Category:US National Archives series: Photographs of U.S. and Foreign Naval Vessels, 1883 - 1972

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The central accumulation of photographic negatives -- including original negatives; Bureau of Ships or Bureau of Construction and Repair-generated copy negatives; as well as a scattering of National Archives-generated copy negatives -- constitutes the series described herein.

Among these negatives are images corresponding to more than 90% of the prints in three principal BuShips print series, 19-LCM (Construction and Launching of Ships, 1930-1955), 19-LCA (Construction and Launching of Ships, 1900-1944), and 19-N (Naval History Photographs, 1883-1941). There are also negatives corresponding to virtually all the images in two small print series, 19-NC (The Child Collection of Photographs Documenting U.S. Naval Vessels, 1890-1917) and 19-NAO (Oversize Photographic Prints of American and Foreign Naval Vessels, 1898-1945); and to scattered prints in 19-LC (Construction and Launching of Vessels, 1888-1943), 19-A (Album Prints of U.S. Ships, 1883-1941), and 19-E (Engineering Photographs, 1906-1940). Approximately 35,000 of the negatives, mostly those from the 1950's-70's, do not have matching prints included in present National Archives holdings.

The negative series evolved in three parts, distinguishable roughly by chronology and also -- with some exceptions -- by mode of organization.

Part I (1883-1914) consists of some 13,000 glass negatives, the vast majority 8"x10", organized in accordance with the "dash" numbering system (described in the Arrangement Statement, below). An additional group of 2,118 oversize glass negatives (11"x14") has been physically separated from the aforementioned sequence, but is related by chronology and, for the most part, dash numbering. Approximately 15% of the oversize glass negatives have also been duplicated on film, with the duplicates bearing new numbers included in Part II.

Part II (1914-1946) incorporates some 102,000 film and 6,500 glass negatives, the majority 8"x10", organized in accordance with a straight-numbering system (again, see the Arrangement Statement, below). There is also a small group of 92 oversize film negatives (11"x14"), again physically separated from the aforementioned sequence but related by chronology and numbering system. Yet another physically separate but archivally related group, labeled "Miscellaneous," consists of some 450 film interpositives, the majority of which bear numbers consistent with the Part II sequence. The interpositives were created as a result of a government contract, which duplicated the original nitrate negatives which had been removed from this series. Once duplicated and inspected, the originals were destroyed.

Part III (1946-1972) covers some 41,000 film negatives, mostly 4"x5" or 8"x10". Most of Part III follows the vessel-type/hull number arrangement used in many of the Record Group 19 print series (see the Arrangement Statement, below). Images in the negative series are derived from a variety of photographic sources- official Navy Yard photographers, as well as commercial cameramen commissioned by the government or by such shipbuilding firms as William Cramp and Sons (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Electric Boat Company (Groton, Connecticut), and Todd Shipyards Corporation (Seattle, Washington).

Among the many studios represented are Enrique Muller of New York City, New York; Harris and Ewing of Washington, D.C.; Frank H. Child of Newport, Rhode Island; N.L. Stebbins and H.B. Greene of Boston, Massachusetts; W.C. Staples of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; F.A. McDaniels of New Orleans, Louisiana; K.G. Ollar of Tacoma, Washington; the Businessmen's Studio of Beaumont, Texas; Tri-Boro Photographers of Brooklyn, New York; LeTarte's of Brunswick, Maine; Douglas Photographers of Bath, Maine; Ray Krantz of Seattle, Washington; Charles L. Franck of New Orleans; Henri H. Davis of New York City; O.W. Waterman of San Diego, California; and the Bear Photographic Company of San Francisco, California.

The range of vessels shown in the negative series reflects the U.S. Navy's 19th-20th Century progression from wood to steel, and from sail to steam to nuclear power. Included are more than 12,000 ships, spanning some 130 distinct vessel types. Among the classes represented most heavily are frigates, cutters, screw steamers, battleships, destroyers, destroyer tenders, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, aircraft carriers, minesweepers, motor gunboats, submarines, infantry landing crafts, dock landing ships, tank landing ships, oilers, gasoline tankers, store ships, ammunition ships, hospital ships, cargo ships, transports, harbor tugs, and gasoline barges.

