Haven-class hospital ship

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USS Haven (AH-12), the lead ship of her class, seen here in 1954.
Class overview
Operators	United States Navy
Succeeded by	Mercy-class hospital ship
Built	July 1943 – August 1944
In service	1944–1989
Completed	6
Lost	1
Retired	5
Preserved	0
General characteristics
Type	Hospital ship
Displacement	11,141 tons empty 15,100 maximum
Length	520 ft (160 m) 665 ft (203 m) after 1968
Beam	71 ft 6 in (21.79 m)
Draft	24 ft (7.3 m)
Propulsion	Geared Turbine, Single Screw
Speed	17.5 knots (32.4 km/h)
Capacity	Up to 800 patients
Complement	95 officers, 606 men
Aircraft carried	1 MEDEVAC Helicopter

The Haven class of hospital ships were built for the United States Navy (USN) during World War II. Haven-class ships also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. They were among the first ships to be able to receive casualties directly by helicopter and were the first fully air conditioned ships in the US Navy.

The first ship was laid down in July 1943, while the last was launched in August 1944. In that span the United States produced 6 Haven-class hospital ships. The class was based upon the Maritime Commission’s Type C4 ship (as C4-S-B2 design).

The last Haven class ship was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1989. One ship sank in a collision in 1950; four others have been scrapped. The last Haven-class ship, the ex-USS Sanctuary (AH-17) was scrapped in 2011. Haven-class hospital ships were replaced with the Mercy-class hospital ships.

Haven-class ships[]

• USS Haven (AH-12) — lead ship of class; used in Operation Crossroads and Korean War
• USS Benevolence (AH-13) — present for Surrender of Japan; sunk 1950 off California coast after collision
• USS Tranquillity (AH-14) — Sold for scrap 15 July 1974
• USS Consolation (AH-15) — first hospital ship to receive casualties directly by helicopter
• USS Repose (AH-16) — last Haven class to be decommissioned; processed 9,000 battle casualties during the Vietnam War
• USS Sanctuary (AH-17) — scrapped in 2011, due to asbestos concerns

See also[]

• List of United States Navy hospital ships
• Comfort-class hospital ship WW2