Atlantic Ocean. (May 8, 2025): Few people will ever forget the sting of a wasp. In this photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Kemble, Seaman Nathan Kimbrough mans a fire hose aboard the flight deck of the USS Wasp during an aviation training exercise. Numerous ships have worn the name, including sloops, schooners, a steam yacht, and two aircraft carriers and every one of them delivered a vicious bite.

The first USS Wasp was a Continental Navy schooner, originally named Scorpion, which set sail in 1775 with the first American naval fleet. The vessel was later destroyed in 1777 during an unsuccessful engagement with the British. It was run aground, set on fire, and its gunpowder exploded.