U. S. Navy Auxiliary Vessel Ship Types, 1920-1945

Nomenclature
AGF: Miscellaneous Command Ships (see AVP-55)
AGM: Missile Range Instrumentation Ships (see AK-212, 220, AP-139, 145, and APA-205)
AGOR: Oceanographic Research Ships (see ARS-20, 27 and AVP-51)
AGSC: Coastal Surveying Ships (see AGS 6-14)
ANL: Net Laying Ships (see AN-9, 78)
AOR: Replenishment Oilers (see AO-109)
AOT: Transport Oilers (see AO-49 class)
ARC: Cable Repairing Ships (see AKA-47, 49)
ARVH: Aircraft Repair Ship (Helicopter) (see AV-5)
AVM: Guided Missile Ship (see AV-11)
LCC: Amphibious Command Ships (see AGC-7 class)
LKA: Amphibious Cargo Ships (see AKA)
LPA: Amphibious Transports (see APA)
MM: Minelayer, Fleet (to MMF, see CM-5)
MMF: Minelayer, Fleet (ex MM, see CM-5)

#s Assigned
1965-1980
1960-2000
1958-1994
1946-1959
1969
1950-1972
1978
1950-1979
1951
1965
1968
1968
1968
1955
1955

Back to top

Notes for this web site

This list does not include auxiliary types that consisted entirely of conversions from major combatants or of experimental combatants. These types include AB, ACV, APD/LPD, AVD, AVG, BACV, and BAVG. For these see Bauer and Roberts, Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990, Major Combatants. It also does not include types or ships for which no hull numbers were assigned. It does include minelayers, which were sometimes classified as combatants but which otherwise resembled auxiliary types. It also includes LSV 1-6 because of their derivation from the large AN and CM designs. Finally, it also includes conversions from minor combatants (patrol, mine, and landing craft) to all auxiliary types except IX since no volume of the Register exists for minor combatants (a few are covered in the Major Combatants volume). APY and ATL were preliminary designations for LSTs and APM 1-8 were preliminary designations for LSD 1-8; these are not covered here.

In armament data, the "less-than" character (<) is used to indicate that the number of small guns of the type specified (almost always 20mm) varied within the range shown during a period in which the larger armament shown remained constant. For example, the entry 4-5"/38 4<9-20mm indicates that the number of 20mm guns varied between 4 and 9 during a period when the larger armament remained steady at 4-5" guns. The < character may thus be considered roughly equivalent to the words " up to." During World War II, the variation usually consisted of a steady increase. After the war some variations were increases, many were decreases, and some were more complex, consisting of both increases and decreases. A steady decrease is indicated by the "greater-than" character (>), which corresponds to the words "down to." All guns are in single mountings unless marked "T" (twin) or "Q" (quadruple), although a "S" (single) is sometimes optionally added for clarity. The only exception is the very rare (in auxiliary vessels) 5"/38 twin mount, one of which would be indicated as follows: 2-5"/38 (1x2). The dates shown for the armaments are those between which the armaments were installed and their small guns modified, not the entire periods during which they were carried.