Fletcher-class destroyer

Last updated

USS Erben (DD-631) underway the 1950s.jpg
USS Erben underway in the 1950s
Class overview
Name
  • Fletcher class
  • 2100-ton destroyer
Builders
Operators
Preceded by Gleaves class
Succeeded by Allen M. Sumner class
Subclasses
Cost$6 million
Built3 March 1941 to 22 February 1945
In commission4 June 1942 to 1971 (USN), 2001 (Mexico)
Completed175
Cancelled9
Lost19, plus 6 not repaired [1]
Preserved
General characteristics
Type Destroyer
Displacement
Length369.25 ft (112.55 m) wl, 376.5 ft (114.8 m) o/a
Beam39.5 ft (12.0 m)
Draft17.5 ft (5.3 m)
Propulsion60,000  shp (45,000 kW); 4 oil-fired boilers; 2 geared steam turbines; 2 screws
Speed36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph)
Range5,500  nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) [2]
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × lifeboats
Complement329 officers and enlisted
Sensors &
processing systems
ArmamentVaried; see § Armament

The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. [3]

Contents

The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and the design was generally regarded as highly successful. The Fletchers had a design speed of 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) and a principal armament of five 5-inch (127 mm) guns in single mounts with ten 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes in two quintuple centerline mounts. [4] The Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes were Fletcher derivatives.

The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. [5] They could cover the vast distances required by fleet actions in the Pacific and served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, during which they accounted for 29 Imperial Japanese Navy submarines sunk. [5] [ failed verification ] In a massive effort, the Fletchers were built by shipyards across the United States, and, after World War II ended, 11 were sold to countries that they had been built to fight against: Italy, Germany, and Japan, as well as other countries, where they had even longer, distinguished careers. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. and one in Greece.

Description

The Fletcher class (named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, Medal of Honor recipient) was the largest destroyer class ordered. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Compared to earlier classes built for the United States Navy, the Fletchers carried a significant increase in lethal firepower, including anti-aircraft (AA) weapons and increased armor plating; this contributed to greater displacement and overall weight and height increase. Their flush deck construction added structural strength; however, it did make them cramped, as less crew space was available below decks compared with a raised forecastle.

Design

Technical drawing of the Fletcher-class destroyer Fletcher-class destroyer technical drawing 1954.jpg
Technical drawing of the Fletcher-class destroyer
Launch of Fletcher and Radford, 3 May 1942. Launch of USS Fletcher (DD-445) and USS Radford (DD-446) at Federal SB&DD in May 1942.jpg
Launch of Fletcher and Radford, 3 May 1942.
World War II Destroyer Shipbuilders map from Department of Defense (DoD) Map of WW2 Shipyards building DD.jpg
World War II Destroyer Shipbuilders map from Department of Defense (DoD)

The Fletcher class was the first generation of destroyers designed after the series of naval treaties that had limited ship designs heretofore. The growth in the design was in part a response to the challenge that had dogged U.S. Navy designs in coping with long range operations in the Pacific Ocean. They were also to carry no fewer than five 5 in (127 mm) guns and ten deck-mounted torpedo tubes on the centerline, allowing them to meet any foreign design on equal terms. Compared to earlier designs, the Fletchers were large, allowing them to adapt to evolving defensive priorities through the addition of two 40-millimeter (1.6 in) Bofors quadruple mount AA guns as well as six 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon dual AA gun positions. This addition to the AA suite required the deletion of the forward quintuple torpedo mount, a change done under the 4 April 1945 anti- kamikaze program. [6]

Fletchers were also much less top-heavy than previous classes, allowing them to take on additional equipment and weapons without major redesign. They were fortunate in catching American production at the right moment, becoming "the" destroyer design, with only the Fletcher-class derivatives, the Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes, following it. [5]

