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History of ships named ENTERPRISE
"ENTERPRISE"
A History of the Gallant Ladies of Sea and Space
(Updated 01/01/90)
by
Arnold E. van Beverhoudt, Jr.
***** INTRODUCTION *****
This is an updated and expanded history of ships named "Enterprise", and
replaces the previous edition (uploaded in December 1988) which is still
available in this data library. During the year which has elapsed, I've
been able to obtain more detail on the U.S. Navy "Enterprises", track
down the history of all British Royal Navy ships called "Enterprise",
and obtain limited information on French Navy "Enterprises" and a
Confederate "Enterprise.
Between 1705 and 1979, there were 12 'HMS Enterprises", while between
1775 and 1999, there were 8 "USS Enterprises". There have also been 8
NASA and Starfleet "Enterprises", 8 French "Enterprises", 1 Confederate
"Enterprise", and countless privately-owned "Enterprises". As I
researched the history of the name, I quickly realized that each of
these ships had a fascinating history, and that the missions and patrols
carried out by each ship are a reflection of the state of international
relations and maritime technology at that point in time. I hope you
will also find this interesting reading.
In his "Enterprise Legacy", Ronald Roden mentions an "HMS Enterprise"
which sailed to the Far East around 1616 and was lost in a storm near
India. However, my research did not turn up any evidence of such a
vessel. My primary sources of information were official ship histories
of the "USS Enterprises" from the U.S. Naval Historical Center in
Washington, DC; official ship histories of the "HMS Enterprises" from
the National Maritime Museum and the Imperial War Museum in London,
England; and popularly-accepted ship histories of the Starfleet
"Enterprises" as given in various publications related to "Star Trek".
Information on the French "Enterprises" was provided by the Musee de la
Marine in Paris and the Service Historique de la Marine in Vincennes,
France.
***** THE BRITISH ENTERPRISES *****
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1705 to 1707 - 24-gun Frigate
The first ship confirmed to have served with the Royal Navy as the
"Enterprise" was a 24-gun frigate captured from France in May 1705. She
was also called the "Enterprise" (spelled "Entreprise") while in French
service. She was 100 feet long and carried a crew of 115 men. She
served in the Mediterranean, and was engaged in action near Leghorn,
Italy on May 19 and 20, 1707. She was wrecked off Thronton in the
Mediterranean on October 12, 1707.
"HMS ENTERPRIZE" - 1709 to 1740 - 40-gun Frigate
The second "HMS Enterprize" was a 188-foot frigate which carried 40 guns
and a crew of 190. (As was true o ??O??e??? ? ?R
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Records on the third "HMS Enterprize" are very sketchy. However, this
ship was a small sloop captured (possibly from Spain) in 1743. She had
a crew of 60 men and took part in the Battle of Toulon on February 11,
1744. She was used primarily in the Mediterranean, and was sold in
1748.
"HMS ENTERPRIZE" - 1744 to 1764 - 44-gun Frigate
The fourth "HMS Enterprize" was originally built in 1693 as the
"Norwich". She was renamed "Enterprize" on May 23, 1744. She was 130
feet long, with a crew of 250. She set sail for Jamaica and patrolled
the Caribbean until 1757. She sailed to Nova Scotia in June of that
year, then in July 1758 returned to the Caribbean. In 1761 she went
home to English waters and again return to the Caribbean in January
1762. Between June 6 and August 13, 1763, she participated in action
off Havana, Cuba. The "Enterprize" was decommissioned in January 1764
and broken up in 1771.
"HMS ENTERPRIZE" - 1775 to 1807 - 26-gun Frigate
The fifth "HMS Enterprize" was a 120-foot frigate built at Deptford,
England and commissioned in April 1775. She served for several years in
the Mediterranean, and participated in the siege of Gibraltar. In April
1782, she set out for the Caribbean, where she captured the privateer
vessel "Mohawk". From 1790, she was assigned harbor patrol duties in
British waters. She was retired and broken up in August 1807.
"HMS ENTERPRIZE" - 1807 to 1816 - Frigate
Very little information remains about the sixth "HMS Enterprize". She
was probably about 120 feet long, with 25 to 30 guns. It is known that
she was originally built as the "Resource" in 1778 and renamed
"Enterprize" in 1807. She was assigned harbor patrol duties until she
was sold on August 28, 1816.
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1848 to 1860 - Survey Ship
The seventh "HMS Enterprise" was a 126-foot survey and exploration ship
which served her entire active career exploring the Canadian Arctic
regions. In 1845, noted British explorer Sir John Franklin set out to
find the Northwest Passage. However, his expedition was never heard
from again. As a result, the British Government mounted an extensive
search campaign which lasted 12 years. The "Enterprise" was
commissioned in April 1848, and was the lead ship in one of the search
expeditions. First commanded by Sir James Ross (from 1848 to 1849) and
then by Captain Richard Collinson (from 1849 to 1860) the "Enterprise"
traversed the islands of the Canadian Arctic regions searching for clues
of Sir Franklin's lost expedition and also surveying and charting the
region. It can be said, then, that this was the first "Enterprise" to
carry out the type of exploratory cruises for which starships
"Enterprise" are so well known. She was converted to a coal carrying
hulk in 1860, and remained in that duty until she was sold in 1903.
