Need help with List of most famous WWII warships

Hello WW2F, Im in process of creating a commemorative deck of playing cards and would like to have more information about battleships.
The decks theme will be around warships during the WWII era.

I'm planning to have the court cards (Jack, Queen, King) as the captains of the ship. I am having a hard time trying to find information on them.
It would be great if you can fill in the missing names! It would be best if the ship has been sunk during WWII since is a commemorative deck.

For the British Commonwealth, USA and Japanese Card Decks:
Kings = Battleships etc.
Queens = Aircraft Carriers.
Jacks = Cruisers etc.

For the Western Axis Card Deck - who did not have any Aircraft Carriers:

Kings = Battleships and Battlecruisers.
Queens = Heavy Cruisers (and reclassified as thus Pocket battleships)
Jacks = (Light) Cruisers et cetera
- with perhaps one + reserved for U-boats engaged in Battle, as a tribute to that class, albeit they were largely just "Predator" vessels.

Count Card Preferences:

Spades: The ones that dug in. Did the dirty job and got it done.
Hearts: The Heart Throb losses. The most honourable of the honourable. The most memorable.
Diamonds: The ones that sparkled. Valuable losses.
Clubs: The Sledge Hammer losses. The truly brutal ones.
Note:
1. There is a court card King of Hearts called "The Suicide King", that captain would the Suicide King.
2. For the Japanese, Diamonds are special. (Example: Mitsubishi means three diamonds.)
3. A club loss is most likely going to be a "suicidal" battle choice, no two ways about it.

I need the captains names because I am going to use them as court cards.
. Keep an eye out, just in the off chance any might still be alive. We are commemorating those who have passed on, not the living.

The most Honourable and Memorable Senior Staff and / or Crew Member's Names will be printed on the Interior of the Playing Card Box as a particularly poignant commemoration of their losses.

If you can list some of the most popular warships during WWII, that would be great!
(Still a long way to go )

================================

USA
King of Spades - USS Arizona
King of Hearts - USS Washington
King of Clubs -
King of Diamonds - USS North Carolina

Queen of Spades - USS Yorktown
Queen of Hearts - USS Enterprise
Queen of Clubs - USS Lexington
Queen of Diamonds

Jack of Spades - USS San Francisco
Jack of Hearts - USS Astoria
Jack of Clubs -
Jack of Diamonds - USS Johnston


BRITISH COMMON WEALTH
King of Spades - ORP Orkan
King of Hearts - HMS Glowworm
King of Clubs - HMS Hood
King of Diamonds - HMS Repulse

Queen of Spades - HMS Prince of Wales
Queen of Hearts - HMS Exeter
Queen of Clubs - HMS Rawalpindi
Queen of Diamonds - HMS Ark Royal

Jack of Spades - HMS Jervis Bay
Jack of Hearts - HMAS Perth
Jack of Clubs - HMAS Yarra
Jack of Diamonds - HMCS Regina


WESTERN AXIS
King of Spades - KMS Bismarck
King of Hearts - Panzerschiff
King of Clubs - KMS Gneisenau
King of Diamonds - KMS Tirpitz


Queen of Spades - FNS Ilmarinen
Queen of Hearts -
Queen of Clubs -
Queen of Diamonds -

Jack of Spades -
Jack of Hearts -
Jack of Clubs -
Jack of Diamonds -

=============Reference==============

JAPAN
Spades Jack IJN Mogami
Spades Queen - IJN Akagi
Spades King - IJN Nagato
Hearts Jack IJN Takao
Hearts Queen IJN Shokaku
Hearts King IJN Yamato
Clubs Jack IJN Myoko
Clubs Queen IJN Kaga
Clubs King IJN Kirishima
Diamonds Jack IJN Tone
Diamonds Queen IJN Hiryu
Diamonds King IJN Musashi

GERMANY
Spades Jack - U-123
Spades Queen - KMS Admiral Scheer
Spades King - KMS Tirpitz
Hearts Jack U-47
Hearts Queen KMS Prinz Eugen
Hearts King - KMS Bismarck
Clubs Jack U-103
Clubs Queen - KMS Admiral Hipper
Clubs King - KMS Gneisenau
Diamonds Jack U-99
Diamonds Queen KMS Admiral Graf Spee
Diamonds King KMS Scharnhorst

 

Google or wikipedia not working in your corner of the intrawebs, Alvinhy? Or do you just not have the time?

