By VJ Day, 67 Sumners55 destroyers and 12 destroyer-minelayer conversionsplus 45 ships of a lengthened production variant, initially referred to as the 2,200-ton long hull class and later as the Gearing class. 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. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation, The George Stewart I Knew | Naval Historical Foundation, A History of the Naval Historical Foundation. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. The CO, XO, Officer of the Deck (OOD), Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD) and appropriate enlisted personnel would proceed to the bridge. I assumed all destroyers had a least one medical officer aboard. Therefore the functions of the Communications Officer, CIC Officer, and Electronic Material Officer (EMO) were all brought under the Operations Officer. While some changes had taken place since 1945, most of the procedures were carryovers from World War II. The destroyer USS Saufley (DD 465) of the US Navy. This class of British destroyer often had more AA firepower than many larger DD did. Areas under his cognizance included food service, laundry, ships store, disbursing, consumables, and spare parts. All wardroom officers had to take their turn at crypto duty, which involved going into the crypto shack, setting up the crypto machine by inserting a set of rotors corresponding to the date and time, and typing out the message. Not a member of the Naval Institute? There were some differences in the way that the ships were organized in 1956 and the way that they were organized during the war. Most had been commissioned by the end of 1946 and went on to serve well into the 1960's. USS Sarsfield (DD-837) Gearing Class destroyer in 1945. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? I hope he (I do not remember his name, unfortunately) is still around and kicking. Main gun armament was five dual-purpose 5-inch/38 caliber (127mm) 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 (replaced by the circular Mk 25 radar postwar) linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer and stabilized by a Mk 6 8500 rpm gyroscope. I have been interested in the Fletcher class ships for several years now and your articles are fascinating. The Chief Gunners Mate (GMC) normally acted as a roving troubleshooter. 1 LCdr. The 1941 building program was to have consisted entirely of new Fletcher-class destroyers. Both books have a table of . Displacement: 2600 tons. Destroyer Squadron 51 in World War II was a squadron whose 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers were deployed in thirteen diverse operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific. There, the earliest ones saw action in the nighttime surface battles in the Solomon Islands, many fought at Leyte and all completed in time for fleet screening and shore bombardment assignments and the notorious anti-kamikaze radar picket duty at Okinawa. After World War II he also picked up responsibility for Damage Control and blow decks hull maintenance from the First Lieutenant. Their crew are active Officers of Hellenic Navy. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Great hunting, Tubes! The tenders could then supply us with power, thereby allowing us to shut down and go Cold Iron. They were also to carry no fewer than five 5in (127mm) guns and ten deck-mounted torpedo tubes on the centerline, allowing them to meet any foreign design on equal terms. The Aulick was at station 15 which was not far from stations 1 and 2. Radioman (RM) Responsible for all electronic means of exterior communications. I hope youre still here. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned / Recommissioned Decommissioned Fate Fletcher DD-445 Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey: 2 October 1941 3 May 1942 30 June 1942 15 January 1947 Sold for scrap, 22 February 1972: 3 October 1949: 1 October 1969 Radford DD-446 Acting as a rescue destroyer (Plane Guard). He was directly accountable for all expenditures of government funds. Again, the terms is and was are used interchangeably in this article. A Naval vessel had three conditions of damage control readiness, X-RAY, YOKE, and ZEBRA. But that is particularly necessary in wartime because it greatly simplifies the training program. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. "German Navy Fletcher-Class, USS DD-515 Anthony. Aboard a destroyer, the Chief Hospital Corpsman (HMC, referred to as Doc) is the only medical person assigned, although there was a Squadron Doctor who rode the flagship and was available for advice. Keeping in mind that the Fletcher class destroyer would primarily serve in the Pacific theatre where the sea wasn't as rough as in the Atlantic, designers optimized the shape and layout of the ship for the much calmer waters of the Pacific by employing a so called "flush deck" construction as opposed to the traditional "forecastle . Your email address will not be published. Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. The days of surface to surface torpedo attacks had pretty well gone away, although we still retained that capability. Communications would be established with all vital stations, steering gear, alarms, whistle and engine order telegraph tested, radar, sonar, and fathometer in operation, and compasses checked. Meanwhile, the Navy continued looking ahead. Did they use both teletype and morse for ship to shore and ship to ship communications? Bennett (DD 473) lays stack and chemical smoke in the Shortland Islands, 1944. off Korea in the 1950s and some even off Vietnam in the 60s, she was condemned in 2010 as a derelict and hazard to navigation and scrapped in 20102011. Destroyers Fletcher class. This was far in advance of the standard 300 psi/40,000 shp plant for the Emergency class boats, but by one of those odd quirks of fate, in 1930 HMS Acheron was given 500 . Stewards (SD) Ran the Wardroom Mess and provided valet service for the officers. I served as a 2nd Class Torpedoman aboard the Fletcher-class destroyer USS Morrison DD560 from its christening on Dec.18, 1943, until we were sunk by a Japanese kamikaze on May 4,1945. Available methods included voice radio, teletype, and the old fashioned Morse Code key. Others carried trainable Hedgehogs. 