Five United States Navy ships have been named USS Franklin, the first four after Benjamin Franklin, and the fifth, the aircraft carrier CV-13, perpetuating the name of the previous ships (it was not the usual practice at the time to name carriers after individuals).
- The first Franklin was a 6-gun schooner, taken under the command of Commodore John Manly in 1775, participating in the capture of many British vessels and returned to the owner in 1776.
- The second Franklin was a 8-gun brig built in 1795, captured by corsairs from Tripoli in 1802, bought back by the Navy in 1805, and sold in 1807.
- The third Franklin was a 74-gun ship of the line launched in 1815 and broken up in 1852.
- The fourth Franklin was a screw frigate launched in 1864 and in active service until 1877, thereafter used as a receiving ship until 1915.
- The fifth Franklin (CV-13) was an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1944 and crippled by bombs in March 1945, later repaired but remaining in reserve until decommissioning in 1964.
