At 221 Years Old The USS Constitution is America’s Oldest Warship Still Afloat

[the other mike]

There must be some serious ghosts wandering around aboard this old girl.

After bringing the British crew aboard as prisoners, the Americans concluded Guerriere was too far gone to salvage and burned her.

“Old Ironsides,” the U.S. Navy’s 221-year-old frigate USS Constitution, has been through it all and lived to tell the tale, two centuries after her original life expectancy lapsed.

Constructed of sturdy live oak, pine, and (at one point) copper sheathing procured from Paul Revere, she was a first step in withstanding attacks by enemy fleets that had both larger and more numerous ships than the six frigates that were authorized by Congress in the Naval Act of 1794.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/old-ironsides-oldest-warship.html?fbclid=IwAR2NSxGtmIf-0WOG9YTQ_LmvZIGgnA1RkFFLdKIbf0S7GWcHQgPBNErF-jo

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

I believe the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned navy ship in the world.

 

[the other mike]

I believe the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned navy ship in the world.

I can't see how that's possible, considering ships had been sailing for
centuries before we even had colonies here, much less a Navy.

 

[harmonica]

I believe the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned navy ship in the world.

I can't see how that's possible, considering ships had been sailing for
centuries before we even had colonies here, much less a Navy.

they knew how to build sailing ships back then, very well
but they've done many restorations

and the inspection of 19 February 1924 found her in grave condition.

Multiple refittings over the 200 years of her career had removed most of her original construction components and design, as her mission changed from a fighting warship to a training ship and eventually to a receiving ship.

USS Constitution - Wikipedia

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

I believe the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned navy ship in the world.

I can't see how that's possible, considering ships had been sailing for
centuries before we even had colonies here, much less a Navy.

Its still an active duty Navy ship.