1994-08-08 This file was found by Jackie Laderoute, am908. So don't be betting against her in Star Trek Trivia Games. "ENTERPRISE" A History of the Gallant Ladies of Sea and Space (Updated 02/15/91) by Arnold E. van Beverhoudt, Jr. ***** INTRODUCTION ***** (NOTE: This file updates ENTHST.TXT, which was uploaded in January 1990. This revised edition of the history of ships named "Enterprise" updates the histories of the starships NCC-1701B and NCC-1701C and adds brief sections on several privately-owned ships.) Based on my latest count, there have been 37 naval vessels and at least 21 privately-owned vessels named "Enterprise." According to information from official naval museums in the respective countries, the first confirmed "Enterprise" was a 1705 ship of the French Navy that was captured by the British Royal Navy and became the first "HMS Enterprise." The most recent "Enterprise" is, of course, our beloved 2364 starship NCC-1701D. Each of the ships in this 659 time period had a unique and fascinating history. As you read on, you will soon realize 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. 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 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 survived. "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 last French "Entreprise" was a trawler which served from 1917 to 1920. ***** 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 Thornton 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 of many early British "Enterprises", her name was spelled with a "z" instead of an "s".) She was built at Plymouth, England and commissioned on April 28, 1709. She patrolled the coast of Virginia from 1709 to 1712, then sailed in British waters until 1720. At that time she returned to patrol off the coast of Virginia. On February 20, 1724 she was renamed "Liverpool" and continued in service as a hospital ship until 1748. "HMS ENTERPRIZE" - 1743 to 1748 - 8-gun Sloop 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 1986 - 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 1986. ***** 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 rendezvoused 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. ***** 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. ***** 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 2328 - 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 Excelsior-class. After she was commissioned in 2308, she was assigned to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone, where she was stationed for many years. Starfleet has not yet declassified the service history of the "Enterprise". Therefore, her ultimate fate is unknown. However, according to one unofficial source, she served at least two 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, the "Enterprise" was called to active duty in her role as Starfleet flagship. 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, after the war ended, it was the "Enterprise" which ferried the Federation and Klingon delegations to Babel, where the peace accords were signed. The unofficial source continues that the "Enterprise" then 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 successful in destroying her attackers, she was also lost in the battle. Until Starfleet declassifies her service record, however, the true story of the starship NCC-1701B will be shrouded in mystery. "USS ENTERPRISE" - 2337 to 2344 - Starship NCC-1701C The next starship "Enterprise" was originally scheduled for construction in 2329 as an Alaska-class battleship. However, these plans were scrapped and the starship NCC-1701C was commissioned in 2337 as an Ambassador-class cruiser. The completed a 5-year patrol mission in the Neutral Zone and in 2342 began what was to have been a 10-year exploratory mission at the Galaxy's Great Outer rim. However, in 2344 she disappeared without a trace. The story of what happened to the "Enterprise" remained a mystery until 2366, when a freak time vortex transported her 22 years into the future and an encounter with her successor, the starship NCC-1701D. It was learned that in 2344, the "Enterprise" NCC-1701C, under command of Captain Rachel Garrett, received a distress call from the Klingon outpost at Norenda III. The "Enterprise" answered the call and was attacked by four Romulan War Birds. The "Enterprise" was destroyed in the attack, as was the Klingon outpost. Eventually, the officers of the starships NCC-1701C and NCC- 1701D realized that the NCC-1701C had to return through the tie vortex to her own destiny in the year 2344. Only that act of sacrifice would return the historical timeline of 2366 to the correct one. "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 squelching the conspiracy known as the Starfleet Code One Emergency, and re-established contact with the Romulans. In 2367, the crew of the "Enterprise" heroically battled the dreaded Borg, and saved the planet Earth and the entire Federation from certain destruction. ***** 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. "ENTERPRISE - 1855 - Steam Tug This British "Enterprise" was commissioned in 1855 and served at least through August 1874. "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" - 1930 - America's Cup Yacht In 1930, the J-class yacht "Enterprise" successfully defended the America's Cup against the British challenger "Shamrock V." The "Enterprise" sailed to victory in four straight races between September 13 and 18, 1930. "ENTERPRISE" - 1977 - America's Cup Yacht The 12-meter yacht "Enterprise" was one of the American yachts which competed in preliminary elimination races to the select the one which would defend the America's Cup in 1977. Unfortunately, she lost to Ted Turner's "Courageous." However, "Courageous" did go on to defeat the challenger "Australia." In 1980, the "Enterprise" was used as the training and trials boat for the defender "Freedom," which also went on to defeat the "Australia." "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. The "Enterprise" was stationed at Pompano beach, Florida. She was retired in 1990 and replaced by the "Spirit of Akron." ***** CONCLUSION ***** First, a note about the dates I've used here for the starships "Enterprise". There has been some controversy about the timelines and dates of service of the starships "Enterprise." This developed because certain statements in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Writer's Guide and some of the series' episodes result in a 64-year discrepancy in the timelines. Some fans have shifted the dates for events before "Star Trek: The Next Generation" by 64 years to accommodate this discrepancy. I have not done this. I believe that the dates used in "official" publications licensed by Paramount Pictures (such as the "Starfleet Spaceflight Chronology" and "Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise") should be accepted as fact and not arbitrarily shifted forward 64 years. To explain the 64-year gap, 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". I uploaded my "Unified Spaceflight Chronology" to this data library in January 1990. 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 78-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 write 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 future revisions to this history.