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1864 to 1886 - Ironclad Sloop
The eighth "HMS Enterprise" was the first iron-hulled "Enterprise". She
was a 180-foot sail and steam-powered ship designed for coastal defense
duties. She was originally begun as a wooden-hulled ship in 1861,
renamed "Circassian" in 1862, and then canceled in 1863. Construction
began again in 1864, at which time she was completed as an ironclad with
the name "Enterprise" restored. She patrolled coastal waters in the
Mediterranean until she was sold in November 1886.
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1899 to 1919 - Screw Tug
The ninth "HMS Enterprise" was a 110-foot steam-powered screw-driven tug
which was constructed at the McLachlan Dock Yards in October 1899. She
served as a dock yard tug until 1919, when she was renamed "Emprise".
She continued in service with this new name until she was sold in 1947.
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1914 to 1918 - Drifter
During World War I, the Royal Navy requisitioned a number of small
vessels for auxiliary duties. Among these were two drifters (fishing
vessels) which carried the name "Enterprise". The first ship was
purchased in 1914 and served until 1918, when she was renamed
"Entertain". The second drifter was purchased in 1915 and served until
March 8, 1916, when she was sunk by an enemy mine off Brindisi, Italy.
There was a third drifter called "Enterprising", which served from 1914
to 1919 and may have served again from 1940 to 1947. (In my count, I
consider these three small ships as one entry.)
"HMS ENTERPRISE" 1919 to 1946 - Light Cruiser
Perhaps the most significant "HMS Enterprise" was the eleventh, which
was a 570-foot "E-class" light cruiser. She was commissioned in
December 1919. In April 1926, she was assigned to the East Indies and
patrolled the area until 1937. During 1936 and 1937, she served as
flagship for Vice-Admiral Sir Ramsey. The "Enterprise" was active and
served proudly during World War II. Between 1940 and 1942, she served
on the Halifax Escort Force and was damaged by a near miss during
operations off Norway. On December 28, 1943, the "Enterprise" and the
cruiser "Glasgow" engaged a German convoy in the Bay of Biscay.
Although the "Enterprise" and "Glasgow" were under attack by German
planes, they managed to sink a German destroyer and two fleet torpedo
boats. The "Enterprise" also participated on the D-Day landings at
Normandy in June 1944. She was sold on April 11, 1946.
"HMS ENTERPRISE" - 1958 to circa 1979 - Survey Ship
The twelfth and last "HMS Enterprise" was an "E-class" hydrographic
survey ship. She was 100-feet long and was equipment with sonar and
fathometers for coastal patrol duties. She could also be rigged with
armament and equipment to serve as a minesweeper in time of war. She
was commissioned in September 1958 and served until she was retired
sometime around 1979.
***** THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISES *****
"ENTERPRISE" - 1775 TO 1777 - 12-gun Sloop
The first American "Enterprise" was a 62-foot sloop captured from the
British at St. Johns, Canada on May 18, 1775. Available records suggest
that she was given the name "Enterprise" by Colonel Benedict Arnold at
the time of her capture. On August 28, 1775, the "Enterprise" and two
other ships captured by Colonel Arnold's Continental Army troops carried
over 1,000 men who were part of an attack against St. Johns, Montreal,
and Quebec. The arrival of strong British reinforcements eventually
forced these ships to withdraw in the spring of 1776. At Ticonderoga,
Colonel Arnold built up a larger fleet and again entered battle with the
British on October 11, 1776, near Plattsburg, New York. Though greatly
inferior in terms of firepower, the "Enterprise" and the other ships in
Arnold's fleet fought off the British all day long and slipped through
the British lines at night. Over the next two days, a running battle
continued, which resulted in the loss of all but five of the American
ships. Arnold again withdrew the "Enterprise" and the four other
remaining ships to Ticonderoga. Although this had been a tactical
defeat, it was a great strategic victory. The small fleet had so
disrupted the British invasion into New York that it was nearly a year
before another attack could be mounted by the British. By that time,
additional American troops had been recruited and trained. This led to
the eventual American victory at Saratoga on October 17, 1777. During
the British advances prior to the Battle of Saratoga, the "Enterprise"
and four other vessels were assigned convoy duty on Lake Champlain. On
July 7, 1777, she was run aground at Skenesboro and burned by her crew
to prevent her capture by the British.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1776 to 1777 - 8-gun Schooner
Very little is known about the second "Enterprise". Incomplete records
indicate that she was an 8-gunned privateer schooner purchased by the
Continental Congress on December 20, 1776. She operated primarily in
Chesapeake Bay, and among her assignments the "Enterprise" convoyed
transport ships, carried out various reconnaissance missions against the
British, and guarded the shores of the Chesapeake from British raids.
