Fletcher-class destroyer


The Fletcher class is 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 and classes. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.
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 and a principal armament of five guns in single mounts with ten torpedo tubes in two quintuple centerline mounts. The and 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. 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. 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 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 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

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 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 Bofors quadruple mount AA guns as well as six Oerlikon [20 mm cannon| 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.
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 and classes, following it.
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. The answer that came back was that five 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, and shortcomings in the earlier, which were top-heavy and needed lead ballast to correct this fault, caused the Fletcher design to be widened by of beam. 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.
To achieve 38 knots with a 500-ton increase in displacement, power was increased from to compared to the previous and classes. The Fletchers featured air-encased boilers producing steam at and, with two 350 kW steam turbine driven electrical generators and a 100 kW emergency diesel generator. 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.

Armament

Main gun armament was five dual-purpose 5-inch/38 caliber guns in single Mk 30 turrets, guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System, including a Mk 12 fire control radar and a Mk 22 height-finder linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer and stabilized by a Mk 6 8,500 rpm gyroscope.
Ten torpedo tubes were fitted in two quintuple mounts amidships, firing the 21-inch Mark 15 torpedo. Anti-submarine armament was two racks for 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. 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. The seven single 20 mm guns were replaced with six twin mounts 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

Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II; a further six more were severely damaged, evaluated as constructive total losses, and not repaired. 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

  • , sunk by Japanese aircraft off Savo Island, 1 February 1943
  • , sunk by a torpedo fired by operating in the Kula Gulf from 11 miles away, believed to have been the longest range torpedo kill in history, 5 July 1943
  • , scuttled after being torpedoed by a Japanese destroyer and accidentally rammed in the Naval Battle of Vella Lavella, 6 October 1943
  • , sunk by Japanese aircraft off Cape Gloucester, 26 December 1943
  • , sunk by Japanese surface ships, primarily from in the Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
  • , sunk by Japanese surface ships, primarily from in the Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
  • , sunk by kamikazes in Leyte Gulf, 1 November 1944
  • , foundered in Typhoon Cobra, 18 December 1944
  • , lost to a mine off Okinawa, 26 March 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 6 April 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 6 April 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 16 April 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 3 May 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 4 May 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 4 May 1945
  • , scuttled after running aground and receiving heavy shore fire south of Naha, Okinawa, 18 May 1945
  • , sunk by a kamikaze off Okinawa, 10 June 1945
  • , sunk by kamikazes off Okinawa, 16 June 1945
  • , sunk by Yokosuka K5Y kamikaze biplanes off Okinawa, 28 July 1945
  • , damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa, 6 April 1945. Decommissioned, 20 November 1945. Sold for scrap, 28 March 1946.
  • , damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa, 6 April 1945. Decommissioned, 6 December 1945. Sold for scrap, 17 June 1947.
  • , damaged by a suicide boat off Okinawa, 27 April 1945. Decommissioned, 30 November 1945. Sold for scrap, January 1948.
  • , damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa, 29 April 1945. Decommissioned, 1 November 1945. Sold for scrap, 3 March 1946.
  • , damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa, 11 May 1945. Decommissioned, 7 November 1945. Sold for scrap, 11 February 1947.
  • , damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa, 20 May 1945. Decommissioned, 23 November 1945. Sold for scrap, 23 January 1948.

    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, optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer designation in 1962. The last Fletcher-class destroyer to be retired from US Navy service was the USS Ulhmann, on July 15, 1972.

Other navies

Many of the ships were sold to other navies during the mid-1950s, including:
CountryNo. sold
Argentina5
Brazil7
Chile2
Colombia1
Greece7
Italy3
Japan2
Mexico2
Peru2
South Korea3
Spain5
Republic of China 4
Turkey4
West Germany6

