Famous Ships and Boats

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American Ships of Exploration and Research

Albacore, USS — American submarine
Research submarine that pioneered the teardrop hull of modern submarines. For more than two decades she provided the US Navy information and experience in making submarines faster, quieter, safer and more agile. LAUNCHED: 1953, August 18 → FATE: Decommissioned December 9, 1972. When being towed to a permanent display site in April 1984, she became stuck in the mud of Portsmouth Harbor. In 1985, she was dedicated there as a memorial.

(Another )

Alvin, DSV — American research vessel; submersible
First Deep Submergence Vehicle (DSV) able to dive to 4,500 meters or 14,800 feet. She was lost October of 1968 when she accidentally sank in 1500 meters of water, but was recovered in August of 1969 and refurbished. LAUNCHED: 1964, June 18 → FATE: Still in service.

(Another )

Calypso, RV — American minesweeper built for the British; refitted for research
Oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau sailed her as a mobile laboratory for field research. During World War II she served as a minesweeper and carried advanced equipment, including mini submarines. LAUNCHED: 1941, March 21, converted in 1950 → FATE: Sank in 1996, raised, neglected, and now being restored in Brittany.

Columbia Rediviva — American full-rigged 3 masted sailing ship
First American ship to circumnavigate the globe. In 1792, Captain Robert Gray in command, she was the first ship to enter the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. LAUNCHED: 1787 → FATE: Salvaged in 1806.

Eldridge, USS — American destroyer escort
Famed as part of an alleged military experiment of cloaking ships invisible and carried out by the U.S. Navy at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.. A 1984 movie of the incident, The Philadelphia Experiment, presented a fictionalized version of the incident. LAUNCHED: 1943, July 25 → FATE: Decommisioned and scrapped November 11, 1999.

Glomar Explorer — American deep sea research vessel
Built for a secret operation by the CIA to recover a sunken Soviet submarine, K-129 which was lost in April, 1968. She was converted into a deep sea oil drilling ship in 1997. LAUNCHED: 1972, November 18 → FATE: Currently operates as the GSF Explorer.

HD-4 — American hydrofoil
An early research hydrofoil watercraft developed by the Alexander Graham Bell. She set a world marine speed record of 70.86 miles per hour (114.04 km/h), that stood for almost a year. LAUNCHED: 1919 → FATE: Dismantled in 1921, laying for decades on the shore at Beinn Bhreagh, Nova Scotia.

The number of American Ships of Exploration and Research listed is 7

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For a full list of all ships, select HERE

First Ship on each page
Page	Ship Name (Country and Type)
1.	Alvin, DSV (American research vessel)

American Ships of Exploration and Research
1.	Alvin, DSV American research vessel
2.	Calypso, RV American minesweeper
3.	Columbia Rediviva American full-rigged
4.	Eldridge, USS American destroyer escort
5.	Glomar Explorer American deep sea research vessel
6.	HD-4 American hydrofoil