Haven-class hospital ship

The Haven class of hospital ships were built for the United States Navy (USN) during World War II. Haven-class ships also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. They were among the first ships to be able to receive casualties directly by helicopter and were the first fully air conditioned ships in the US Navy.

USS Haven (AH-12), the lead ship of her class, seen here in 1954.
Class overview
Operators:  United States Navy
Succeeded by: Mercy-class hospital ship
Built: July 1943 – August 1944
In service: 1944–1989
Completed: 6
Lost: 1
Retired: 5
Preserved: 0
General characteristics
Type: Hospital ship
Displacement:
  • 11,141 tons empty
  • 15,100 maximum
Length:
  • 520 ft (160 m)
  • 665 ft (203 m) after 1968
Beam: 71 ft 6 in (21.79 m)
Draft: 24 ft (7.3 m)
Propulsion: Geared Turbine, Single Screw
Speed: 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h)
Capacity: Up to 800 patients
Complement: 95 officers, 606 men
Aircraft carried: 1 MEDEVAC Helicopter

The first ship was laid down in July 1943, while the last was launched in August 1944. In that span the United States produced 6 Haven-class hospital ships. The class was based upon the Maritime Commission’s Type C4 ship (as C4-S-B2 design).

The last Haven class ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1989. One ship sank in a collision in 1950; four others have been scrapped. The last Haven-class ship, the ex-USS Sanctuary (AH-17) was scrapped in 2011. Haven-class hospital ships were replaced with the Mercy-class hospital ships.

Haven-class ships

See also
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