The "Enterprise" was returned to the Maryland Council of Safety sometime
in February 1777, just two months after she was purchased.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1799 to 1823 - 12-gun Schooner
The third "USS Enterprise" was an 85-foot schooner, which was also known
as the "Lucky Little Enterprise". Shortly after the end of the American
Revolutionary War, the French Revolution began. The French
revolutionaries had little respect for international law and soon began
seizing American ships. By 1799, this matter had reached the stage of
an undeclared war, and the "Enterprise" sailed on December 17, 1799, to
the Caribbean. There, she saw action against the French, capturing
eight French privateer ships and recapturing 11 American merchantmen.
The "Enterprise" was next assigned to the Mediterranean. The first
action of this cruise occurred on August 1, 1801. During a fierce
battle, from which the "Enterprise" emerged unscathed, she captured the
corsair ship "Tripoli". The "Enterprise" continued to patrol the
Mediterranean and on January 17, 1803, captured the "Paulina", a ship
under charter to the leader of Tripoli. On May 22, 1803, she ran a 30-
ton craft aground on the shore of Tripoli. On December 23, 1803, under
command of Lt. Stephen Decatur, the "Enterprise" and "Constitution"
together captured the Tripolitan vessel "Mastico". The "Mastico" was
renamed "Intrepid" and was used to mount an expedition into Tripoli to
burn the frigate "Philadelphia", which had been captured. The
"Enterprise" continued to patrol the Barbary Coast and joined other
ships in general attacks on Tripoli in July 1804. She spent most of the
winter of 1804 in Venice, where she was almost completely rebuilt by May
1805. She then returned to duty in the Mediterranean and fought a brief
battle with Spanish gunboats off Gibraltar on August 15, 1806. The
"Enterprise" returned to the United States in late 1807 and patrolled
the coastal waters until June 1809. In 1811, just prior to the outbreak
of the War of 1812, the "Enterprise" entered the Washington Navy Yard,
where she was reconstructed as a brig, growing eight feet in length and
gaining more advanced armament. The "Enterprise" then saw action in the
War of 1812. On September 5, 1813, she engaged in a fierce battle with
the newly-built British brig "Boxer". During the battle, which saw the
death of the commanders of both ships, the "Enterprise" captured the
"Boxer" and took her to nearby Portland, Maine. A common funeral was
held for both Lt. William Burrows, the "Enterprise's" commander, and the
"Boxer's" Captain Samuel Blythe. After repairs in Portland, Maine, the
"Enterprise" and the brig "Rattlesnake" sailed for the Caribbean. They
captured three enemy ships before being separated by a heavily armed
ship on February 25, 1814. The "Enterprise" returned to the United
States, where she patrolled the waters near Charleston, South Carolina
for the remainder of the War. After the end of the War of 1812, the
"Enterprise" was again pressed into service in the Mediterranean from
July to November 1815, then cruised the northeastern U.S. coast until
November 1817. After that, she sailed the Caribbean and the Gulf of
Mexico against pirates and smugglers, capturing 13 vessels in the
process. The "Lucky Little Enterprise" ended her almost 1/4 century of
proud service, when she ran aground and broke up on Little Curacao
Island in the West Indies on July 9, 1823.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1831 to 1844 - 8-gun Schooner
The fourth "USS Enterprise" was an 88-foot schooner built at the New
York Navy Yard and commissioned on December 15, 1831. She sailed for
South America on January 12, 1832, and patrolled the Brazilian coast
until April 1834, protecting American shipping and citizens during
conflicts between Brazil and Uruguay. After repairs in New York, she
returned to the Brazilian patrol in July 1834. Ten months later, the
"Enterprise" and the sloop "Peacock" set sail for the Far East by way of
Africa, India, and the East Indies. The "Enterprise" continued eastward
across the Pacific and stopped in Honolulu, Hawaii in September 1836.
She then proceeded to the west coast of Mexico and began a patrol of the
west coast of South America. After rounding Cape Horn, the "Enterprise"
stopped at Rio de Janeiro enroute to Philadelphia. There, she was
decommissioned on July 12, 1839. The "Enterprise" was recommissioned on
November 29, 1839. After four more years of protecting American
shipping interests off the coast of South America, she entered the
Boston Navy Yard in June 1844 and was eventually sold on October 28,
1844.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1877 to 1909 - Screw Sloop
The fifth "USS Enterprise" was a 185-foot sail and steam-powered sloop-
of-war commissioned, on March 16, 1877. Her first duty took her to the
mouth of the Mississippi River, where she conducted survey operations.
In May 1878, she sailed up the Amazon and Madeira Rivers in South
America on survey duties. She joined the U.S. naval force in European
waters in December 1878, making numerous calls in northern Europe and
the Mediterranean. The "Enterprise" was decommissioned (for the first
of many times) at the Washington Navy Yard in May 1880. She was
recommissioned in January 1882 and spent a year cruising the U.S. east
coast. On January 1, 1883, she set sail on a hydrographic survey that
took her around the world. The results of her survey added considerably
to existing knowledge about the oceans and ocean currents. She was
again decommissioned in March 1886 and then reactivated in October 1887.
