# Warships Lost in Armed Conflict since World War II **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 11, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195 "2013-07-11T02:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/1 "2013-07-11T02:44:35Z")
Having read the thread on the [last US capital ship to be sunk in battle](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=696098), I realize that, though there has been significant land and air warfare around the world since World War II, there have been relatively few naval battles of substantial consequence in the past seven decades. It seems to me that, putting aside accidents and intentional destruction for target practice and the like, very few warships have been sunk or permanently put out of action through hostile action after the conclusion of World War II. In fact, the only real naval conflict between serious contenders that I can think of off the top of my head is the [Falklands War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falklands_War#Sinking_of_ARA_General_Belgrano), in which the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano and the British destroyer HMS Sheffield were sunk. Otherwise, the only naval action that I can think of has involved riverine warfare (SWIFT boats of Vietnam, for example) and conflict involving small, coastal patrol boats, but not battles involving bluewater naval vessels (other than in support of land-based action). So, since World War II, what naval actions have resulted in the loss of ocean-going warships? ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/2 "2013-07-11T02:52:23Z")
> [@Billdo](#): > > So, since World War II, what naval actions have resulted in the loss of ocean-going warships? Maybe [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROKS_Cheonan_sinking): > [@](#): > > The ROKS Cheonan sinking occurred on 26 March 2010, when the Cheonan, a Republic of Korea Navy ship carrying 104 personnel, sank off the country’s west coast near Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 seamen. A South Korean-led official investigation carried out by a team of international experts [concluded] that the warship had been sunk by a North Korean torpedo fired by a midget submarine. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/3 "2013-07-11T03:50:54Z")
Not an exhaustive list to be sure, but ones I can think of. > [@Billdo](#): > > In fact, the only real naval conflict between serious contenders that I can think of off the top of my head is the [Falklands War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falklands_War#Sinking_of_ARA_General_Belgrano), in which the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano and the British destroyer HMS Sheffield were sunk. Argentina also lost the submarine [_Santa Fe_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_Santa_Fe_(S-21)) in the Falklands while the British lost the destroyer [_Coventry_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Coventry_(D118)), the frigates [_Ardent_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ardent_(F184)) and [_Antelope_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Antelope_(F170)), the container ship [_Atlantic Conveyor_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Atlantic_Conveyor), and the landing ship [_Sir Tristram_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Sir_Tristram_(L3505)) was hulked and abandoned but later refloated and recomissioned after the conflict. The Iranian [La Combattante II class](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Combattante_IIa-class_fast_attack_craft) fast attack craft _Joshan_ and the frigate [_Sahand_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_frigate_Sahand) were sunk by the US Navy in Operation Praying Mantis, 2 Libyan[_Nanuchka_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanuchka_class_corvette) class corvettes and a La Combattante II fast attack craft were sunk in 1986 in the [Gulf of Sidra](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_in_the_Gulf_of_Sidra_(1986)). In the Arab-Israeli wars the destroyer INS [_Eilat_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Zealous_(R39)) was sunk by Egyptian missile boats in 1967, and in 1973 Israel claimed to have sunk 3 Syrian missile boats, a minelayer and a gunboat and 5 Egytian missile boats in [3 seperate actions](http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/navywar.html). In the 1971 war between India and Pakistan the Indian frigate INS [_Kukri_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Khukri_(1958)) was sunk by submarine torpedo, while Pakistan lost the submarine PNS [_Ghazi_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNS_Ghazi), the destroyer PNS [_Khaibar_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cadiz_(D79)) was sunk and PNS [_Shah Jahan_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNS_Shahjahan) damaged beyond repair, and a minesweeper, 3 patrol vessels and 7 gunboats were also lost by Pakistan. Iran lost a missile boat while sinking 5 Iraqi Osa II missile boats and 8 P-6 torpedo boats in [Operation Morvarid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Morvarid) during the Iran-Iraq war. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/4 "2013-07-11T03:51:35Z")
A somewhat related [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=688765) I started a few months back. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/5 "2013-07-11T04:01:24Z")
I have wondered about USS Stark - it was repaired, but given the cost was supposedly 134 million, I wonder if it was more done to prevent it being considered a write off and therefore a ‘win’ than a completely economic decision. Otara ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/6 "2013-07-11T13:53:27Z")
The US sank an Iranian frigate in Operation Praying Mantis in 1988. The shocking thing is that the biggest naval engagement by the US since WWII went almost unnoticed in the media. > **[Operation Praying Mantis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Praying_Mantis)** > > American victory (see the Aftermath section) > Iraqi invasion of Iran (1980) > Stalemate (1981) ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/7 "2013-07-11T14:02:58Z")