The first design inputs were in the fall of 1939 from questionnaires distributed around design bureaus and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. The design parameters were the armaments desired of the next destroyer. As such, the questions were of how many guns, torpedoes, and depth charges were seen as desirable. Also asked was at what point would the design grow large enough to become a torpedo target instead of a torpedo delivery system. [7] The answer that came back was that five 5 in (127 mm) dual-purpose guns, twelve torpedoes, and twenty-eight depth charges would be ideal, while a return to the 1,500-ton designs of the past was seen as undesirable. Speed requirements varied from 35 to 38 knots (65 to 70 km/h; 40 to 44 mph), and shortcomings in the earlier Sims class, which were top-heavy and needed lead ballast to correct this fault, caused the Fletcher design to be widened by 18 in (46 cm) of beam. [8] As with other previous U.S. flush deck destroyer designs, seagoing performance suffered. This was mitigated by deployment to the Pacific Ocean, which is relatively calm compared to the Atlantic. [9]

To achieve 38 knots with a 500-ton increase in displacement, power was increased from 50,000  shp (37,000 kW) to 60,000 shp (45,000 kW) compared to the previous Benson and Gleaves classes. The Fletchers featured air-encased boilers producing steam at 600  psi (4,100  kPa ) and 850 °F (450 °C), with two 350 kW steam turbine driven electrical generators and a 100 kW emergency diesel generator. [10] Typically, Babcock & Wilcox boilers and General Electric geared steam turbines were equipped, although other designs and manufacturers were probably used to maximize the rate of production.[ citation needed ]

Armament

127 mm MK 30 gun from a Fletcher-class destroyer (1942) Bundeswehr Military History Museum, Dresden 127 mm MK 30 gun from a Fletcher class destroyer (1942) Bundeswehr Military History Museum, Dresden.jpg
127 mm MK 30 gun from a Fletcher-class destroyer (1942) Bundeswehr Military History Museum, Dresden

Main gun armament was five dual-purpose 5-inch/38 caliber (127 mm) guns in single Mk 30 turrets (numbered bow-to-stern from one to five), guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System, including a Mk 12 fire control radar and a Mk 22 height-finder (replaced by the circular Mk 25 radar postwar) linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer and stabilized by a Mk 6 8,500 rpm gyroscope.

Ten 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes were fitted in two quintuple mounts amidships, firing the 21-inch Mark 15 torpedo. Anti-submarine armament was two racks for 300-pound (140 kg) depth charges at the stern and six K-gun 300-pound depth charge throwers amidships.

Anti-aircraft armament initially was light, with a quadruple 1.1"/75 caliber gun located in an elevated tub between the number three and four 5-inch gun mounts and six Oerlikon 20 mm cannons (two in front of and below the bridge and four amidships). In June 1942, the 1.1" gun was replaced by a twin Bofors 40 mm gun mount; in some ships, another twin mount may have been added on the fantail between the depth charge racks. In February 1943, the fantail-mounted Bofors was removed and one twin mount was placed on each side of the aft funnel, bringing the total number of 40 mm guns to six.

In 1942 and 1943, the number of Oerlikon cannons was steadily increased, with ships modified before leaving the shipyard with a seventh 20 mm mount in front of the bridge behind the number two 5" gun mount and anywhere from one to three mounts on the flying bridge depending upon the configuration of the ship. In combat, commanders often requisitioned additional guns with some ships mounting up to thirteen 20 mm cannons. In June and July 1943, two more twin Bofors mounts were added in place of the 20 mm cannons in front of and below the bridge, giving a total of ten 40 mm barrels. With this modification, the Oerlikon cannons were rearranged and their number was standardized at seven; four amidships and three in a heart-shaped mount on the fantail.

Due to the increasing threat from kamikaze attacks, beginning in July 1945 some ships returning to the United States for refits received further anti-aircraft modifications. The forward set of torpedo tubes was removed, providing space to replace the two amidships twin 40 mm guns with two quadruple mountings (for a total of fourteen guns). The seven single 20 mm guns were replaced with six twin mounts (four amidships and two on the fantail.

