National Park Service

The Civil War: 150 Years. National Park Service Sesquicentennial Commemoration.

Then: February 25, 1862

A New Weapon of War

Photo of the deck of the USS Monitor

The USS Monitor is commissioned in Brooklyn, New York. As the first Union ironclad used in combat, it proves the dominant power of armored ships.

Now: January 10, 2009

Ironclads Today

Photo of USS George W. Bush

The USS George H.W. Bush is commissioned in Newport News, Virginia. At over 1,000 feet long, it carries 90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

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