List of World War II vessel types of the United States This List of World War II vessel types of the United States is a list of the types of vessels used by the United States during the time period of World War II . It includes submarine s , battleship s , minelayer s , oiler s , barges , pontoon rafts and other types of water craft , boats and ships . ( This list is not yet complete . ) Army . Under the Army organization of 1940 , the Army Quartermaster was charged with the responsibility of providing the Army with all water transport services except those specifically authorized ; for the Corps of Engineers in river and harbor work , for the Coast Artillery Corps in mine planting , and for the Signal Corps in cable laying ( the Army had no communication ships at this time ) . In March 1942 , most of the transportation functions of the Army Quartermaster were consolidated into the Transportation Division of the newly created Services of Supply . That same year , on July 31 , the Transportation Corps was established . Coast Artillery Corps Mine Planter Service . The Army Mine Planter Service was responsible for the mine fields of the coast defenses . The largest vessels of the service were the U . S . Army Mine Planter ( USAMP ) which was equipped to install mines and associated control cables . Smaller vessels known as " junior mine planters " or " pup planters " , were occasionally employed as mine planters , but for the most part they served as freight and passenger boats for river and harbor duty . In addition to the mine planters , there were distribution box boats , used for servicing the mine - cable distribution boxes and rugged utility boats called motor mine yawls . Mine ships . Signal Corps . Communication ships . Army communications ships in the South West Pacific theater of World War II provided radio relay services and acted as command posts for forward elements ashore . Transportation Corps - Water Division . South West Pacific Area ( SWPA ) - Services of Supply ( USASOS ) . Small Ships Section . As there was a need for a fleet of shallow - draft vessels that could navigate among coral reefs and use primitive landing places far up the coast of New Guinea and along the outlying islands . An " S " fleet under Army control was created using local Australian vessels crewed largely by civilian Australians and New Zealanders . It was a miscellaneous collection of luggers , rusty trawlers , old schooners , launches , ketches , yawls , and yachts . Harbor Branch - Harbor Boat Service ( HBS ) . Harbor Vessels . The harbor craft company is organized for the purpose of ferrying to shore cargo from freighters and transports arriving in theaters of operation . The vessels may either be riding offshore at anchor in the open sea or more likely , anchored in a harbor . Cargo from the ships is loaded by Transportation Corps port company personnel onto barges . Then tugs , tow boats , or marine tractors propel the barges to the shore for unloading . Any cargo too heavy for the vessel ' s gear to lift is handled by a 60 - ton floating crane . Cargo ships under 1 , 000 tons . Coastwise & Inter - island cargo ships a . k . a . Coastal freighters The small boat company provided regular coastal and island service to bases in the Aleutian and Pacific Islands to supply food and equipment transported by small coastal and inter - island vessels and water craft that were under 200 feet or under 1 , 000 gross tons of the following vessel types ; Corps of Engineers . Troops Division . Port & Harbor Rehabilitation . The engineer port repair ship is equipped with repair facilities that include a heavy crane and a machine shop and maintains channels and ship berths by removing sunken ships and other obstructions . It also maintains channel markings and other aids for pilots . It does needed work on docks and wharves in conjunction with engineer port construction and repair groups . The primary mission of the engineer port construction and repair group is to make ready for use the facilities of ports of debarkation in a theater of operations . and to perform work involved in improvement or expansion of such ports , exclusive of harbors . Its work is performed in conjunction with engineer port repair ship operations offshore . The construction platoon consists of a divers ' section under the supervision of an officer , as master diver . Enlisted personnel consists of marine divers and divers ' attendants . This section does underwater work incident to construction of quay walls , wharves , piers , etc . Littoral Traversal . Engineer Amphibian Brigade The engineer special brigade provides personnel and equipment for transporting combat troops from a friendly near shore to a hostile far shore when the distance is not over 100 miles . The brigade resupplies these troops during the early stages of establishing a beachhead . The brigade can transport one division when reinforced by naval LCT boats . Riverine Traversal . The company is attached to an armored division in river - crossing operations , to provide a bridge for heavy vehicles . The company is attached to a division in river - crossing operations , to provide bridges and rafts . Stream - crossing equipment includes ; The battalion is attached to a corps in river - crossing operations , to provide a bridges and rafts capable of supporting heavier loads . Bridges and rafts are constructed of 25 - ton ponton equipage . Navy . Amphibious warfare type . Amphibious warfare vessels include all ships having organic capability for amphibious warfare and which have characteristics enabling long duration operations on the high seas . There are two classifications of craft : amphibious warfare ships which are built to cross oceans , and landing craft , which are designed to take troops from ship to shore in an invasion . Some vessels called “ landing ships ” did not have the capability to off - load troops and supplies onto beaches ; they were just transports or command - and - control vessels . Ships Other types . Aircraft Carriers Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Minecraft Patrol Craft Submarine Chasers Motor Torpedo Boats Auxiliaries Hospital Ships Cargo Ships Net - Laying Ships AN Oilers & Tankers Transports Repair Ships Submarine Tenders & Rescue Vessels Tugboats Seaplane Tenders & Aviation Supply Ships Distilling Ships Unclassified Vessels Yard and District Craft Coast Guard Cutters