Three (Pringle, Stevens and Halford) were modified during construction by deleting the rear torpedo tube mount and the number 3 5-inch gun mount and putting an aircraft catapult in the space. This alteration was not a success and was not repeated. These three destroyers were later converted to the regular Fletcher-class configuration.

Service

Kamikaze damage to Newcomb following action off Okinawa, 1945 USS Newcomb Damage 1945.jpg
Kamikaze damage to Newcomb following action off Okinawa, 1945

Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II; a further six more were severely damaged, evaluated as constructive total losses, and not repaired. [1] Postwar, the remainder were decommissioned and put into reserve. Of the 25 Fletchers sunk or deemed as constructive total losses, 17 were lost between March and July 1945 off Okinawa.

Ships lost

Korean War

With the outbreak of the Korean War many were returned to active duty. During this time 39 were refitted under project SCB 74A, reducing their overall main armament and the number of torpedo tubes to accommodate other weapons. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. Others carried trainable Hedgehogs. Eighteen ships were redesignated as escort destroyers (DDE), optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer (DD) designation in 1962.

Other navies

Many of the ships were sold to other navies during the mid-1950s, including:

Number of Fletcher-class destroyers sold to other navies
CountryNo. sold
Argentina 5 [a] (see Brown-class destroyer )
Brazil 7 (see Pará-class destroyer )
Chile 2
Colombia 1
Greece 7
Italy 3 (see Fante-class destroyer )
Japan 2 (see Ariake-class destroyer )
Mexico 2
Peru 2
South Korea 3 (see Chungmu-class destroyer )
Spain 5 (see Lepanto-class destroyer )
Republic of China (Taiwan) 4
Turkey 4
West Germany 6 (see Zerstörer 1-class destroyer )

Any remaining were broken up in the 1970s. The last Fletcher in service, BAM Cuitlahuac (ex-John Rodgers), left the Mexican navy in 2001, meaning the total service life of the Fletchers stretched over almost six decades and into the 21st century. [1]