 

I was thinking of including the submarines as well.

Google a wiki works, but I wanted some opinions from the experts here on the forums as to which warships are most popular and talked about.

 

During the war the Allies (Americans, United Kingdom and Commonwealth, France, Russia, Netherlands, ...) lost more than 1,900 warships to all causes.

Japanese Navy Losses are detailed here: http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/JANAC-Losses-2.html
Numerous Special Attack Units were developed for suicide missions, in a desperate move to compensate for the annihilation of the main fleet at the end of World War II,.
These units included Kamikaze Shinyo ("Sea Quake") suicide boats as well as
Nearly all of its ships were sent to the bottom of the sea by the war's end.
I apologize, but I just can't count that high. 6,238 JANAC losses I think.
Chronological order: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/JANAC-Losses-3.html
By Class: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_Navy_ships_and_war_vessels_in_World_War_II
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/

The best ship on paper means nothing.
In the end it was the ability of a crew to work together as a team. So many factors had to work together seamlessly to create a Super-Ship.

Forgotten heros:

Carriers:
For me the Illustrious spells so much about the RN, albeit she survived the war. So is excluded from these Card Decks.
She served half her time in WW2 in the SEAC but the British suppressed the nature and the extent of their involvement in that theatre due to the sensitivities of the Americans.
How long did she run without her center propeller? Hmmm?

ROYAL OAK, sunk by a U-boat torpedo at Scapa Flow, Orkneys, October 14, 1939
The British went into WW2 thinking her the heart and soul of the RN. Scapa Flow was thought to be impregnable.

The REPULSE, sunk by Japanese torpedo-aircraft, E coast of Malaya, December 10, 1941
Captain William George Tennant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Repulse_(1916)

Cruisers:
HMS YORK lost at Suda Bay, Crete after damage on various dates by explosive motor boats and aircraft, May 22, 1941
Captain Reginald Henry Portal
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CA-York.htm

EXETER sunk in action with Japanese surface craft, Java Seas, March 1, 1942
Captain Oliver Loudon Gordon MVO
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Exeter_(68)

Cruiser minelayers:
LATONA (2,650y, 4/5/41), attacked by aircraft, E Mediterranean, October 25, 1941
Captain Stuart Latham Bateson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Latona_(M76)

Destroyers:
INTREPID sunk by aircraft, in Leros Harbour, Dodecanese, September 27, 1943
Commander Charles Arthur de Winton Kitcat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Intrepid_(D10)

See RN ships lost in WW2 at: http://www.naval-history.net/WW2BritishLosses1Major.htm

 

Added to the list!

 

I noticed you have British carries on the list.

If carries are ok, Japan had plenty of big ones.

I'd include German cruisers before U-boats.
Also the old SMS Schlewig-Holstein. She fired the first shots of WWII. Maybe make her a Jack

 

Edited above.

Would like one RN / Canadian Corvette, in particular if it is a Flower Class, to be on there.
Convoys kept not only England but the War alive and in the game.

Pleading for recognition of Canada I would submit as Diamonds Jack the most famous of ours:
HMCS Regina. Torpedoed and sunk by U-667 on 8 August 1944 while rescuing survivors of the American merchant Liberty ship Ezra Weston off Trevose Head. 30 crew were killed.
Lt Jack Wiles Radford, RCNR (4 September 1943 - 8 August 1944)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Regina_%28K234%29

It surprises me that the Deep Sea Mysteries episode on the Regina is not on Youtube.