In January 1888, the "Enterprise" sailed for European waters and the
Mediterranean, where she cruised for two years showing the flag. After
this cruise, she was again decommissioned in March 1890. The
"Enterprise" was recommissioned for the final time in July 1890 and
operated for a year in the Caribbean. From September 1891 to September
1892, she served as the training ship of the U.S. Naval Academy at
Annapolis, Maryland. On October 17, 1892, she was lent to the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a maritime training vessel. She served
in this capacity for some 17 years and was finally sold on October 1,
1909.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1916 to 1919 - Motor Patrol Boat
The sixth "USS Enterprise" was a 66-foot motor patrol boat purchased by
the U.S. Navy on December 6, 1916. She performed harbor tug duties at
Newport, Rhode Island until December 1917, when she was moved to
Bedford, Massachusetts. She was transferred to the Bureau of Fisheries
on August 2, 1919.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1938 to 1947 - Aircraft Carrier CV-6
The seventh "USS Enterprise", also known as the "Big E", was the second
Yorktown-class aircraft carrier. She was commissioned on May 12, 1938,
and served gallantly during World War II, seeing much action against the
Japanese fleet in the Pacific. The "Enterprise" had just completed
delivering aircraft to Wake Island and was enroute back to Pearl Harbor
when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. While she was fortunate
to have been at sea during the attack and did not encounter any surface
ships, the "Enterprise" did score a kill by sinking the Japanese
submarine "I-170" on December 10, 1941. On January 11, 1942, the
"Enterprise" sailed from Hawaii to protect convoys sent to reinforce
Samoa. On February 1, she dealt a hard blow to the Japanese in the
Marshall Islands, sinking three ships and damaging eight others. During
the next month, the "Enterprise" blasted enemy installations on Wake
Island. After repairs and minor modifications, she rendevoused with the
"Hornet" on April 6, 1942, and provided air cover while the "Hornet"
launched B-25 bombers on a raid against Tokyo. With Rear Admiral
Raymond Spruance aboard, the "Enterprise" was deployed on June 4, 1942,
with the "Yorktown" and "Hornet" at the Battle of Midway. Her torpedo
bombers suffered heavy losses. However, her dive bombers helped sink the
Japanese carriers "Akagi", "Kaga", and "Hiryu". Off Guadalcanal on
August 24, 1942, "Enterprise" suffered several hits from Japanese
bombers, but she was repaired at Pearl Harbor and joined in the Battle
of Santa Cruz just two months later. Although she was hit again during
that battle, the "Enterprise" continued in action and took aboard planes
from the "Hornet", which had to be abandoned. By the time the naval
battles off Guadalcanal had ended on November 15, 1942, the
"Enterprise" had shared in sinking 16 enemy ships, among them the
Japanese battleship "Hiei", and damaging 8 more. On May 27, 1943,
Admiral Chester Nimitz presented the "Enterprise" with the first
Presidential Unit Citation awarded to an aircraft carrier. In July
1943, she entered the Puget Sound Navy Yard for major repairs.
Returning to action in November 1943, the "Enterprise" introduced
carrier night operations by launching a 3-plane force against Japanese
land-based bombers. She again made carrier aviation history on
February 17, 1944, when she launched 12 torpedo bombers on a night radar
bombing attack against the Japanese naval base at Truk. Planes from the
"Enterprise" accounted for 1/3 of the 200,000 tons of shipping destroyed
by the task force during that raid. On June 19, 1944, the "Enterprise"
took part in what is considered as the greatest carrier aircraft battle
in history. After 8 hours of combat in the skies near Saipan, the
United States Navy had lost 130 planes and crew and had 6 ships damaged.
However, the Japanese lost 3 carriers and 426 planes. Japanese naval
aviation never recovered from this defeat. The "Enterprise"
participated in other action near Palau in September and October 1944,
at Leyte Gulf in October 1944, and Manila and Yap in November 1944. She
also supported the landing at Iwo Jima in February 1945, keeping
aircraft aloft for a continuous 174 hours. A kamikaze hit on May 14,
1945, blew out her forward elevator and kept her in dock until after the
end of the War. The "Enterprise" was restored to peak condition and
sailed to Pearl Harbor to bring home 1,000 troops. She then set sail
for Europe, where she participated in the "Magic Carpet" operation,
bringing home more than 10,000 servicemen in her final service. The
"Enterprise" was decommissioned on February 17, 1947, and placed in
reserve. She never saw operational service again. She was sold for
scrap on July 1, 1958, after unsuccessful attempts to have her preserved
as a memorial. (Author's Note: The novel "Final Frontier" by Diane
Carey is in error in stating, on page 153, that the World War II
aircraft carrier "USS Enterprise" was sold to the Japanese for scrap.
According to the Ships' Histories Branch of the U.S. Naval Historical
Center, the "Enterprise" was sold to a New Jersey company.)