List of Fletcher-class destroyers sold to other navies
CountryPennantShip nameFormer nameAcquiredFate
Argentina D-20 ARA Almirante BrownUSS Heermann14 August 1961Scrapped in 1982
D-21 ARA EsporaUSS Dortch16 August 1961Scrapped in 1977
D-22 ARA RosalesUSS Stembel7 August 1961Scrapped in 1982
D-23 ARA Almirante Domecq GarciaUSS Braine17 August 1971Sunk as a target on 7 October 1983
D-24 ARA Almirante StorniUSS Cowell17 August 1971Scrapped in 1982
Brazil D27 ParaUSS Guest5 June 1959struck in 1978, sunk as a target on 23 February 1983
D28 ParaibaUSS Bennett15 December 1959struck and scrapped in 1978
D29 ParanáUSS Cushing20 July 1961struck in 1973 and scrapped in 1982
D30 PernambucoUSS Hailey20 July 1961sunk as a target about 1982
D31 PiauiUSS Lewis Hancock1 August 1967struck and scrapped in 1989
D32 Santa CatarinaUSS Irwin10 May 1968struck in 1988 and sunk as a target in 1990
D33 MaranhaoUSS Shields1 July 1972struck and scrapped in 1990
Chile D-14 Blanco EncaladaUSS Wadleigh26 July 1962struck in 1982, sunk as a target on 28 September 1991
D-15 CochraneUSS Rooks26 July 1962struck in 1983, scrapped
N/A USS Charles J. Badger10 May 1974scrapped and cannibalized
Colombia DD-01 ARC AntioquiaUSS Hale23 January 1961struck in 1973, scrapped
Germany D 170 Zerstörer 1USS Anthony1 January 1958struck in 1976, sunk as a target on 16 May 1979
D 171 Zerstörer 2USS Ringgold14 July 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy on 18 September 1981
D 172 Zerstörer 3USS Wadsworth6 October 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy on 15 October 1980
D 178 Zerstörer 4USS Claxton16 December 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy in February 1981
D 179 Zerstörer 5USS Dyson17 February 1960transferred to Hellenic Navy in February 1982
D 180 Zerstörer 6USS Charles Ausburne12 April 1960scrapped in October 1968
Greece D-06 AspisUSS Conner15 September 1959struck in 1991, scrapped in 1997
D-16 VelosUSS Charrette16 June 1959Active - In commission as museum ship since 1991
D-28 ThyellaUSS Bradford27 September 1962struck in 1981, scrapped in 1981
D-42 KimonUSS Ringgold18 September 1981struck in 1993, scrapped in 1993
D-56 LonchiUSS Hall9 February 1960struck on 10 October 1990, scrapped in 1997
D-63 NavarinonUSS Brown27 September 1962struck in 1981, scrapped in 1981
D-65 NearchosUSS Wadsworth15 October 1980struck in 1991, scrapped in 1991
D-85 SfendoniUSS Aulick21 August 1959struck in 1991, scrapped in 1997
N/A USS ClaxtonFebruary 1981scrapped and cannibalized
N/A USS DysonFebruary 1982scrapped and cannibalized
Italy D-560 LanciereUSS Taylor2 July 1969struck in 1971 and cannibalized to provide spare parts for her sisters in Italian service
D-561 FanteUSS Walker2 July 1969struck and broken up for scrap in 1977
D-555 GeniereUSS Prichett17 January 1970struck and broken up for scrap in 1975
Japan DD-183 JDS AriakeUSS Heywood L. Edwards10 March 1959struck in 1974, scrapped in 1976
DD-184 JDS YūgureUSS Richard P. Leary10 March 1959struck in 1974, scrapped on 1 July 1976
Mexico E-01 ARM CuauhtémocUSS Harrison19 August 1970Dismantled
E-02 ARM CuitláhuacUSS John Rodgers19 August 1970Scrapped in 2011
Spain D21 LepantoUSS Capps15 May 1957struck in 1985, scrapped
D22 Almirante FerrandízUSS David W. Taylorstruck in 1987, scrapped
D23 Almirante ValdésUSS Converse1 July 1959struck in 1986, scrapped in 1988
D24 Alcalá GalianoUSS Jarvis3 November 1960struck in 1988, scrapped
D25 Jorge JuanUSS McGowan1 December 1960struck in 1988, scrapped
South Korea DD-91 ROKS Chung MuUSS Erben16 May 1963possibly scrapped
DD-92 ROKS SeoulUSS Halsey Powell27 April 1968struck in 1982, scrapped in 1982
DD-93 ROKS PusanUSS Hickox15 November 1968struck in 1989, scrapped in 1989
Taiwan (Republic of China) DDG-108 ROCS Kwei YangUSS Twining16 August 1971struck in 1999, scrapped
DDG-109 ROCS Ching YangUSS Mullany6 October 1971struck in 1999, sunk as a target on 1 November 2001
DDG-918 ROCS An YangUSS Kimberly1 June 1967struck in 1999, sunk as a target on 14 October 2003
DDG-919 ROCS Kuen YangUSS Yarnall10 June 1968struck in 1999, scrapped

Surviving ships

The former USS Cassin Young preserved as a museum ship in 2007 USS Cassin Young 2007.jpg
The former USS Cassin Young preserved as a museum ship in 2007

Four Fletcher-class destroyers are preserved as museum ships. Three are in the United States and one is in Greece, although only Kidd retains her World War II configuration.

Velos is the only vessel still in commission. Velos alongside G. Averof are ceremonially commissioned by the Hellenic Navy having Palaio Faliro as their base. Their crew are active Officers of Hellenic Navy. Velos still retains its complete armament and equipment (as modernized in 1950s). In September 2019 its crew took her to Thessaloniki for a short 3-month stay. As of October 2020, she remains in Thessaloniki and she has been visited by over 157.000 visitors.

