USS PRINCETON

USS Princeton is the name given to several ships in the United States Navy, each with its own notable service history. The first USS Princeton, launched in 1843, was the Navy’s first screw steam warship and is remembered for a tragic gun explosion in 1844 that killed several high-ranking officials. Later ships bearing the name served with distinction, including USS Princeton (CVL-23), an Independence-class light aircraft carrier active during World War II, which participated in major Pacific battles before being sunk in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944. The most recent USS Princeton (CG-59), a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser commissioned in 1989, participated in the Gulf War, where she survived a mine strike and continues to serve as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.