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 1951 to 2005 - Aircraft Carrier CVN-65
The eighth "USS Enterprise" was commissioned on November 25, 1961, as
the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Her hull and 4.5
acre flight deck design were that of the Kitty Hawk-class of
conventionally-powered carriers. However, her square superstructure
gave the "Enterprise" a unique profile. On February 20, 1962, the
"Enterprise" played a role in the early history of space exploration by
serving as a tracking ship for the United States' first orbital mission,
John Glenn's 3-orbit flight in "Friendship 7". She next joined the
Sixth Fleet on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea. In October 1962, the
"Enterprise" participated in the blockade of Cuba and on May 13, 1964,
set sail with the nuclear-powered cruiser "Long Beach" and frigate
"Bainbridge" on Operation Sea Orbit. This historic 32,000 mile voyage
took the task force on an around the world cruise without a single
refueling. The "Enterprise" was transferred to the Seventh Fleet in the
Pacific in November 1965. On December 2, 1965, she became the first
nuclear-powered ship to engage in combat, launching 125 air sorties
against Viet Cong targets. The very next day, she set a record by
launching 165 sorties in a single day. While off Hawaii in January
1969, a fire caused by a missile explosion destroyed her aft flight
deck. After extensive repairs, the "Enterprise" returned to action off
Vietnam. In all, she made six combat patrols to Southeast Asia and
earned five battle stars and two Navy Unit Commendations. Her last
strike of the war was made in 1973. Beginning in January 1979, she
underwent a 3-year overhaul and refit, including modernization of her
nuclear reactors. Unknown to her crew, in 1986 the carrier "Enterprise"
provided the rebel crew of the 23rd Century starship "Enterprise" with
the nuclear fuel they needed to successfully complete the time travel
episode that occurred during the Whalesong Incident. In April 1988, she
was assigned to escort reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian
Gulf, protecting them from Iranian or Iraqi attacks. The "Enterprise"
departed on her 14th overseas deployment on September 17, 1989, under
command of Captain Harry T. Rittenour. Upon completion of that
assignment, she had accomplished her sixth around the world cruise.
After another major overhaul, the "Enterprise" returned to service, with
Norfolk, Virginia as her homeport. She sailed into the 21st Century and
was finally retired to the Navy Museum at Peal Harbor in 2005.
***** THE SPACE ENTERPRISES *****
"ENTERPRISE" - 1976 to 1986 - Space Shuttle OV-101
The first space-related "Enterprise" was the prototype of the American
space shuttle, the world's first reusable spacecraft. Although she was
never intended for actual flight into space, the "Enterprise" conducted
a series of unpowered approach and landing tests during 1977. During
these tests, she was carried aloft atop a specially-modified Boeing 747
and released to glide to unpowered, but piloted landings at Edwards Air
Force Base, California. These tests proved the aerodynamic stability of
the space shuttle design and the ability of the astronaut crew to guide
the space shuttle to a safe landing. In later years, the "Enterprise"
continued to be used as a test bed for the flight-worthy space shuttle
fleet. The space shuttle "Enterprise" now resides at the Dulles Airport
Annex of the National Air and Space Museum.
"ENTERPRISE" - 2003 to 2055 - Aerospace Plane
The second space "Enterprise" was the first member of an operational
fleet of aerospace planes that could take off from conventional runways,
fly into space, and then return to a runway landing. She was
commissioned in 2003. The role of the aerospace plane fleet was to
provide routine access to space. The "Enterprise" and the other
aerospace planes made regular flights to the international space station
"Freedom", ferrying scientists, supplies, and mid-sized cargo into Earth
orbit. As available space permitted, the aerospace planes also provided
passenger service, and were able to travel from one point on the Earth
to any other point within two hours of flight time. Some members of the
aerospace plane fleet continued to fly well into the 22nd century.
However, the "Enterprise" was retired in 2055, after 52 years of
continuous service. She helped to open up access to space to the
general public and make spaceflight as routine and safe as commercial
aviation was during the late 20th century.
"ENTERPRISE" - 2123 to 2165 - Spaceliner
Because the United Nations Solar Fleet did not use the name "Enterprise"
for any of its space ships, almost 70 years passed between time the
second and third space-going "Enterprises" were commissioned. This
vessel was the second space-going "Enterprise" and the first spaceliner
built specifically for the major Federation space lanes (such as Earth
to Alpha Centauri). She had a warp drive engine and could attain a
speed of warp 3.2. The travel demands that blossomed in the mid-22nd
Century resulted in 957 Declaration-class spaceliners being built by the
Federation's Trade Bureau. The "Enterprise" was the most popular of
these. In addition to her warp drive technology, she was the first
space vessel to be equipped with sub-space radio.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 2188 to 2222 - Starship NCC-1701
The first starship "Enterprise" was the most famous vessel in the
history of Starfleet. She served gallantly for a total of 39 years.
She was commanded on a series of patrol and exploratory missions by
Captains Robert April, Christopher Pike, and James Kirk. Under the
command of Captain Kirk, the "Enterprise" and her crew became living
legends, not only among member planets of the Federation, but among the
Klingon and Romulan Empires as well. In 2183, five years before she was
officially commissioned, the "Enterprise" was pressed into service on a
secret mission commanded by Captain April. Among her crew on this
secret mission was George Kirk, father of Captain James Kirk. It was
George Kirk who recommended that the (then unnamed) starship be called
the "Enterprise", noting the proud history of prior vessels of that
name. After she was commissioned in 2188, the "Enterprise" began the
first of her patrol missions. During her second patrol, under Captain
Pike, the "Enterprise" encountered the highly telepathic race on Talos
IV in 2196. As a result of the crew's experiences, Talos IV was placed
on permanent quarantine. In 2202, Captain Kirk assumed command of the
"Enterprise". During this early mission, Captain Kirk and other bridge
crew members were involved in a time-travel episode in which they
intervened on behalf of survivors of a Vulcan scout ship which crashed
on Earth in 2045. Although never officially acknowledged by the
Federation, this was the first contact by humans with extraterrestrials.