 

This is a basic list mostly following the standard:
Kings = Battleships
Queens = Aircraft Carriers
Jacks = Cruisers

Except for Germany who follows
Kings = Battleships
Queens = Heavy cruisers
Jacks = U-Boats



USA
Spades Jack - USS San Francisco
Spades Queen - USS Yorktown
Spades King - Uss Iowa
Hearts Jack - USS Astoria
Hearts Queen - USS Enterprise
Hearts King - USS Massachusetts
Clubs Jack - USS Chicago
Clubs Queen - USS Lexington
Clubs King - USS Arizona
Diamonds Jack - USS Houston
Diamonds Queen - USS Franklin
Diamonds King - USS North Carolina

United Kingdom
Spades Jack - HMS Sheffield
Spades Queen - HMS Victorious
Spades King - HMS King George V
Hearts Jack - HMS Suffolk
Hearts Queen - HMS Illustrious
Hearts King - HMS Warspite
Clubs Jack - HMS Exeter
Clubs Queen - HMS Ark Royal
Clubs King - HMS Rodney
Diamonds Jack HMS Ajax
Diamonds Queen - HMS Furious
Diamonds King - HMS Hood
Japan
Spades Jack IJN Mogami
Spades Queen - IJN Akagi
Spades King - IJN Nagato
Hearts Jack IJN Takao
Hearts Queen IJN Shokaku
Hearts King IJN Yamato
Clubs Jack IJN Myoko
Clubs Queen IJN Kaga
Clubs King IJN Kirishima
Diamonds Jack IJN Tone
Diamonds Queen IJN Hiryu
Diamonds King IJN Musashi

Germany
Spades Jack - U-123
Spades Queen - KMS Admiral Scheer
Spades King - KMS Tirpitz
Hearts Jack U-47
Hearts Queen KMS Prinz Eugen
Hearts King - KMS Bismarck
Clubs Jack U-103
Clubs Queen - KMS Admiral Hipper
Clubs King - KMS Gneisenau
Diamonds Jack U-99
Diamonds Queen KMS Admiral Graf Spee
Diamonds King KMS Scharnhorst

 

I would be more interested in knowing what lost ships the Japanese most honour and remember as opposed to US / Brit bias.
That being what it is, many Japanese ships recorded on English websites are to this day still only listed by number. Name unknown.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/JANAC-Losses-3.html

We lost a lot of experts, sad to say, including most Japanese members when the malware hit us so badly a few years ago.
Not a one to be found on the member map to throw the question to.

Japanese losses that pop to mind for me would include:

Light Cruiser SENDAI lost November 2nd 1943 - intended for use as the flagship of a destroyer flotilla.
Captain Kiichiro Shoji and 184 crewmen went down with the ship, but 236 other crewmen including Admiral Ijuin were rescued by destroyers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_cruiser_Sendai

I wonder where the Japanese would place the Musashi? Above or below the Yamato? All of us "WASPs" have it, IMHO, ass backwards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Musashi

- I would concur with Takao that she should own the Diamond King category. The "Diamond" has extra special meaning to the Japanese.
- I would think that the entire Diamond stack should reflect that.

Essentially the twin of the Yamato, the largest battleships ever built and therefore amongst the highest priority targets the allies had.
Commissioned in mid-1942 the Musashi was modified to serve as the flagship of the Combined Fleet.
Sunk by an estimated 19 torpedo and 17 bomb hits from American carrier-based aircraft on 24 October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Captain Toshihira Inoguchi chose to go down with his ship.
Over half of her crew was rescued.

Her wreck was located in March 2015 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and his team of researchers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/11448575/Microsoft-co-founder-Paul-Allen-Ive-found-wreck-of-long-lost-WWII-Japanese-battleship.html

 

Umm, Fred...

You do realize that those vessels were not given official names, only numbers. The US did not begin naming their submarines until mid-1931. You can go to
http://www.navsource.org/
to see that the US did not name a lot of her smaller vessels during World War II.

