344 U.S. Navy Trivia Questions & Answers

Answer: Jupiter

USS Jupiter was built as one of a class of four colliers for the US Navy, commissioned in April 1913. The ship was originally assigned to the Pacific Fleet, before transiting to the Atlantic in October 1914. Upon the entry of the United States into the First World War, Jupiter was used both for coaling and cargo transport duties until 1919. In August of that year, she was transferred back to the Pacific, where the ship was selected for conversion into the US Navy's first aircraft carrier. In December 1919, Jupiter returned to Norfolk, Virginia, where she was decommissioned and put into dry dock for conversion. At the same time, Jupiter was renamed as USS Langley.

Langley was recommissioned in March 1922 to serve as a platform for the Navy's first experimental efforts in naval aviation. Having completed trials, the ship began full flight operations in January 1923 in the Caribbean. Over the next few years, Langley undertook a range of flying trials, operations and displays with the fleet, with most of her service undertaken in the Pacific, to which she was transferred in 1924. However, by the mid 1930s, larger and more advanced carriers had entered service, which led to Langley being decommissioned in October 1936 for conversion into a seaplane tender. It was in this role, serving with the Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines, that Langley was operating when the US entered the Second World War.

Answer: George Dewey

With Admiral Dewey's death in 1917, Congress abolished the rank. Admiral Dewey is perhaps best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. It was in recognition of this victory that the rank of "Admiral of the Navy" was created specifically for him.

Answer: 13 October 1775

On 13 October 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted for two vessels to be armed and manned and sent out on a cruise of three months to intercept British shipping, thus giving birth to the Continental Navy. The ships were each armed with ten carriage guns and crewed by 80 men.

Answer: James Lawrence

During a battle with a British frigate, Captain Lawrence was mortally wounded by an enemy sharpshooter, but while he was being carried below deck, he was heard to say these famous words.

Answer: Large cruisers

The Alaskas were given the unique designation of CB-1 through CB-6. They were always referred to as "large cruisers" by the U.S. Navy.

Answer: Because of the need for smaller escort vessels.

The Lexingtons were delayed because convoy escort ships were needed to make sure that supplies and troops could be safely transported to Europe.

Answer: USS Wisconsin

In the 1950s BB-64 USS Wisconsin would suffer a collision with the destroyer DDE-510 USS Eaton that would lead to her nickname. On May 6, 1956 Wisconsin was steaming off the Virginia Capes in a heavy fog bank when she collided with Eaton which was traveling at an estimated speed of 20 knots. According to Wisconsin's deck log for that day, Wisconsin struck Eaton at a ninety degree angle abreast of Eaton's #1 gun mount on the starboard side, passing through the forecastle before coming to rest between gun mounts #1 and #2. The collision also destroyed Wisconsin's bow. Both ships made it back to port.

Wisconsin eventually entered dry dock where an innovative solution was put in place to get the battleship back to sea as soon as possible. The Iowa-class of fast battleships was originally a four ship class but was extended to six ships in 1940 with BB-65 USS Illinois and BB-66 USS Kentucky being ordered. Neither ship would ever be commissioned though work would begin on both before they were canceled. In late '45 it was recommended that work continue on Kentucky, only have her completed as an anti-aircraft platform. By 1947 Kentucky was about 72.1% complete when work was suspended according to the website NavSource. With this largely complete sister ship at their disposal, the repair crew removed Wisconsin's bow and replaced it with Kentucky's. WisKY would then refer to Wisconsin after receiving her new bow.

Answer: USS Langley

Originally built as the Collier USS Jupiter in 1911-13, it was converted into the USS Langley (CV-1) in 1920-22. With the arrival of bigger and faster aircraft carriers the USS Langley was once again converted into a "new" ship, this time she was converted from an aircraft carrier (CV-1) into the seaplane tender USS Langley (AV-3) between 1936-37. With the outbreak of WWII, the Langley was in the Philippines, but was ordered south to aid Australian forces with anti-submarine patrols. The Langley was sunk by Japanese aerial bombs while attempting to join forces with American, British, Dutch and Australian Naval units trying to stop the Japanese advance into Indonesia, in February 1942.

Answer: Mississippi

Ingalls Shipbuilding is a leading producer of US Navy ships located in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The USS Cole (DDG-67) was first ordered in January 1991 and was presented to the Navy in March 1996.

Answer: White Works

During the academic year, White Works are solely worn over physical training gear or for medical reasons.

Answer: USS Iowa BB-61

This was the first explosion in a turret of what was considered a cold gun in the U.S. Navy since 1895. That was the year the Navy started using large caliber deck guns that were breach type loading and utilized gun powder in bags.

Answer: April 1, 1893

It was established in US Navy Regulation Circular No. 1.

Answer: USS California

USS California (BB-44) is the only US battleship built on the West Coast at Mare Island Navy Yard. Her bell is located in Capitol Park, Sacramento, CA.

Answer: The Revolutionary War

The Turtle was invented by the American patriot David Bushnell. It was very small, about 8 feet long, six feet high, and three feet long. It could hold only one man, and was propelled through the water by a hand crank. It used a screw propeller, the first ship to do so. It submerged by allowing sea water into a bilge tank, and surfaced by pumping the water out using a hand pump. It also carried 200 pounds of lead which could be released for emergency surfacing. It could stay submerged for 30 minutes, and had a top speed of three knots.

