Post Geneva Conventions

(1898–1905, 1908–1909, 1909–1921) (1907–1917) (1917) (1941–1946) (1944–1946) (1944–1946) (1944–1946) (1944–1946) (1944–1946) (1944–1946) (1945–1947), (1950–1957) (1945–1947) (1945–1946) (1945–1946, 1950–1955) (1945–1950, 1950–1954, 1965–1970) (1945–1946, 1966–1971, 1972–1975) (1945–1946)

• USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)
  USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)
  The third USNS Mercy is the lead ship of her class of hospital ships in the United States Navy. Her sister ship is the USNS Comfort . She was named for the virtue of compassion. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, USNS Mercy and her crew do not carry any offensive weapons, though...
  
   (1986-)
• USNS Comfort (T-AH-20)
  USNS Comfort (T-AH-20)
  USNS Comfort is the third United States Navy ship to bear the name Comfort, and the second to join the navy fleet. The USNS prefix identifies the Comfort as a non-commissioned ship owned by the U.S. Navy and crewed by civilians. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, USNS Comfort and her...
  
   (1987-)

Receiving Ships, Supply Ships, and Guard Ships

A receiving ship is any vessel that serves as a point of induction into the service for new recruits. Vessels were not built for the purpose of serving in this role, rather, vessels were appointed. This normally came at the end of a vessels combat career. As such, the vessels condition was such that it was best to remain in port, at anchor. Modifications to ships serving in this role often included the removal of weapons, and the erecting of a housing structures on the main deck. Upon release from receiving duties most ships were either decommissioned or transferred to a states Naval Militia.

Records for the receiving ship were particularly modest and as such very little history is recorded of these once proud ships upon impressment into receiving duties. The actual medical duties of these ships usually was defined by the space available, and based on the need, availability of local Naval Hospitals, and the availability of a medical staff. Each receiving ship played a different role as a hospital ship if any. Refits were done locally and at discretion, if at all. In addition to the receiving ships, store ships and guard ships often took on hospital ship, hospital tender, health ship, or quarantine duties as the need or opportunity arose.

• USS Relief I
• USS Valparaiso

Ambulance Boats and Transports

A relatively large number of hospital or ambulance boats have been used by various commands, squadrons, bases, districts, and theaters through most times of conflict and peace. These boats came in all shapes and sizes, and were picked for a variety of reasons, such as availability and need.

• USS Adrian (ex-Westport)
• USS Seagate
• USS Southport
• Ambulance Boat No. One
• Ambulance Boat No. Two
• Landing Craft Utility
  Landing Craft Utility
  The Landing Craft Utility is a type of boat used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. They are capable of transporting tracked or wheeled vehicles and troops from amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers....
  
   (Type 1610, 1627, 1646)
• Landing Craft Mechanized
  Landing Craft Mechanized
  The Landing Craft Mechanized or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults....
  
   (Type 6 and 8)

Landing Ship Tank (Casualty Evacuation)

A number of Commanders modified, outfitted, or simply designated Tank Landing Ship

Tank landing ship

Landing Ship, Tank was the military designation for naval vessels created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto an unimproved shore....

s to serve in a dual role as an interim hospital designated LSTH

LSTH

An LSTH was designed to act as a hospital ship, but because they retained armament were not officially designated as such. The Tank Landing Ship was a vessel designed to beach itself and unload equipment, vehicles, tanks, and troops onto an enemy beach...

.

Rescue Ships

The PCER-848 class is an armed rescue ship built on the hull of the PCE (Patrol Craft Escort) by the Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Co.

Pullman Company

The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...

 in Chicago, Illinois. Of the 54 PCERs ordered, 13 were laid down, 12 were commissioned, and 5 saw service as rescue ships. The ships served three missions: damage control / firefighting; casualty treatment / evacuation; and patrol / guardship. Each ship's hospital was composed of 65 beds, a surgical suite, and X-Ray facilities. The medical department consisted of a staff of 11 doctors and hospital corpsmen. Ships designated PCER were numbers 847 to 859. However, PCER-847 was redesignated before commissioning as a PCE. PCERs 848, 849 and 850 underwent conversion in Brisbane, Australia. The refits converted their expansive hospital space into a communications center and the ships new mission was to serve as a signal ship for the US Army landings in the Philippines and Japan. PCERs 856, 857, and 859 missed WWII and saw virtually no service as they were intended. The remaining ships of interest, PCERs 851-855 have had a short but remarkable war record.

• USS PCER-848
• USS Brattleboro (PCER 852)
  BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19)
  BRP Miguel Malvar is the lead ship of the of corvettes of the Philippine Navy. She was originally built as USS PCE-852, a for the United States Navy during World War II. She was acquired by the Philippine Navy in April 1976 and later on commissioned as Miguel Malvar after Miguel Malvar y Carpio....
  
  
• USS PCER-854
• USS PCER-859

Rescue Transport Ships

All five of these ships were ordered and cancelled before construction began 12 March 1943. This class was the replacement of the theoretical class referred to as APH (Auxiliary Personnel Transport Hospital). The five ships were named: , , , , .

Evacuation Ships of WWII

Evacuation ships carried light armament, but did not meet the criteria established by the Geneva Conventions for the designation of Hospital Ship because they carried troops and sometimes arms in combination with injured. An example would be ferrying injured troops away from combat zones and troops and military supplies to combat zones. Most notably, the evacuation ships took part in returning troops at the end of the World War II.

Modified Barracks Ships of Vietnam

Originally planned as Riverine Hospital Ships, the idea was scratched due to the need to bring the ships too close to shore, and required a dual support role. Of the Barracks Ships assigned to the U.S. Mobile Riverine Force

Mobile Riverine Force

In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force , initially designated Mekong Delta Mobile Afloat Force, and later euphemistically the Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the Brown Water Navy...

, only the Colleton was specially refitted for the expanded hospital role and unofficially assigned the designation APBH (Auxiliary Propulsion Barracks Hospital).