Full-length or partial exterior views of completed vessels, photographed from dockside or, in more recent decades, aerially form a considerable proportion of the images here. But there are also numerous views of hull and deck construction or repair; ship interiors (motor generator rooms, steer rooms, pump rooms, wardrooms, communication rooms, among other areas); and closeups of ship equipment, including anchors, rudders, ventilators, gears, gun mounts, propellers, cables, and many other items. Documentation of equipment testing, and of full-vessel inclining experiments, comprises yet another significant dimension of the negative series.

Nearly half the images in the series were taken during the World War II era, when the total tonnage of the U.S. Naval fleet increased from 1.2 million to more than 2.4 million.

Among the most heavily documented vessels are the U.S.S. North Carolina, the first commissioned of the Navy's modern battleships; the U.S.S. Missouri, whose decks would be the scene of the formal Japanese surrender ceremonies of September 2, 1945; the U.S.S. Texas, Brooklyn and Parker, vital support ships for the invasions of North Africa and Italy; the U.S.S. Yorktown and Helena, vessels of heroism and, ultimately, tragedy at Midway and New Georgia, respectively; the U.S.S. Tennessee, West Virginia, Idaho, Iowa, South Dakota, and other leading contributors to Allied victories in the Pacific; and the U.S.S. Ajax, celebrated wartime repair ship that also supported Operation Crossroads, the 1946 atomic bomb tests at Bikini.

The World War II-era material also includes extensive coverage of fleet damage (and ensuing repair work) resulting from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor as well as later battles. In addition to photographs of particular vessels, the series incorporates general overviews of facilities and operations at Navy shipyards, ship repair bases, and advanced bases around the world.

New military technologies are much in evidence in the coverage from the post-World War II decades, including numerous images of America's pioneering nuclear submarine, guided-missile submarine, and ballistic missile submarine fleet. Among the featured vessels are the first of the nuclear subs, U.S.S. Nautilus, along with the Arctic-exploring U.S.S. Sargo, and the Regulus II and SUBROC missile-testing U.S.S. Grayback and U.S.S. Permit.

Many of the battleships, destroyers, and aircraft carriers depicted in Part III figured prominently in the support of Korean War landings and air raids- U.S.S. Smalley, McGowan, Kearsarge, and New Jersey, among the most frequently photographed. Other vessels represented in Part III -- the U.S.S. Princeton, Midway, and Guide -- played notable Vietnam War roles. The U.S.S. UJohn Paul Jones, one of the blockade vessels during the Cuban Missile Crisis; the U.S.S. Turner, an important support ship for the 1965 Dominican intervention; and the U.S.S. Lake Champlain, principal recovery ship for the first manned space flight, are also shown in various stages of development.

The 19th-early 20th Century portion of the negative series shows the roots of modern American naval development, with numerous views of the vessels that keyed U.S. victories at Havanna, Santiago, and Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War- U.S.S. Cincinnati, Topeka, Oregon, Hist, and many more. Included, as well, are photographs of the wreck of the U.S.S. Maine in Havanna Harbor, taken the morning after the disaster. Other ships represented range from the long-time Presidential yacht, U.S.S. Mayflower, to the U.S.S. Olympia, World War I convoy escort that later brought the remains of the Unknown Soldier home for internment in Arlington Cemetery (1921).

The series also covers such classic sailing vessels as the U.S.S. Constitution in a variety of ways- photographic reproductions of paintings; photographs from the 1890's of "Old Ironsides" as a ceremonial receiving ship in Boston; and late-1920's views of the same ship undergoing major renovation.

Portraits of such Naval commanders as Admiral George Dewey and Admiral William S. Sims; views of ship models and official silhouettes; closeups of figureheads and other ship ornaments; and views of captured German submarines and destroyers as well as visiting Allied ships during both World Wars, are among other elements of the negative series. (For more information on the 19th early 20th Century coverage, see the 19-NC and 19-N print series descriptions.)