The first USS Yorktown was commissioned in 1840. It made several trips western Africa to support the slave trade.
The second Yorktown was a steel hulled gunboat commissioned in 1889. It was the first ever Navy ship to sport a telescopic gunsight. She was decommissioned in 1921.
The third Yorktown was commissioned in 1937. It operated during the early part of the Pacific campaign during World War II. Unfortunatly this ship didn't last long enough to be decommissioned, she sunk at the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942
The fourth Yorktown was commissioned in 1943 to commemorate it's predecessor. It operated in the Pacific theater from 1943 to 1945. It was decommissioned in 1970 after completing several cruises in support of war fighting efforts in Vietnam, and now serves as a Navy memorial in Patriot’s Point, S.C.
The fifth Yorktown was commisioned on July 4, 1984. It has completed five highly successful Mediterranean deployments, and was selected as the test platform for the CNO’s “Smart Ship” Program. Its current homeport is at Pascagoula, MS.