U.S. Merchant Ships Sunk or Damaged in World War II

According to the War Shipping Administration, the U.S. Merchant Marine suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II. Officially, a total of 1,554 ships were sunk due to war conditions, including 733 ships of over 1,000 gross tons. Hundreds of other ships were damaged by torpedoes, shelling, bombs, kamikazes, mines, etc. Foreign flag ships, especially those with Naval Armed Guard on board as well as ships belonging to U.S. territories such as the Philippines, are included in this list.

The following lists are continually under construction, because no official complete list is available. Our present total is 1,768 ships sunk, damaged, captured or detained.

We appreciate your additions and corrections.

The listings include:

Alaska 48 ships
Approach Med (Atlantic Ocean near Gibraltar) 29 ships
Caribbean 180 ships
Eastcoast (Atlantic coast of U.S.) 175 ships
Gulf of Mexico 46 ships
Indian-Red Sea (Indian Ocean - Red Sea) 49 ships
Med-Black Sea (Mediterranean and Black Sea) 251 ships
Murmansk Run 85 ships
Normandy 69 ships
NE Atlantic (Northeast Atlantic includes ports in Great Britain, Belgium, etc.) 155 ships
N Atlantic (North Atlantic) 168 ships
Okinawa 30 ships
Pacific includes Hong Kong and Shanghai 130 ships
Philippines 128 ships
S Atlantic (South Atlantic) 69 ships
Westcoast (Pacific coast of U.S.) 27 ships
Region unknown 92 ships



You can view the list in any of 3 ways:

Chronological list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged:
1939-1941 1942 Jan-June
1942 July-Dec
1943 1944 1945 1946-1950

Geographical list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged:
 

Alphabetical list of U.S. ships sunk or damaged

X

[Graphs below are not current, but still based on our lists of 2001]

U.S. ships sunk or damaged during 1939 to 1950
graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged during 1939 to 1950

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1941
graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1941

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1942

graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1942

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1943

graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1943

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1944

graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1944

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1945

graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1945

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1946

graph U.S. ships sunk or damaged 1946

Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged by region

graph Number of U.S. ships sunk or damaged by region

These lists are based on the following sources:

Home
Ships
Merchant Mariners Killed

U.S. Navy Armed Guard Killed or Wounded
Murmansk Ships

Struggle for Veteran Status
Merchant Marine in World War II
U.S. Navy Ship Losses during WWII

01/21/04

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