USS O'Bannon (DD-177)

The Wickes class was an improved and faster version of the preceding Caldwell class. Two different designs were prepared to the same specification that mainly differed in the turbines and boilers used. The ships built to the Bethlehem Steel design, built in the Fore River and Union Iron Works shipyards, mostly used Yarrow boilers that deteriorated badly during service and were mostly scrapped during the 1930s.[1] The ships displaced 1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) at standard load and 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 314 feet 4 inches (95.8 m), a beam of 30 feet 11 inches (9.4 m) and a draught of 9 feet 10 inches (3.0 m). They had a crew of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.[2]

Performance differed radically between the ships of the class, often due to poor workmanship. The Wickes class was powered by two steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph). The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) of fuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[3]

The ships were armed with four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts and were fitted with two 1-pounder guns for anti-aircraft defense. Their primary weapon, though, was their torpedo battery of a dozen 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. In many ships a shortage of 1-pounders caused them to be replaced by 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft (AA) guns.[1] They also carried a pair of depth charge rails. A "Y-gun" depth charge thrower was added to many ships.[4]

O'Bannon, named for Presley O'Bannon, was laid down by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, 12 November 1918, launched 28 February 1919, sponsored by Mrs. Henry O'Bannon Cooper descendant by marriage of Lt. O'Bannon, and commissioned at San Francisco 27 August 1919, Lt. Robert F. Gross in command. O'Bannon sailed out of San Diego for exercises and training maneuvers along the coast of California and in Hawaiian waters throughout her career. In the spring of 1920 she conducted experiments with torpedoes, and then was in reserve commission from June to November, when she resumed her training schedule. She decommissioned at San Diego 27 May 1922, was struck from the Navy List 19 May 1936, and was sold 29 September 1936.

• See USS O'Bannon for other ships of this name.

• Friedman, Norman (1982). U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-733-X.
• Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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