In 2207, Captain Kirk led the "Enterprise" on the first of her 5-year
exploratory missions. The exploits of the ship and her crew during the
next 15 years have become legendary and have been recreated in numerous
media, including holovision, videobooks, and even old-style paper books.
Among her exploits were the discovery of the Guardian of Forever,
several time travel voyages to Earth's past, and numerous missions where
she brought stability to planetary cultures that underwent some type of
unnatural change. Because of rapidly developing starship technology,
the "Enterprise" was upgraded several times during her career. These
included (1) a minor upgrade in 2201, before she was placed under the
command of Captain Kirk; (2) in 2206, at which time she was upgraded to
Bon Homme Richard-class before the start of her 5-year exploratory
mission under Captain Kirk; and (3) in 2210, when she was upgraded to
Achernar-class. In 2212, the "Enterprise" entered Earth-orbital dry
dock for major refit. When she emerged 2 1/2 years later, she was
virtually a new ship. The refit had included streamlining her hull,
reconfiguring her internal deck arrangement, and replacing her warp
drive engines and armament. During time period of her refit, the
"Enterprise" was under the command of Captain Will Decker. In 2215, the
revised "Enterprise" was rushed out of dry dock under command of now-
Admiral Kirk to confront the V'ger probe. Captain Decker and Lt. Ilia,
the ship's Deltan navigator, were listed as "missing in action" as a
result of that confrontation. After completing another 5-year mission,
the "Enterprise" was assigned as the Starfleet Academy Training Vessel,
under command of Captain Spock. In late 2222, while on a training
cruise, she was heavily damaged by "Reliant", which had been
commandeered by Khan Noonian Singh. Captain Spock was killed during
this encounter. The "Enterprise" was subsequently stolen from space
dock by Admiral Kirk and his bridge crew in an attempt to recover
Captain Spock's body from the Genesis Planet. During this attempt, Kirk
ordered the "Enterprise" to self-destruct in order to keep her from
capture by the Klingons. Spock's body was recovered and successfully
re-fused with his katra. In honor of the gallant starship, a tradition
was started of naming all Starfleet flagships "Enterprise" and assigning
the registration number "NCC-1701" followed by a letter to identify each
succeeding ship.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 2222 to 2242 - Starship NCC-1701A
After the destruction of "Enterprise" NCC-1701, Starfleet decided to
rechristen the "Ti-Ho" as "Enterprise" NCC-1701A. "Ti-Ho" was a later
model of the Enterprise-class cruiser and was equipped with more
advanced computers, control consoles, and the latest in transwarp drive
technology. Externally, the new "Enterprise" was identical to her
famous predecessor. After the original starship "Enterprise" was
destroyed at the Genesis Planet, Admiral Kirk and his rebel crew
commandeered a Klingon Bird of Prey and took temporary refuge on Vulcan.
While enroute back to Earth to face charges for stealing the
"Enterprise", the Whalesong Incident occurred. During this incident,
Admiral Kirk and crew used the Klingon Bird of Prey to time travel to
Earth in 1986. This was necessary in order to retrieve two humpback
whales and return them to 2222. This extinct species was the only one
that could communicate with an alien probe vaporizing Earth's oceans.
With the help of the 20th Century aircraft carrier CVN-65 "Enterprise",
the mission was successful. Upon returning to Earth, Admiral Kirk and
crew faced trial. All charges were dropped, except one against Kirk for
failure to obey a direct order. Kirk was demoted to the rank of Captain
and placed in command of the new starship "Enterprise" NCC-1701A. After
a shakedown cruise, the "Enterprise" entered spacedock for repair of
systems which malfunctioned during the shakedown. Before those repairs
could be completed, however, she was ordered to the planet Nimbus III in
the Neutral Zone to rescue diplomats supposedly being held hostage by
the renegade Vulcan Sybok. Through trickery, Sybok and his followers
managed to hijack the "Enterprise" and send it on a mission to search
for God at the center of the Galaxy. The starship penetrated an energy
barrier surrounding the Galactic Core. However, what they found was not
God, but a malevolent energy being. After the crew had a well-
deserved shore leave on Earth, the "Enterprise" began a new exploratory
mission, which ended tragically in 2232, when Captain Kirk was killed in
action. Lt. Commander Hikaru Sulu was made Captain of the "Enterprise"
and commanded her on until she was retired to the Starfleet Museum at
Memory Alpha in 2242.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 2308 to 2343 - Starship NCC-1701B
After the death of Captain James Kirk, Starfleet decided to name its
next flagship the "James T. Kirk" in his honor. Therefore, a span of 66
years passed between the fifth and sixth space-going "Enterprises".