 

Oh my gosh, thank you so much Takao! I also moved takao to the Diamonds since Fred mentioned its a special meaning in Japan.
here is the Ace of Spades for my upcoming project.

now I'm off to draw the captains as their court cards!

 

While I still have time, I hereby resubmit my Canadian plea for Diamonds Jack as the most famous Flower Class Corvette: The HMCS Regina.

The RCN lost 1,965 men during the War, most of them in the battle of the Atlantic.
The British Merchant Navy lost 30,248 men, many of whom were Canadian, and the Royal Navy suffered 73,642 fatal casualties.

It would mean a lot to many to remember the "few."

 

Can't say I ever heard of the HMCS Regina...Now, the Tribal Class destroyer HMCS Haida

 

Funny thought you brought up. As a Canuck the Haida hardly rings a bell.
Mind you, she survived until the 60's, while the Regina went down in honour. Just the name has meaning up here.

The new HMCS Regina is a Halifax-class frigate that has served in the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Navy since 1993. (5th in her Canadian Patrol Frigate Project class.)
She is the second vessel to carry the designation HMCS Regina.
Regina was laid down on 6 October 1989 at MIL Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon and launched on 25 January 1992.
She was officially commissioned into the CF on 29 December 1993 and carries the hull classification symbol 334.
She is assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and is homeported at CFB Esquimalt.

I have been aboard for a tour.

 

Perhaps a second run of cards might be worth a look at... There are different markets out there...

Brings up the thought that we should, at least, take a look at Aussie Navy losses. http://www.ozatwar.com/ran/ran.htm
It was the entire British Commonwealth that was at war. One for all.
http://www.gunplot.net/casualties/ranww2shiplosses.html

For Australians, it is this order (albeit several on this list survived the war and several are surprizing choices given the above criteria.)
1. AHS Centaur (Hospital Ship) sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on 14 May 1943.
The attack was almost certainly illegal. The vessel was clearly marked. Of the 332 medical personnel and civilian crew aboard, 268 died, including 11 of the 12 nurses present.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AHS_Centaur

2. HMAS Sydney - the largest loss of life in the history of the Royal Australian Navy, the largest Allied warship lost with all hands during World War II on 19 November 1941.
Captain Joseph Burnett had been moved from the position of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff at the Navy Office in Melbourne.
The caveat being there is considerable question as to whether the loss was attributable to incompetence or negligence by its Captain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_between_HMAS_Sydney_and_German_auxiliary_cruiser_Kormoran

3. HMAS Armidale lost 1 December 1942 evacuating Australian and Dutch soldiers and delivering a relief contingent.
Lieutenant Commander David H. Richards, RANR(S)
https://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/cruelsea/background.asp

4. MV Krait might surprize you as a top pick. That theatre had some wild and woolly ops...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Krait

5. HMAS Perth lost 1 March 1942 in the Sunda Strait
Captain Hector Waller KIA
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-perth-i

6. HMAS Warrnambool Decommissioned13 September 1947
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-warrnambool-i

7. HMAS Kuttabul lost 31 May 1942 is another one that might surprize you as a top pick.
https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/content/hmas-kuttabul-memorial-garden-island

8. HMAS Australia under Commodore John Augustine Collins by mid 1944. The ship survived.
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-australia-ii

"Heroic", losses:

9: HMAS YARRA lost 4 March 1942
Lieutenant Commander Robert William Rankin
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-yarra-ii

10 to 12. ... needed to complete the deck plus replace the vessels that survived the war. CAC?

 

"Famous" Australian WWII ships might include:

HMAS: Australia
Canberra
Perth - Capt Hector Waller
Sydney
Kanimbla
Manoora
Westralia
Arunta
Vampire & Parramatta...

 

I'll ask Frederick, admin at Comando Supremo to chip in if he can.
http://www.comandosupremo.com/category/weapons/warships

U-Boats feel like a misfit here. Certainly not in that number. Sorry. They were predators. Mostly of cargo vessels.

