RANGERS IN U.S.  NAVAL HISTORY

The first Ranger, a Sloop-of-War of 18 guns, was built in1777 and commanded by John Paul Jones. The Ranger negotiated the first salute to the American flag by a foreign power. After many cruises and the taking of many enemy prizes, she was secured by the British in 1780 and later commissioned in the British Navy as the Halifax.

The second Ranger was an armed schooner of one long 18-pounder purchased in march 1814. After routine service she was sold in 1816.

The third Ranger was a brig of 14 guns purchased in 1814 to operate on Lake Ontario during the war of 1812. She was sold in May 1821.

The fourth Ranger was a full - rigged, iron vessel with auxiliary steam power and mounting four heavy guns. She was commissioned 27 November 1876 and served in the Atlantic, Asiatic and Pacific waters until 1908 when she was converted to a nautical school ship. She was stricken from the Navy list on 30 June 1940.

The fifth Ranger was a converted steel yacht built in 1910 and commissioned 9 October 1917. she was employed on patrol duty in the coast defense of the Third Naval District and later with the Coast and Geodetic survey from April 1919 to January 1931. She was stricken from the Navy list on 4 September 1918.

The sixth Ranger was a minesweeper built in 1882 and commissioned 11 September 1918. She was employed in the coast defense of the Sixth Naval District until 10 January 1919 when she was returned to her owner.

The seventh Ranger was the first U.S. vessel designed and constructed as an aircraft carrier. She was launched at Newport News, Virginia, on 25 February 1933 and commissioned on 4 June 1934. She performed escort and training missions on both Atlantic and Pacific waters as well as participating in the landings at Casablanca in November 1942. She operated along the northern convoy route and participated in the Norway raid in October 1943. In July 1944 she was transferred to the Pacific for duty in qualifying carrier pilots until mid-1945. On January 1947 she was sold.

The eighth Ranger (CVA-61), was the largest and most modern warship in the world when she was commissioned on 10 August 1957. Her commissioning gave added impetus to the mighty role of the Navy in maintenance of world peace. The USS Ranger CV-61 was decommissioned in San Diego, California on 10 July 1993 and is standing by in mothballs in Bremerton, Washington, for the call to fight again!

**************************************

BACK                                                                HOME