The course of American naval history has not been set only by the relatively few famous ships whose stories have been told and retold. This volume spotlights 50 less recognized vessels, each significant in its own way, from the Continental Navy to the first supercarriers--while touching on many others with which their stories are interwoven.

Attention is given not only to the design and conceptual changes the vessels embodied, but also the crews whose toil and heroism gave them life and sometimes notoriety. One captain tried to sell his warship in the midst of the Civil War.

Each ship is detailed chronologically in chapters that often dispel timeworn misconceptions. Some were trailblazers; others were misdirected in their inspiration, design, or execution--indeed two could not float and one was dampened only by rain. Yet each helped shape America's seafaring history.