USS Roanoke

At least five ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Roanoke, after both Roanoke, Virginia and the Roanoke River.

• A 7-gun schooner named Roanoke was transferred from the State Department to the Navy in 1814, and sold at Wilmington, Delaware in 1816, but there is no known record of her operations.

• The first Roanoke was a screw frigate commissioned in 1857, converted to carry three revolving turrets in 1863, and in periodic use until 1882.

• The second Roanoke was the civilian vessel El Dia converted to a minelayer in 1917 and returned in 1919.

• The third Roanoke was renamed to Lorain (PF-93) before launching.

• Roanoke (CL-114), a Fargo-class light cruiser, was scheduled to be built at the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, N.J., but the contract for her construction was canceled on 5 October 1944, prior to the start of work.[1]

• The fourth Roanoke (CL-145) was a light cruiser in service from 1949 to 1958.

• The fifth Roanoke (AOR-7) was an oiler in service from 1976 to 1995.