Mitscher-class destroyer

The Mitscher-class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, they would have been the first post-war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Commissioned in 1953-1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in the 1970s. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were sold for scrap by 1980.

Mitscher-class destroyer
USS Wilkinson (DL-5) underway in late 1950s
Class overview
Name: Mitscher class
Builders:
Operators:  United States Navy
Preceded by: Norfolk class
Succeeded by: Forrest Sherman class
Built: 1949–1954
In commission: 1953–1978
Completed: 4
Retired: 4
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer leader
Displacement: 3,642 tons standard; 4,855 full load
Length: 490 ft (150 m)
Beam: 47.5 ft (14.5 m)
Draft: 14.7 ft (4.5 m)
Propulsion: 2 shaft; geared steam turbines; 4 boilers; 80,000 shp (60,000 kW)
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Armament:

Description

All four Mitscher-class ships were ordered 3 August 1948 and were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,642 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load with a length of 494 feet (151 m), a 50-foot (15 m) beam and a 26-foot (8 m) draft.

Beyond that, each ship had a different loadout of propulsion and other systems so as to determine the best course of action for future destroyer design.

In the early 1960s, the Mitscher class underwent modernization through the Class Improvement Program (CIP), which included the replacement of the boilers on the first two ships of the class.

USS Mitscher (DDG-35) after her conversion to a guided missile destroyer, 1971.

Ships in class
Ship Name Hull No. Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate Ref
Mitscher DL-2 Bath Iron Works 3 October 1949 26 January 1952 15 May 1953 1 June 1978 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 August 1980
John S. McCain DL-3 24 October 1949 12 July 1952 12 October 1953 29 April 1978 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 13 December 1979
Willis A. Lee DL-4 Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard 1 November 1949 26 January 1952 5 October 1954 19 December 1969 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1973
Wilkinson DL-5 1 February 1950 23 April 1952 29 July 1954 19 December 1969 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1975

See also
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.