Robert H. Smith-class destroyer

Last updated

Robert H. Smith-class destroyer
Uss Adams DM-27.jpg
Class overview
NameRobert H. Smith class
Builders
Operators
Completed12
Retired12
General characteristics
Type Destroyer minelayer
Displacement2,200 tons (standard)
Length376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft18 ft 10 in (5.74 m)
Propulsion4 Babcock & Wilcox or Foster Wheeler boilers; two General Electric or Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 60,000 shp (45,000 kW) total; two shafts
Speed34 kn (63 km/h) max
Range4,600 nmi (8,500 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement363 standard
Armament

The Robert H. Smith class of destroyer minelayers was built by the United States during World War II. The class was named for naval officer Robert H. Smith.

Contents

These vessels were all originally laid down as Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers and converted during construction in 1944. In that time the United States produced twelve Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayers. Their original hull numbers were DD-735-40, 749–51, and 771–73. [2] None of the Robert H. Smith-class vessels ever laid a mine in wartime, though they were frequently employed in minesweeping. Minelayers did not carry torpedo tubes. Otherwise they were used interchangeably with other destroyer types. As radar pickets at Okinawa, Aaron Ward, Lindsey, and J. William Ditter were damaged by kamikazes , and Shea by a Baka bomb. [3] Five of the class served actively in the 1950s, but all survivors were mothballed by the end of the decade and were disposed of in the 1970s. None of this class received FRAM conversions.

Ships in class

Ship nameHull no.BuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedFate
Robert H. Smith DM-23 (ex-DD-735) Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine 10 January 194425 May 19444 August 194429 January 1947Struck, 26 February 1971
Thomas E. Fraser DM-24 (ex-DD-736)31 January 194410 June 194422 August 194412 September 1955Sold for scrap, 12 June 1974
Shannon DM-25 (ex-DD-737)14 February 194424 June 19448 September 194424 October 1955Sold for scrap, May 1973
Harry F. Bauer DM-26 (ex-DD-738)6 March 19449 July 194422 September 194412 March 1956Sold for scrap, 1 June 1974
Adams DM-27 (ex-DD-739)20 March 194423 July 194410 October 1944December 1946Sold for scrap, 16 December 1971
Tolman DM-28 (ex-DD-740)10 April 194413 August 194427 October 194429 January 1947Sunk as a target 25 January 1997
Henry A. Wiley DM-29 (ex-DD-749) Bethlehem Staten Island, Staten Island, New York 28 November 194321 April 194431 August 194429 January 1947Sold for scrap, 30 May 1972
Shea DM-30 (ex-DD-750)23 December 194320 May 194430 September 19449 April 1958Sold for scrap, 1 September 1974
J. William Ditter DM-31 (ex-DD-751)25 January 19444 July 194428 October 194428 September 1945Scrapped, July 1946
Lindsey DM-32 (ex-DD-771) Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California, Terminal Island 12 September 19435 March 194420 August 194425 May 1946Sunk as a target 1 May 1972
Gwin DM-33 (ex-DD-772)31 October 19439 April 194430 September 19443 September 1946Transferred to Turkey 15 August 1971
8 July 19523 April 1958
Aaron Ward DM-34 (ex-DD-773)12 December 19435 May 194428 October 194428 September 1945Stricken 11 October 1945; sold for scrap 1946

Earlier Destroyer Minelayer (DM) conversions

The previous DM-classed vessels were all conversions from earlier flush-deck destroyers of WW1 vintage.

Ship nameHull no.Converted
to DM
Fate
Stribling DM-1 (ex-DD-96)17 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 20 July 1937
Murray DM-2 (ex-DD-97)17 July 1920Stricken 7 January 1936
Israel DM-3 (ex-DD-98)17 July 1920Stricken 25 January 1936
Luce DM-4 (ex-DD-99)17 July 1920Stricken 7 January 1936
Maury DM-5 (ex-DD-100)17 July 1920Stricken 22 October 1930
Lansdale DM-6 (ex-DD-101)17 July 1920Stricken 25 January 1936
Mahan DM-7 (ex-DD-102)17 July 1920Stricken 22 October 1930
Hart DM-8 (ex-DD-110)17 July 1920Stricken 11 November 1931
Ingraham DM-9 (ex-DD-111)17 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 23 July 1937
Ludlow DM-10 (ex-DD-112)17 July 1920Stricken 18 November 1930
Burns DM-11 (ex-DD-171)March 1921Sold 22 April 1932
Anthony DM-12 (ex-DD-172)July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 22 July 1937
Sproston DM-13 (ex-DD-173)July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 20 July 1937
Rizal DM-14 (ex-DD-174)July 1920Stricken 11 November 1931
Gamble DM-15 (ex-DD-123)June 1930Scuttled 16 July 1945
Ramsay DM-16 (ex-DD-124)June 1930Stricken 13 November 1945
Montgomery DM-17 (ex-DD-121)January 1931Stricken 28 April 1945
Breese DM-18 (ex-DD-122)January 1931Sold 16 May 1946
Tracy DM-19 (ex-DD-214)January 1937Stricken 7 February 1946
Preble DM-20 (ex-DD-345)June 1937Stricken 3 January 1946
Sicard DM-21 (ex-DD-346)June 1937Stricken 19 December 1945
Pruitt DM-22 (ex-DD-347)une 1937Stricken 5 December 1945

See also

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)

References

  1. Silverstone, p. 212
  2. Silverstone, p. 212
  3. Silverstone, p. 212

Sources