**Dissonance** grabbed all of the ones I could think of offhand. A few additional ones not mentioned though include: During the [1956 Suez Conflict](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis): The Royal Navy CL HMS _Newfoundland_ engaged the Egyptian Navy frigate _Domiat_, a former RN River-class frigate, in a [nighttime gun battle](http://www.shipwrecksofegypt.com/northcoast/CD/domiat.html). The _Domiat_ was rapidly set on fire, and then sunk by the RN DD _Diana_. Also in this conflict, the Egyptian DD _[Ibrahim El Awal](http://www.zahal.org/groups/capture-ibrahim-el-awal)_, a former RN [_Hunt_-class destroyer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunt_class_destroyer), was engaged by the Israeli Navy destroyers _Eilat_ and _Yaffo_ after having shelled Haifa. The INS vessels, with help from airstrikes, disabled the Ibrahim El Awal, which then surrendered. It was incorporated into the Israeli Navy as INS _Haifa_, where it served until some time in the 1970s. Going half the world away to Vietnam, the U.S. Navy and North Vietnamese fought several skirmishes during their long conflict. The [Gulf of Tonkin incident](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_incident) is the most famous, but another interesting battle is the [Battle of Dong Hoi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dong_Hoi). In this battle NVN torpedo boats and NVAF Mig-17s engaged a USN surface group that was trying to interdict nearby roads with naval gunfire. The USN responded with SAMs and gunfire. According to the wiki, it’s notable because it’s the first time that the USN came under enemy air attack since WW2, and got bombed. (Evidently the North Korean Air Force was unable to attack the USN during the Korean War.) The USN DD _Higbee_ was hit squarely by a 250-lb bomb on the destroyer’s rear 5-in gun mount. Fortunately for the Americans, the mount had been evacuated shortly before, due to a hangfire in the gun. The Higbee withdrew, as did the rest of the group, and were promptly attacked by NVN torpedo boats. Two of those were sunk by USN gunfire. While there were a multitude of NVN sampans, junks, and other small vessels sunk during operations like [Operation Sea Dragon,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sea_Dragon_(Vietnam_War)) I don’t believe the NVN lost any warships. Any resistance was provided by shore batteries, which accounted for a few hits on various UN vessels, but no sinkings. This [page](http://web.meganet.net/kman/nfseadrg.htm) is a brief compilation of accounts during Sea Dragon. Finally, in a nearby part of the world, the People’s Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam fought [a brief naval battle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_South_Reef_Skirmish) over the [Spratly Islands](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spratly_Islands) in 1988. The Vietnamese were driven off a reef they’d occupied, at the loss of two “armed transporters” like [this](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3371/3575726280_236f8bbfdf.jpg?v=0), and a heavily damaged [landing craft](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/713/hq505.jpg/?sa=0), which looks to my untrained eye like an [LST](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Ship,_Tank). Some of the above strain the definition of “sunk warship”, but I think the various 1956 naval clashes count. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/8 "2013-07-11T14:12:01Z")
There was naval combat during the occupation of [Hainan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Operation_on_Hainan_Island) in 1950 but I can’t find if any ships were permanently lost. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/9 "2013-07-11T15:42:09Z")
Although it wasn’t sunk only captured, there was [_The USS Pueblo_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pueblo_%28AGER-2%29). Actually, there **still is** The Pueblo, as it was never struck from the naval registry and remains the only active US ship in ‘enemy’ hands. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/10 "2013-07-11T16:28:04Z")
> [@Otara](#): > > I have wondered about USS Stark - it was repaired, but given the cost was supposedly 134 million, I wonder if it was more done to prevent it being considered a write off and therefore a ‘win’ than a completely economic decision. One could ask the same question about the [USS Liberty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident) as well; it didn’t sink, but it was decomissioned barely a year after it was damaged in an Israeli attack. Also, I doubt that it qualifies as a “warship” for the purposes of this question. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Skinley_Von_Clipper)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/11 "2013-07-11T16:48:02Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Not an exhaustive list to be sure, but ones I can think of.Argentina also lost the submarine [_Santa Fe_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_Santa_Fe_(S-21)) in the Falklands while the British lost the destroyer [_Coventry_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Coventry_(D118)), the frigates [_Ardent_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ardent_(F184)) and [_Antelope_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Antelope_(F170)), the container ship [_Atlantic Conveyor_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Atlantic_Conveyor), and the landing ship [_Sir Tristram_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Sir_Tristram_(L3505)) was hulked and abandoned but later refloated and recomissioned after the conflict. Argentina also lost the [ARA General Belgrano](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_General_Belgrano.), A former U.S. Navy ship. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/12 "2013-07-12T17:30:23Z")
> [@Baron\_Skinley\_Von\_Clipper](#): > > Argentina also lost the [ARA General Belgrano](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_General_Belgrano.), A former U.S. Navy ship. …which is mentioned in the quoted box in the post you quoted. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/13 "2013-07-12T23:04:01Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > One could ask the same question about the [USS Liberty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty_incident) as well; it didn’t sink, but it was decomissioned barely a year after it was damaged in an Israeli attack. Also, I doubt that it qualifies as a “warship” for the purposes of this question. The Liberty was only repaired enough to make sure it didn’t sink while getting home. The Stark was completely repaired. The difference was that with the Liberty the keel was twisted. It was cheaper to rebuild the Stark than to scrap it and build a new ship. They got another 20 years out of the Stark, though it was retired and scrapped a few years ago. The Navy did much the same thing with the Belknap, which burned down to the hull (the superstructure was completely gone). ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/14 "2013-07-12T23:59:23Z")
Two US Navy ships were severly damaged by mines in the first Gulf War. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warships-lost-in-armed-conflict-since-world-war-ii/663195/15 "2013-07-13T11:22:22Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Not an exhaustive list to be sure, but ones I can think of.Argentina also lost the submarine [_Santa Fe_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARA_Santa_Fe_(S-21)) in the Falklands while the British lost the destroyer [_Coventry_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Coventry_(D118)), the frigates [_Ardent_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ardent_(F184)) and [_Antelope_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Antelope_(F170)), the container ship [_Atlantic Conveyor_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Atlantic_Conveyor), and the landing ship [_Sir Tristram_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Sir_Tristram_(L3505)) was hulked and abandoned but later refloated and recomissioned after the conflict. The landing ship [Sir Galahad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFA_Sir_Galahad_%281966%29) was also very seriously damaged and shortly after the war was sunk off the Falklands and is now an official War Grave.