Philadelphia's Fighting Fleet: War Stories of 25 Ships from America's First Navy Yard

By Dan Shortridge

The ships built in Philadelphia fought their way across the world, faced down Japanese fighters at Pearl Harbor, sunk submarines off the coast of Italy, fired on North Korea, and supported U.S. operations in Vietnam. The crews hosted kings and queens, knelt in prayer before battle, and tossed snowballs around their decks.

Philadelphia's Fighting Fleet traces the vital naval heritage of the United States' founding city through the lens of twenty-five of the ships that it produced. From the sail-powered USS Franklin, launched in 1815, to the modern command ship USS Blue Ridge, the last vessel built at the yard and still in service, these vessels reflect more than a century and a half of changing technology and naval history. Alongside the stories of the ships, the book traces the history the Navy Yard, the first United States Navy Yard, originally established in 1776 and relocated to League Island in the 1870s. At its height, during World War II, the yard employed over 40,000 workers who worked in shifts to produce and repair ships for the war effort. The yard launched its last ship in the 1970s and closed in the 1990s; it is now undergoing redevelopment.

Philadelphia's Fighting Fleet is a tribute to the ships and the city that built them. It will appeal to naval veterans, military enthusiasts, and anyone interested in Philadelphia's industrial and maritime history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1955041628
• ISBN13: 9781955041621
• Release Date: November 2026
• Publisher: Brookline Books
• Length: 272 Pages