Regia Marina Losses 1939 - 1941: http://www.world-war.co.uk/warloss_233italy.php3

Regia Marina Italiana: http://www.regiamarina.net/ship_info.asp?nid=121&lid=1

It is interesting to note that the one area where fuel shortages really effected the conduct of the war was with the Regia Marina.

Roma was a Littorio Class Battleship sunk by a German 1400 FX guided missile September 8, 1943 while sailing to Malta to surrender to the Allies.
Admiral Carlo Bergamini was aboard and was lost when it sank. I do not know if he was the commander of the ship at the time.
Total number aboard to 2,021 with total fatalities of 1,393.
In her 15-month service life, Roma made 20 sorties, mostly in transfers between bases (none were into combat.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_battleship_Roma_(1940)

Zara was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser lost 28 March, 1941 in the battle of Cape Matapan by short range artillery from the HMS Barham, Valiant and Warspite.
799 fatalities of 1,086 men. The Fiume and the ship they had come back for, the Pola, and two destroyers, Vittorio Alfieri and Carducci, were also sunk in this epic engagement.
Capitano di Vascello Luigi Corsi (and Admiral Carlo Cattaneo) were lost.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cruiser_Zara

The Trento Class Heavy Cruisers were designed for a fast unit war, aiming and sacrificing all for speed. All three were lost in WW2.
The Trento itself was bombed by a Malta-based Bristol Beaufort bomber 15 June 1942 then torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Umbra.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trento-class_cruiser#Trento

Armando Diaz was a Condottieri aka Cadorna class light cruiser torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine HMS Upright 25 February 1941
464 fatalities out of 611 men.
Captain unknown as yet... ________________
A possible is: Capitano Di Vascello Franco Mazzola...
Second-in-command was Capitano di fregata Mainardo de Nardis, who died in the sinking.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cruiser_Armando_Diaz

Alberico da Barbiano was a Giussano-class light cruiser lost in the Battle of Cape Bon alongside the Alberto di Giussano. 13 December 1941.
Jerry cans and other metal containers filled with gasoline were loaded onto both cruisers and were placed on the ships' open decks.
The use of these two cruisers was predicated on their speed that would act as a protection against attack.
Nonetheless, the ships were intercepted by Allied destroyers guided by radar and sunk when Alberico Da Barbiano, before being able to open fire, was hit by at least three torpedoes (two from HMS Sikh and one from HMS Legion or HMS Maori) and gunfire, burst into flames, capsized and sank within a few minutes, leaving behind a massive fire.
Captain Giorgio Rodocanacchi (and Admiral Antonino Toscano) were lost with the ship. 534 fatalities, 250 survivors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_cruiser_Alberico_da_Barbiano
________________

The Aquila was the only Regia Marina Aircraft Carrier. It never entered service for the Italian Navy.
In 1943, Italian frogmen partially scuttled the ship to prevent it from getting into German hands. It was then salvaged, but scuttled by the Germans in 1945.

 

Much as I love the Illustrious, she did survive the war.
If you want to stay true to your premise, there are better RN candidates to be found...

If you need a carrier, choose the Intrepid - if not, the Repulse or Exeter.

 

I think it particularly admirable that you are listing the Captains of each ship lost on each card. Kuddos!

USS Iowa (SSN-797) survived the war. You might be again better off looking for a replacement in order to stay in context.
Several captains throughout the war. http://www.pacificbattleship.com/world_war_2
February 22 1943 Captain John L. McCrea
August 1944 Captain Allan R. McCann
November 1944 Captain James L. Holloway Jr.
July 1945 Captain Charles Wellborn Jr.

USS Astoria (CL/CA-34)
Commanded by Commodore William G. Greenman when sunk.
See: http://www.ussastoria.org/Ships_Crew.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Astoria_(CA-34