Robert H. Smith-class destroyer


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.
These vessels were all originally laid down as s 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. 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. 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.

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
DM-1 17 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 20 July 1937
DM-2 17 July 1920Stricken 7 January 1936
DM-3 17 July 1920Stricken 25 January 1936
DM-4 17 July 1920Stricken 7 January 1936
DM-5 17 July 1920Stricken 22 October 1930
DM-6 17 July 1920Stricken 25 January 1936
DM-7 17 July 1920Stricken 22 October 1930
DM-8 17 July 1920Stricken 11 November 1931
DM-9 17 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 23 July 1937
DM-10 17 July 1920Stricken 18 November 1930
DM-11 March 1921Sold 22 April 1932
DM-12 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 22 July 1937
DM-13 July 1920Stricken 1 December 1936; target 20 July 1937
DM-14 July 1920Stricken 11 November 1931
DM-15 June 1930Scuttled 16 July 1945
DM-16 June 1930Stricken 13 November 1945
DM-17 January 1931Stricken 28 April 1945
DM-18 January 1931Sold 16 May 1946
DM-19 January 1937Stricken 7 February 1946
DM-20 June 1937Stricken 3 January 1946
DM-21 June 1937Stricken 19 December 1945
DM-22 une 1937Stricken 5 December 1945