After testing in the Connecticut River, it was ready for use. On September 7, 1776, Sergeant Ezra Lee used the Turtle to attack Admiral Howe's flagship, HMS Eagle, which was moored just south of Manhattan Island. The plan was to bore a hole into the hull of the ship, and attach a mine (a keg of gunpowder) which would be dentonated by a time fuse. The attack was unsuccessful, as the vessel could not be kept steady enough to attach the mine properly.

Some historians expressed doubts about the story, claiming that it would have been impossible for Turtle to have achieved and maintained the neutral bouyancy necessary to operate underwater. Recently, however, models of Turtle have been built following Bushnell's plans, and they work just fine!

Answer: USS West Virginia (BB-48)

USS West Virginia was one of the last wagons to cross the T of an opposing battle line.

Answer: ten

The United States Navy commissioned a total of 10 Nimitz-class aircraft supercarriers during the construction period of that vessel class.

Throughout the 20th century, supercarriers were the largest warships afloat, and represented the impressive warfare superiority of United States Military and Naval Forces.

Nimitz-class supercarriers are identified by the navy designation "CVN". "CV" identifies the ships as being aircraft carriers, and "N" denoting the fact that they are nuclear powered.
The vessel hulls are numbered consecutively, starting with the number 68, and through the number 77.

The 10 supercarriers commissioned by the United States Navy and their home ports (as of 7/1/2009) were:

** CVN-68, USS Nimitz _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ San Diego, CA.
** CVN-69, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower _ _ _ _ _ _ Norfolk, VA.
** CVN-70, USS Carl Vinson _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Newport News, VA.
** CVN-71, USS Theodore Roosevelt _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Norfolk, VA.
** CVN-72, USS Abraham Lincoln _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Everett, WA.

** CVN-73, USS George Washington _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Yokosuka, Japan
** CVN-74, USS John C. Stennis _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bremerton, WA.
** CVN-75, USS Harry S. Truman _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Norfolk, VA.
** CVN-76, USS Ronald Reagan _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ San Diego, CA.
** CVN-77, USS George H.W. Bush _ _ _ __ _ _ _ Norfolk, VA.

Should the need or a threat arise, The United States Navy can respond to any point on the globe within days, bringing a sovereign mobile military combat airport into international waters.

The Nimitz-class supercruisers were unrivaled as far as 20th century military firepower, and could be rapidly deployed.

Supercarrier Tidbit:
The Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrierss were the largest warships ever constructed during the 20th century.
The first ship of this class, USS Nimitz (CVN 68), was commissioned for active duty on May 3, 1975. The 10th and final ship of the class, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), was commissioned for service on January 10, 2009.

Answer: John Paul Jones

Despite all his exploits, Jones was never ranked higher than captain during his service to the United States Navy. However, he was given the rank of rear admiral in the Russian Navy.

Answer: Tools used in linework.

A fid is used to loosen tight knots, unlay lines, etc that are made of fiber. A marlinspike is used for the same purpose with wire that the fid is with line.

Answer: 1937, 1940, 1941

Laid down (relating to the "laying" of the keel) in 1937, launched in 1940 and commissioned in 1941 the USS North Carolina (BB-55) was the "lead ship" of a two ship class. The U.S. entered WWII in December of 1941 and USS North Carolina, commissioned in April, was new and NOT at Pearl Harbor.

Answer: Florida Class

Launched in 1909 and commissioned in 1911 prior to WWI, the USS Utah (BB-31) was the second of a two ship class named for the USS Florida. The HMS Dreadnought was still the template for the world's battleship designers and USS Florida and USS Utah were based on that standard. USS Florida was struck from the rolls and scrapped in 1936.

Answer: Pennsylvania Class

Launched in 1913 and commissioned in 1916 prior to the U.S. entry into WWI, the USS Arizona (BB-39) was the second of a two ship class named for the USS Pennsylvania. The HMS Dreadnought was still the template for the world's battleship designers and USS Pennsylvania and USS Arizona were simply given more and bigger of everything based on that standard. USS Pennsylvania was sunk during atomic bomb tests in 1948 having survived WWII with 8 battle stars!

Answer: USS Constitution (Old Iron Sides)

The USS Constitution (Old Iron Sides) was commissioned in 1797 (is still in commission) and, although considerably older, she is a frigate and not a battleship. Though heavily armored with cross laid oak beams (i.e. Old Ironsides) she was no match for the Ships of the Line of her day. HMS Victory, although a wooden sailing ship, is classified as a First Rate, Ship of the Line ("Line of Battle Ship" or "battleship") for her day. She was launched in 1765, and is still in commission in the Royal Navy. The Battleship Warrior (HMS Warrior till 1987) was launched in 1869 and made of wrought iron plating over wood frames, and is the oldest FLOATING battleship in the world. The Battleship Mikasa (Admiral Togo's Flagship at the Battle of Tsushima in 1905) is a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy launched in Great Britain in 1900. All three will the subject of coming quizzes in this series.

Answer: La Porte, Texas

USS TEXAS is floating and moored in a slip off the Houston Ship Channel just east of Houston, Texas in the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site and has a LaPorte, Texas address. That has been her home since 1948. She is generally open to the public 10 - 5, 7 days a week but is closed on some holidays and occasionally for scheduled maintenance.

Answer: Eleven General orders for Sentries

If a recruit failed to respond when ordered by a superior to "recite" (rapidly and loudly) any General Order, he would have the experience of being chewed out by a true professional. They were also good things to know when standing watch.

Answer: Bethesda, MD

Bethesda is home for NNMC as well as the National Institute for Health. Walter Reed Army Medical Center is located in nearby Silver Spring, MD.