Any remaining were broken up in the 1970s. The last Fletcher in service, BAM Cuitlahuac, left the Mexican navy in 2001, meaning the total service life of the Fletchers stretched over almost six decades and into the 21st century.
CountryPennantnameFormer nameAcquiredFate
ArgentinaD-20ARA Almirante BrownUSS Heermann14 August 1961Scrapped in 1982
ArgentinaD-21ARA EsporaUSS Dortch16 August 1961Scrapped in 1977
ArgentinaD-22ARA RosalesUSS Stembel7 August 1961Scrapped in 1982
ArgentinaD-23ARA Almirante Domecq GarciaUSS Braine17 August 1971Sunk as a target on 7 October 1983
ArgentinaD-24ARA Almirante StorniUSS Cowell17 August 1971Scrapped in 1982
BrazilD27ParaUSS Guest5 June 1959struck in 1978, sunk as a target on 23 February 1983
BrazilD28ParaibaUSS Bennett15 December 1959struck and scrapped in 1978
BrazilD29ParanáUSS Cushing20 July 1961struck in 1973 and scrapped in 1982
BrazilD30PernambucoUSS Hailey20 July 1961sunk as a target about 1982
BrazilD31PiauiUSS Lewis Hancock1 August 1967struck and scrapped in 1989
BrazilD32Santa CatarinaUSS Irwin10 May 1968struck in 1988 and sunk as a target in 1990
BrazilD33MaranhaoUSS Shields1 July 1972struck and scrapped in 1990
ChileD-14Blanco EncaladaUSS Wadleigh26 July 1962struck in 1982, sunk as a target on 28 September 1991
ChileD-15CochraneUSS Rooks26 July 1962struck in 1983, scrapped
ChileN/Ascope="row" USS Charles J. Badger10 May 1974scrapped and cannibalized
ColombiaDD-01ARC AntioquiaUSS Hale23 January 1961struck in 1973, scrapped
GermanyD 170Zerstörer 1USS Anthony1 January 1958struck in 1976, sunk as a target on 16 May 1979
GermanyD 171Zerstörer 2USS Ringgold14 July 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy on 18 September 1981
GermanyD 172Zerstörer 3USS Wadsworth6 October 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy on 15 October 1980
GermanyD 178Zerstörer 4USS Claxton16 December 1959transferred to Hellenic Navy in February 1981
GermanyD 179Zerstörer 5USS Dyson17 February 1960transferred to Hellenic Navy in February 1982
GermanyD 180Zerstörer 6USS Charles Ausburne12 April 1960scrapped in October 1968
GreeceD-06AspisUSS Conner15 September 1959struck in 1991, scrapped in 1997
GreeceD-16VelosUSS Charrette16 June 1959Active - In commission as museum ship since 1991
GreeceD-28ThyellaUSS Bradford27 September 1962struck in 1981, scrapped in 1981
GreeceD-42KimonUSS Ringgold18 September 1981struck in 1993, scrapped in 1993
GreeceD-56LonchiUSS Hall9 February 1960struck on 10 October 1990, scrapped in 1997
GreeceD-63NavarinonUSS Brown27 September 1962struck in 1981, scrapped in 1981
GreeceD-65NearchosUSS Wadsworth15 October 1980struck in 1991, scrapped in 1991
GreeceD-85SfendoniUSS Aulick21 August 1959struck in 1991, scrapped in 1997
GreeceN/Ascope="row" USS ClaxtonFebruary 1981scrapped and cannibalized
GreeceN/Ascope="row" USS DysonFebruary 1982scrapped and cannibalized
ItalyD-560LanciereUSS Taylor2 July 1969struck in 1971 and cannibalized to provide spare parts for her sisters in Italian service
ItalyD-561FanteUSS Walker2 July 1969struck and broken up for scrap in 1977
ItalyD-555GeniereUSS Prichett17 January 1970struck and broken up for scrap in 1975
JapanDD-183JDS AriakeUSS Heywood L. Edwards10 March 1959struck in 1974, scrapped in 1976
JapanDD-184JDS YūgureUSS Richard P. Leary10 March 1959struck in 1974, scrapped on 1 July 1976
MexicoE-01ARM CuauhtémocUSS Harrison19 August 1970Dismantled
MexicoE-02ARM CuitláhuacUSS John Rodgers19 August 1970Scrapped in 2011
SpainD21LepantoUSS Capps15 May 1957struck in 1985, scrapped
SpainD22Almirante FerrándizUSS David W. Taylor15 May 1957struck in 1987, scrapped
SpainD23Almirante ValdésUSS Converse1 July 1959struck in 1986, scrapped in 1988
SpainD24Alcalá GalianoUSS Jarvis3 November 1960struck in 1988, scrapped
SpainD25Jorge JuanUSS McGowan1 December 1960struck in 1988, scrapped
South KoreaDD-91ROKS Chung MuUSS Erben16 May 1963possibly scrapped
South KoreaDD-92ROKS SeoulUSS Halsey Powell27 April 1968struck in 1982, scrapped in 1982
South KoreaDD-93ROKS PusanUSS Hickox15 November 1968struck in 1989, scrapped in 1989
Taiwan DDG-108ROCS Kwei YangUSS Twining16 August 1971struck in 1999, scrapped
Taiwan DDG-109ROCS Ching YangUSS Mullany6 October 1971struck in 1999, sunk as a target on 1 November 2001
Taiwan DDG-918ROCS An YangUSS Kimberly1 June 1967struck in 1999, sunk as a target on 14 October 2003
Taiwan DDG-919ROCS Kuen YangUSS Yarnall10 June 1968struck in 1999, scrapped

Surviving ships

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. In September 2019 its crew took her to Thessaloniki for a short 3-month stay., 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.

Surviving ships