All three American museum ships have been designated as National Historic Landmarks. [11] [12] [13]

Surviving ships

Surviving parts

Notes

In 2018, Kidd was used as the filming location for the fictional USS Keeling DD-548 (codenamed Greyhound), from C. S. Forester's novel The Good Shepherd, in her appearance in the book's 2020 cinematic adaptation, Greyhound. [27] [28]

On 14 April 2022, museum ship USS The Sullivans sank at her pier in the Buffalo Naval Park. The depth of water prevented complete sinking. Since then, the ship has been refloated and restoration of the ship's electric system and interior spaces is ongoing. [29]

On 29 March 2023, the Museum of Antidictatorial Struggle HS Velos D-16 sustained damage caused by a storm while docked at Nea Paralia, Thessaloniki. Two tug boats were sent out to prevent further damage by holding her in place. After an investigation by the Ministry of Shipping, [30] the damage was deemed non-threatening to the stability and durability of the ship. [31] Similarly on 19 November 2023 strong gales caused its stern to slam onto the promenade of Nea Paralia resulting in the stern being breached. The day after repair operations began. [31] [32]

Ships in class

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 destroyerhistory.org: Fletcher class
  2. "USS Bush-Fletcher class" . Retrieved 12 April 2007.
  3. Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 111–112.
  4. Friedman p. 472.
  5. 1 2 3 Friedman pp. 111–112.
  6. Friedman, p. 118.
  7. Friedman, p. 112.
  8. Friedman, pp. 112–113.
  9. Friedman, p. 111.
  10. George Stewart (31 July 2013). "Life on a Fletcher Class Destroyer in the 1950s".
  11. Harry A. Butowsky (May 1985). "USS The Sullivans (DD-537)". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination. National Park Service.
  12. "NHL nomination for USS Kidd". National Park Service. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  13. "NHL nomination for USS Cassin Young (destroyer)". National Park Service. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  14. "USS Fletcher (DD-445, later DDE-445)". NHHC. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  15. "radford-museum – USS Orleck DD-886". Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  16. Celene Fitzgerald. "Veterans' Museum to Receive Historic Navy Ship's Mast". The Chronicle. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  17. "Marine Barracks, Washington Tour Guide - Officer's Walk" (PDF). DVIDS Hub. 4 December 2014. p. 29. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  18. "USS KIDD Veterans Museum". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  19. "USS Dyson Bell". www.verduinwebs.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  20. "Flag Honors Hall of Fame | Naval ROTC Alumni Society" . Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  21. "USS Knapp - bridge: Fujifilm X System / SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review". www.dpreview.com. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  22. "Fletcher-Klasse Mark-30 Turm Walkaround (124) Scalenews". Scalenews (in German). Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  23. "Handfestes Phänomen am Bahnhof Marbeck". Fletcher-oldies (in German). Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  24. USS Sullivan Museum's Instagram Page
  25. 국방일보. DEMA. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  26. 전쟁기념관 #5 - 용산전쟁기념관 전시실 3. 나혼자닷컴. 26 January 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  27. J. D. Simkins (March 2020). "'Greyhound' trailer puts Tom Hanks at the helm of a Nazi-hunting WWII destroyer". Military Times.
  28. Jeremy Krail; Sydney Kern (9 April 2018). "Tom Hanks' WWII drama filming aboard USS Kidd this week". WBRZ. Louisiana Television Broadcasting LLC.
  29. Jordan, Erin (11 November 2022). "USS The Sullivans no longer sinking, but set for more repairs". The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) . Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  30. "Historic destroyer 'Velos' damaged by high winds in Thessaloniki | eKathimerini.com". Kathimerini. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  31. 1 2 "Operation underway to seal breach in the stern of museum ship 'Velos' after bad weather | eKathimerini.com". Kathimerini. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  32. ΜΠΕ, ΑΠΕ- (20 November 2023). "Museum-ship 'Velos' towed to Thessaloniki Port facilities for further inspection". Flight.com.gr. Retrieved 22 January 2025.

Bibliography