USS Essex may refer to the following ships in American naval service:
USS Essex (1799) was a 32-gun sailing frigate launched in 1799 and captured in 1814
Essex Junior was a British whaler captured by Essex and put into service until recaptured in 1814
USS Essex (1856) was an ironclad steamer during the American Civil War, sold in 1865
USS Essex (1874) was a wooden screw steamer launched in 1876 and sold in 1930
USS Essex (CV-9) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier commissioned in 1942, which served through World War II, the Korean War, and Apollo 7 before being decommissioned in 1969
USS Essex (LHD-2) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1992 and currently in active service
Essex (1799 whaleship), a whaler that a sperm whale sank