: John Miller
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

In the days of the American Revolution, these words became immortal: ““It follows then as certain as that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive naval force we can do nothing definitive, and with it, everything honorable and glorious.” America’s commander-in-glory, George Washington, was the one who uttered this timeless phrase. Since then, militaries around the world have relied on powerful navies to conduct vital missions of national security, conquest, and survival. In this briny quiz, what do you know about the most famous navy ships of history?

Whether you’re referring to aircraft carriers, battleships or frigates, navy ships are invaluable tools of warfare. With big ships and big guns, admirals can patrol the seas, deliver precious munitions, and of course, blast other enemy ships right out of the water. Can you name some of the most important ships of the World Wars?

From the USS Constitution to the USS Monitor, America in particular has built and maintained some of the biggest and baddest warships ever. Just see the USS Enterprise as proof. But other nations, from Japan to Britain to Germany, have built carriers and battleships of immense power, too.

Are you a fleet admiral or a lifetime swabbie? Hop into the crow’s nest of this navy ship quiz now!

What sort of ship was WWII's Yamato?

The Yamato was one of two of the biggest battleships in world history. She bristled with an incredible number of guns and did serious damage to the Allies in WWII.

What was special about the USS Nautilus?

The USS Nautilus was the world's first nuclear-powered submarine. It was built in the 1950s and christened in 1954.

The USS Arizona was damaged during which war?

Japanese bombs destroyed the USS Arizona in the WWII attack on Pearl Harbor. The ship's remains are now a permanent memorial in Pearl Harbor.

What's the nickname of the USS Constitution?

Created during the American Revolution, the USS Constitution is called "Old Ironsides." She still floats and is regarded as the oldest commissioned warship in the world.

The USS Monitor gained worldwide fame during which war?

The USS Monitor was a famous ironclad steamship of the Civil War. She fought in the first battle of ironclad ships, proving that these metal-plated ships were the future of shipbuilding.

Built in the late 1950s, the USS Enterprise used which power source?

The USS Enterprise was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. She served all the way up until 2017, when she was decommissioned.

The destruction of the USS Maine sent America into war against which nation?

In 1898, the USS Maine exploded near Havana … and no one really knows why. But the U.S. used the ship's sinking as a pretext for the Spanish-American War, and in the end, America won and took the Philippines for itself.

The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) is the longest ship in world history. How long is she?

"Gargantuan" doesn't quite sum up her size. The USS Enterprise is 1,123 feet long, the longest ship ever built by human beings.

How did the USS Monitor meet its end in the Civil War?

After surviving multiple violent battles, the USS Monitor was defeated by Mother Nature. A violent storm caused her to sink, and she took 16 sailors with her.

The USS Constitution was notable for her actions during which conflict?

The USS Constitution was a heavy frigate built in the 1790s. She was significant during the War of 1812, as she sent five British warships to the bottom of the sea.

The 1906 HMS Dreadnought was what type of groundbreaking ship?

The HMS Dreadnought, completed in 1906, was a groundbreaking battleship. It was loaded with technologies that practically made other ships of its class obsolete.

In 1945, the USS Indianapolis delivered which weapon to a U.S. base in the Pacific?

In the summer of 1945, the USS Indianapolis was on a top-secret mission -- she delivered an atomic bomb to a base in the Pacific. That bomb would later level Hiroshima.

What happened to the USS Indianapolis after she delivered a WWII atomic bomb?

After delivering an atomic bomb, the USS Indianapolis was sunk by a Japanese attack … and because her mission was so classified, no one knew about her fate. Her crew was attacked by sharks for days until finally U.S. ships saved the few men who were still alive.

The USS Nautilus was the first submarine to remain underwater through which area?

In 1958, the USS Nautilus swam its way under the North Pole, the first sub ever to do so completely submerged. Navigational tools were very hard to use under the thick Arctic ice, but after nearly 100 hours (and more than 1,500 miles) the journey was successful.

In WWII, Japan's Yamato could shoot 3,200-pound projectiles how far?

The Yamato had incredibly powerful 18-inch guns. They could propel 3,200-pound rounds at targets 25 miles away.

How did the Yamato -- the biggest battleship ever built -- meet its end?

As the Japanese desperately held on in the Battle of Okinawa, the Yamato was ordered into the fight. But it was a suicide attack from the outset, and Allied air supremacy sunk the ship long before it ever reached its destination.

At the time she was completed (1906), what was special about the HMS Dreadnought?

The HMS Dreadnought used steam turbines to push through the seas at 21 knots. She was, for a time, the fastest battleship on the planet.

The USS Missouri was the site of which country's surrender in WWII?

In August 1945, the Japanese signed surrender documents aboard the USS Missouri. After a 30-minute ceremony, they departed the ship … and WWII was finally ended.

In 1945, the USS Indianapolis was sunk and her crew was attacked by sharks. Of her 1,196-strong crew, how many survived?

About 900 sailors survived the Japanese attack on the USS Indianapolis. But after days of shark attacks and drownings, just 317 men survived the desperate ordeal, which is regarded as the worst mass shark attack in recorded history.

In 1969, the USS Enterprise suffered a major fire. How did the fire start?

In 1969, a missile overheated due to a malfunction … and then exploded on deck, triggering a massive fire on the USS Enterprise. Twenty-seven sailors died and 15 aircraft were destroyed in the accident.

What unique weapon did the USS Monitor have?

The USS Monitor was the Union's first ironclad ship of the Civil War. She was topped with a groundbreaking rotating turret that stunned bystanders and sailors alike.

How did the Germans sink the HMS Hood in World War II?

In May 1941, the German Bismarck fired just one big blast from its gun battery, sinking the supposedly indomitable HMS Hood in minutes. The loss left Britain reeling in terror of the mighty German war machine.

In a WWII battle, the USS Missouri was struck by kamikaze pilot. What happened?

A Japanese pilot crashed his fighter into the USS Missouri and started a fire. But the fire was quickly extinguished. Sailors found the pilot's charred remains and gave him a full military burial the following day in honor of his dedication to duty.

What was the ultimate fate of the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear submarine?

In 1980, the USS Nautilus was deactivated and recreated as a tourist attraction in Connecticut. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people walk through the sub to marvel at its place in history.

During WWII, the USS Johnston was in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, but faced which challenge?

At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the USS Johnston was engaged with Japanese ships that had guns with longer range. The ship's captain was faced with an impossible situation.

How did the USS Johnston react at the Battle of Leyte Gulf when its captain realized its guns had too little range to fight the Japanese?

At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the USS Johnston's guns could reach the Japanese ships … so she charged them. She was smashed by six torpedoes but protected a critical troop landing. Later she was repaired and returned to action at the end of the war.

What special weapons system did the 1906 HMS Dreadnought have?

In an age when most ships had rudimentary gun systems, the HMS Dreadnought was a true revelation. She was equipped with electronic range-finding equipment that calculated things like order and deflection for more accurate shots.

How many men died when the Japanese sank the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor?

When Japanese bombs struck the USS Arizona, they ignited onboard ammunition, creating an explosion for the ages. About 1,177 men perished, and the ship was completely unsalvageable.

How did the USS Constitution's crew sink the HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812?

In an epic battle for the ages, the USS Constitution faced off with the HMS Guerriere in the War of 1812. After using guns to disable the HMS Guerriere, the Constitution's crew set her on fire … and transferred the British ships to their own to save their lives.

How was the German battleship Bismarck sunk during WWII?

The German battleship Bismarck sank the HMS Hood … and the British set out for revenge, targeting her with every resource in the vicinity. Just two days after destroying the Hood, Bismarck herself found the bottom of the sea.

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