U.S. NAVY SHIPS
This ship was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1961 and nicknamed "The Big E."
What is the USS *Enterprise*?
Established in 1946 by Admiral Chester Nimitz, this elite flight demonstration squadron was created to boost public interest and morale in naval aviation.
What are the Blue Angels?
This legendary World War II Fleet Admiral commanded all US Pacific Fleet forces, signed the peace treaty ending the war, and currently has the Navy's largest class of aircraft carriers named after him.
Who is Chester W. Nimitz?
Originally referring to a water barrel where sailors gathered to drink, this term is now used to describe rumors, gossip, or general chit-chat.
What is scuttlebutt?
Fought in June 1942, this decisive Pacific battle saw US Navy codebreakers anticipate an ambush, leading to the sinking of four Japanese aircraft carriers and turning the tide of the war
What is the Battle of Midway?
This class of amphibious transport dock ship, which includes the USS New York, was built using 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center ruins to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
What is the San Antonio class?
This critical deck officer uses hand signals and colored gear to visually direct Navy pilots as they taxi, hook up to catapults, and launch from the carrier deck.
Who is the Shooter (or Catapult Officer / Yellow Shirt)?
Known as the "Father of the American Navy," this Revolutionary War captain famously replied, "I have not yet begun to fight!" when asked to surrender his battered ship.
Who is John Paul Jones?
Derived from the Navy's traditional name for the onboard candy and snack shop, a "bag" of this slang term refers to junk food or sweets.
What is gedunk?
Fought in May 1942, this engagement was the first naval battle in history where the opposing surface ships never sighted or fired directly upon one another, with all attacks carried out by carrier-based aircraft
What is the Battle of the Coral Sea?
Commissioned in September 2024, the USS New Jersey (SSN-796) is the first submarine in this fast-attack class designed from the keel up to fully integrate female crew members.
What is the Virginia class?
The modern F-35C pilot's helmet displays flight data and targeting information directly on the visor, eliminating the need for this traditional cockpit display.
What is the Head-Up Display (HUD)?
In 2022, Captain Amy Bauernschmidt made naval history by becoming the first female officer to command one of these nuclear-powered warships, specifically the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).
What is an aircraft carrier?
This traditional Navy term refers to a sailor who is temporarily assigned to duty in the galley to wash dishes and prep food.
What is a crank?
In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy ordered the US Navy to establish a naval "quarantine" rather than a blockade around this island nation to prevent the delivery of Soviet offensive missiles
What is Cuba (during the Cuban Missile Crisis)?
To boost morale in the Pacific during World War II, the US Navy spent $1 million to convert a concrete barge into a floating factory dedicated entirely to producing this frozen dessert.
What is ice cream?
On January 18, 1911, pioneer aviator Eugene Ely made the first-ever successful landing of an aircraft on a ship, touching down on a temporary wooden platform built over the deck of this armored cruiser in San Francisco Bay.
What is the USS Pennsylvania?
Commodore Uriah P. Levy, the first Jewish officer to reach the rank of Commodore in the US Navy, spent years court-martialed and fighting the establishment to successfully ban this physical punishment from the fleet in 1850.
What is flogging (or whipping)?
Originating from the practice of lighting a physical lantern when smoking was permitted onboard, this term is still used today to designate authorized smoking times and areas.
What is the smoking lamp?
Fought during the War of 1812, this crucial naval engagement on September 10, 1813, ended with Oliver Hazard Perry sending the legendary dispatch: "We have met the enemy and they are ours."
What is the Battle of Lake Erie?
This famous Iowa-class battleship, where the official surrender documents ending World War II were signed on September 2, 1945, is named after the "Show-Me State."
What is the USS Missouri?
This modernized, twin-engine helicopter serves as the Navy's primary platform for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and search and rescue (SAR) from carrier decks.
What is the MH-60R Seahawk (or Romeo)?
This highly decorated Navy SEAL lieutenant was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan in 2005, and is the namesake of the lead ship of the DDG-1000 destroyer class.
Who is Michael A. Monsoor? (Also accept Michael P. Murphy, whose name was given to DDG-112)
Stemming from an old English term meaning "to begin work," this two-word command is still piped over a ship's intercom system today to signal the start of the workday or a specific watch shift.
What is "Turn to"?
In April 1988, the Navy launched Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf, marking the largest surface-to-surface warship duel for the US Navy since World War II.
What is the Iran-Iraq War (or Tanker War)?