This "Enterprise" was of the Destiny-class, a modification of the then-
popular Excelsior-class. After she was commissioned in 2308, she was
assigned to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone, where she was stationed for
many years. She also served on four 5-year exploratory cruises, during
which she made many first contacts with previously unknown races. When
the Great War broke out between the Federation and the Klingon Empire in
2332, the "Enterprise" was called to active duty in her role as
Starfleet flagship. In 2334, she engaged the Klingon cruiser
"Battlequeen II" at the Battle of Rigel. This was one of the most
important battles of the War, and the "Enterprise" emerged victorious.
Appropriately, the next year it was the "Enterprise" that ferried
Federation Ambassador Attenborough and the Klingon delegation to Babel,
where the peace accords were signed. In 2343, the "Enterprise" returned
to her patrol duties in the Romulan Neutral Zone, where she was attacked
by a renegade Klingon L-24 battleship and a Romulan Nova-class
battleship. Although the "Enterprise" was self-destructed to prevent
her capture, she destroyed both attacking vessels in her matter-
antimatter explosion.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 2354 to 2361 - Starship NCC-1701C
The seventh space "Enterprise" was powered by a new generation of
transwarp drive. Unfortunately, the technology had some flaws which
resulted in the loss of the ship after only a few years. There are
conflicting records as to whether this "Enterprise" was of the Phoenix,
Ambassador, or Alaska-class. However, it is generally accepted that she
was of the Ambassador-class, which was an upgrade of the Phoenix-class.
An Alaska-class battleship "Enterprise" planned for construction in 2346
was never built. After she was commissioned in 2354, the "Enterprise"
completed a 5-year patrol mission in the Neutral Zone. In 2359, she
began what was to have been a 10-year exploratory mission at the
Galaxy's Great Outer Rim. However, 2 1/2 years into the mission, she
was inexplicably lost when she was propelled in uncontrolled flight out
of the Galaxy. Speculation is that her new transwarp drives
malfunctioned. Many still hold the hope that she will be heard from
again, with news of contact with extragalactic intelligences.
"USS ENTERPRISE" - 2364 to Date - Starship NCC-1701D
The latest "Enterprise" is the fifth Starfleet vessel to carry the proud
name and registration number "NCC-1701". It is twice the length of the
original starship "Enterprise" and has eight times the interior space.
However, she retains much of the same symmetry of an engineering section
with its twin nacelles and a large saucer-shaped command section. On a
typical 15-year mission, the "Enterprise" carries 1,200 persons,
including crew and their families. Under the command of Captain Jean-
Luc Picard, the "Enterprise" continues to expand the frontiers of
knowledge about our Galaxy and the strange beings that inhabit it. As
always, she is also ready to defend herself and the Federation, if
called upon. Although still many years from completion of her first 15-
year mission, the "Enterprise" and her crew have achieved an enviable
record of achievements. Among her exploits, the "Enterprise" made the
first official contact with the Ferengi Alliance, was the first to
encounter the entity "Q", was instrumental in quelching the conspiracy
known as the Starfleet Code One Emergency, and re-established contact
with the Romulans. The "Enterprise" is also symbolic of the peace that
exists between the Federation and Klingons, as her chief security
officer is a Klingon.
***** THE FRENCH ENTERPRISES *****
The French Navy has had eight vessels named "Enterprise" (spelled
"Entreprise"). Most of these were sailing ships of the 18th and early
19th Centuries. The last such ship was a steam-powered craft
requisitioned during World War I. Following is a list of the known
French "Enterprises". Unfortunately, more detailed specifications and
ship histories have not survivied.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1705 - Frigate
This ship was a 24-gun frigate which sailed under French flag until May
1705, when she was captured by the British Royal Navy. She continued to
serve with the Royal Navy until 1707.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1759 - Frigate
This "Entreprise" was another frigate which served under French flag.
Her size and armament are unknown.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1792 - Aviso
This vessel served with the French Navy for two years. An "aviso" was a
class of sailing vessel used as a dispatch or advice boat.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1796 - Chasee-Maree
This "Entreprise" was originally called the "Saint Jean-de-Luz". She
sank on August 3, 1796, while enroute to England. A "chasee-maree" was
a sailing vessel of 1, 2, or 3 masts with 4-sided sails mounted on yard-
arms which were hung from the masts at an oblique angle.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1797 - Corsair
This ship served at a time when French corsairs routinely attacked
shipping from other countries, including the United States. Corsairs
were generally privateers authorized by their governments to prey upon
commercial shipping.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1798 - Felucca
The sixth French "Entreprise" also served at the time of French pirate
activities. A "felucca" was a narrow vessel used primarily in the
Mediterranean Sea. It generally had three masts with triangular sails
and provision for the use of oars.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1800 - Sloop
This ship, originally called the "Brest", served as a transport ship
from 1800 until 1807.
"ENTREPRISE" - 1917 - Trawler
Similar to the British Royal Navy, the French Navy requisitioned various
fishing vessels to perform official duties during World War I. The las
French "Entreprise" was a trawler which served from 1917 to 1920.
***** THE PRIVATE ENTERPRISES *****
There have been many privately-owned "Enterprises" throughout history:
too many to include in this history. However, my research did uncover
several which played important roles in the early history of maritime
commerce. Here is a partial list of those private "Enterprises".
