THE NAVAL HISTORY 

OF NEW HAMPSHIRE www.history.navy.mil

THE NAVAL HISTORY  OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

SHIPS USS Doyen I (DD 280), 1919 USS Doyen II (APA 1), 1943

USS Forrest Sherman (DD 931), 1955 USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), 2006 USS Grafton (PCS 1431), 1944

USS Grafton (APA 109), 1945 USS Hampton (SSN 767), 1993

USS John W. Weeks (DD 701), 1944 Kearsarge I (Sloop of War), 1862

Kearsarge II (Battleship No. 5), 1900 USS Kearsarge III (CV 33), 1946

USS Manchester I (CL 83), 1946 USS Manchester II (LCS 14), 2018

Merrimac I (Side-Wheel Steamer), 1864

USS New Hampshire (SSN 778) is a Virginia-class attack submarine. The Virginia-class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines is designed to seek and destroyenemy submarines and surface ships; project power ashore with Tomahawk cruisemissiles and Special Operation Forces (SOF); carry out intelligence, surveillance andreconnaissance (ISR) missions; support battle group operations; and engage in minewarfare.

At least 29 ships have been named after the state of New Hampshire, its cities,places, and people. They include:

SHIPS

USS New Hampshire (SSN 778)

Merrimac II (Steamer), 1898 Merrimack I (Ship), 1798

Merrimack II (Screw Frigate), 1856 New Hampshire I (Ship of the Line), 1864

New Hampshire II (BB 25), 1908 USS New Hampshire III (SSN 778), 2008

USS O'Kane (DDG 77), 1999 Ossipee (Screw Sloop of War), 1862

USS Perkins I (DD 26), 1910 USS Perkins II (DD 377), 1936

USS Perkins III (DD 877), 1945 Portsmouth I (LSD 37), 1798

Portsmouth II (Sloop of War), 1844 USS Portsmouth III (CL 102), 1945 USS Rogers Blood (APD 115), 1945

2929

PLACESPLACES

PEOPLE

John W. Weeks U.S. Naval Officer

Forrest P. Sherman Admiral

Sources: Naval History and Heritage Command; navy.mil; Naval Sea Logistics Center; Center for Security Forces; nh.gov; Library of Congress. Infographic by Naval History and Heritage Command Communication and Outreach Division.

Richard H. O'KaneMedal of Honor Recipient

Did You Know...?The words "Live Free or Die," are the official motto of the state of New Hampshire. They were originally written on July 31, 1809, byGen. John Stark, the state’s most distinguished Revolutionary War hero. The 1945 legislature gave New Hampshire its official mottoand emblem as World War II came to an end.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Richard H. O’Kane was born in Dover, NH. Heserved in both the surface and submarinecommunities with distinction during World War II. Hereceived the Congressional Medal of Honor for “hisillustrious record of heroism in combat” aftersurviving the sinking of his submarine, USS Tang (SS306), and being captured and held as a Japaneseprisoner until the end of the war. The destroyer USSO’Kane (DDG 77) is named in his honor.

Born in Merrimack, NH, Adm. Forrest P. Shermanhelped shape the Korean War strategy as the 12thChief of Naval Operations. He was quoted as havingsaid, “When you can’t go where you want to, whenyou want to, you haven’t got command of the sea.And command of the sea is a rock bottom foundationof all of our war plans.” Adm. Sherman served asCNO until his death in 1951. Two destroyers werenamed in his honor.

PEOPLE

John Wingate Weeks, a New Hampshire native, served as an officer inthe U.S. Navy and also distinguished himself as a civil engineer,financier, and political leader. In 1904, Weeks was elected to the U.S.House of Representatives, where he served until entering the Senate in1913. He became Secretary of War on March 4, 1921, and held the post until failing health forced him to resign in October 1925. Thedestroyer USS John W. Weeks (DD 701) was named in his honor.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) is one of fourremaining naval shipyards in the United States. Theshipyard is on the federally owned Seavey Island,across the harbor from Portsmouth, NH, with accessto the mainland by two bridges connecting to Kittery,ME. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employs 5,600civilian employees, predominantly from NewHampshire and Maine.

The Center for Security Forces Detachment Kittery offers Survival,Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to Sailors in

Portsmouth, NH. The Center for Security Forces is one of 13 learningcenters within the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

The center trains more than 28,000 students per year at trainingfacilities across the United States and around the world.

Naval Sea Logistics Center  (NSLC) Portsmouth in Portsmouth, NH, is part ofNaval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), which is tasked with designing,

engineering, integrating, building, and procuring U.S. Navy ships, shipboardweapons, and combat systems. NSLC Portsmouth, located on the Piscataqua

River, develops and manages logistics tools for the U.S. Navy.