"ENTERPRISE" - 1814 - Stern-Wheel Steamboat
Built by Mississippi steamboat pioneer Henry Miller Shreve, this
"Enterprise" was the first steamboat to ascend the Mississippi and Ohio
Rivers from New Orleans to Louisville. She also carried supplies to
Andrew Jackson's army during the Battle of New Orleans.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1816 - Steam Tow Boat
This "Enterprise" was one of the first steamboats to be used to tow
cargo barges. She sailed regularly between Savannah and Augusta,
Georgia.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1818 - Steam Tow Boat
This was New England's first steam tow boat. She operated from
Hartford, Connecticut.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1825 - Schooner
This sail-powered "Enterprise" sailed between Boston, Massachusetts and
Albany, New York.
"ENTERPRIZE" - 1826 - Side-Wheel Paddle Steamship
In response to a reward of 80,000 rupees offered to the first ship to
provide steam-powered service between Europe and India, a group of
British businessmen purchased the 133-foot "Enterprize" in 1825. Their
journey from Falmouth, England to Calcutta, India was not, however, fast
enough to earn the reward. However, the Government of India purchased
the "Enterprize" from the businessmen and used the ship as a troop
carrier from 1826 to 1830. After this tour of official duty, the East
India Company acquired the "Enterprize" and returned her to commercial
duties. In 1840, she became the first ship to provide regular mail
service through the port of Suez to India.
"ENTERPRISE" 1847 - Steamship
This steam-powered ship sailed regularly between New York and Liverpool,
England until 1860.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1848 - Schooner
This was another sail-powered schooner. She sailed between New York and
Boston.
"ENTERPRISE - 1850 - Side-Wheel Steamboat
This paddle wheeler was active on a run between San Francisco and
Sacramento. When her owner took her to Puget Sound, she met stiff price
competition from another steamboat owned by the Wright Brothers. She
was eventually sold to the Wright Brothers, who removed her engine and
installed it in their vessel.
"SS ENTERPRISE" - 1901 - Steamship
This "Enterprise" was the first steamship owned by the Matson Line, a
Pacific pioneer. In 1901, she began regular service between California
and Hawaii.
"ENTERPRISE" - 1980 - Airship
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company operated a fleet of helium-filled
airships (commonly known as "blimps"). One of these airships was called
the "Enterprise". She and her sister ships routinely appeared at
sporting events, providing excellent overhead vantage points for
television cameras.
***** A CONFEDERATE ENTERPRISE *****
"CSS ENTERPRISE" - 1865 to 1866 - Iron-Hulled Screw Cruiser
The Confederate States had a very small navy at the beginning of the
Civil War, and was forced to acquire ships from many different sources.
These ships were of a wide variety of sizes and types. The "CSS
Enterprise" was acquired in 1865. She was a 250-foot iron-hulled
cruiser powered by a combination of steam and sail. She only served
with the Confederate Navy for about one year, and was sold to Brazil (as
the "Brasil") in 1866. She continued to service with that country as a
transport, until she was retired in 1877.
***** CONCLUSION *****
First, a note about the dates I've used here for the starships
"Enterprise". If you've already downloaded the first version of my
"Enterprise" history, you will notice that the dates and ship histories
given here are different from that first version. In that first
history, I used the timeline and ship histories (particularly for the
starships NCC-1701B and NCC-1701C) as put together by Jim Lyon in his
"Star Trek's Future History". Since then, I've tried to reconcile at
least six different Star Trek chronologies and come up with my own
variation, which I call "The Unified Spaceflight Chronology". This new
chronology returns the dates for the first two starships to the timeline
presented in "The Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology" and "Mr. Scott's
Guide to the Enterprise", both of which were published by Pocket Books.
For the starships NCC-1701B and NCC-1701C, I used the timeline presented
by Ronald Roden in his "Enterprise Legacy", which is based on the "Star
Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual" published by the FASA
Corporation. I have uploaded my "Unified Spaceflight Chronology" along
with this file, and it should still be available in this data library.
Look for files: TIMELN.TXT (explanatory notes as to how I constructed
the chronology) and TIMELN.LST (the chronology itself).
I've put together a 76-page, laser printed, fully illustrated, and bound
manuscript which expands on the ship histories contained in this file.
The manuscript contains complete specifications and a profile line
drawing for each ship, along with an "Enterprise" comparison chart
showing the different ships in scale, a graphic "Enterprise" timeline,
and a 3-page reference bibliography. If you would like to obtain a copy
of that manuscript, you can send $10 (to help defray my research and
printing costs) to the following address:
Arnold E. van Beverhoudt, Jr.
P.O. Box 56
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 00804
Although I have copyrighted my printed manuscript, this file is not
copyrighted. You may reproduce it and give copies to friends, as long
as you do not delete the above paragraph. I would appreciate any
comments, corrections, or suggestions on this history. You can either
rite to the above address or leave a message on CompuServe's E-mail.
My CompuServe ID is 71777,2365. I will continue to search for
information on other "Enterprise" (particularly any which may have
served with the navies of other countries). If I'm successful, I'll
upload an addendum to this history.
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