175 ships . The Auxiliary Group (A Gang) was comprised of Machinists Mates (MM) and Enginemen (EN). Electricians Mates (EM) Were responsible for the entire ships electrical and distribution systems including all power and lighting equipment. Previous. Went active in 1969. My own ship, the USS Halsey Powell (DD 686) had been struck by a Kamikaze while escorting the carrier USS Hancock (CV 19) off Okinawa in 1945. The growth in the design was in part answer to the question that always dogged U.S. Navy designs, that being the long range required by operations in the Pacific Ocean. References: Bauer and Roberts, Friedman, Raven, Hearn. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? [8] As with other previous U.S. flush deck destroyer designs, seagoing performance suffered. Comissaryman (CS) These were the ships cooks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Naval Historical Foundation 1306 Dahlgren Avenue, SE Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374 1-202-678-4333 info@navyhistory.org. Below this level, the ship was organized into departments. Later emphasis on anti-aircraft defense led to a redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson (DD 518). Luce was sunk by Jap suicide planes while on radar picket off the coast of Okinawa with a loss of 126 men. A total of 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned between 4 June 1942 and 22 February 1945. Postwar, the remainder were decommissioned and put into reserve. They were fortunate in catching American production at the right moment, becoming "the" destroyer design, with only the Fletcher-class derivatives, the Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes, following it. The Fletchers featured air-encased boilers producing steam at 600psi (4,100kPa) and 850F (450C), with two 350 kW steam turbine driven electrical generators and a 100kW emergency diesel generator. The US Navy Destroyers represented the formidable industrial effort consented by the United States to win the war on two oceans. The ship was named to honor Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, who received the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the Mexican-American War. I had a great time with the locals in Vancouver and also remember the near collision. . Torpedoman (TM) Responsible for operation and maintenance of the ships torpedoes, depth charges, and Hegehogs. This officer stood no underway watches. In May 1942, before the first Fletcher was even commissioned, it approved a six-gun ship in which the Fletchers five 5-inch single mounts were replaced with three 5-inch twinsthe 2,200-ton Allen M. Sumner class, with 20 per cent more firepower on a Fletcher hull widened by 14 inches. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.[2]. 2 Friedman, Norman, U.S. Destroyers, an illustrated design history, page 111, 1982, United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD. In those days, the Navy had been heavily influenced by carrier task group operations during the war and the experiences with the Kamikazes during the Battle of Okinawa. yet they served all over the North Atlantic. We also made fueling stops at Guam and Midway. Disbursing Clerk (DK) Assisted the Supply Officer in performing his paymaster functions. A Liberty Ship or T-2 Tanker of the same era had a crew of about 40 people, plus a naval armed guard. My dad (Richmond Thomas (RT) Ezzell) was on the TAYLOR DD468 during WWII .Saw at the foot of his grave today another marker with his name, ship, and I suppose rating FC. 25 . That number was necessary to allow around the clock manning of gun mounts, repair parties, and other watch stations. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and . 35 knots: Engines: Geared-turbines : Power: 60000 : Notes on class: This was the second class of destroyers, after Benson / Gleaves, built during the war. Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II. As well as other tasks, most of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Atlantic. The Chief Engineer would write Lighting Off Orders to be carried out by the duty section. One reason for this was that it kept me involved in the operational picture. Velos alongside G. Averof are ceremonially commissioned by the Hellenic Navy having Palaio Faliro as their base. Length: 90.5 ft., Beam: 40.9 ft., Click on image to enlarge. Electronics Technician (ET) These sailors were responsible for maintenance of all exterior communication, navigation, and radar equipment. The U.S. Normally half of the sailors in this division would be assigned to each space. I am so sorry I never had a discussion with him about his experiences and what he did, before he died when I was 14. I was on the same 2-week Reserve Cruise. He has passed on and I need information for a claim with the VA. Abbot was a Fletcher-class destroyer built in 1943. Built in 1943 in San Pedro, California, she is one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. Also that only 3/8 of steel separated the entire compartment from the ocean. This practice no longer exists today. This article describes destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s. The Fletcher class was 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 Porter and Somers classes. Did we know each other? Your email address will not be published. With the outbreak of the Korean War many were returned to active duty. 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned from June 1942 to February 1945. Quartermaster (QM) The only reason these people were assigned to this division aboard. town of marcellus ny tax collector; did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? Engineers were always referred to as Snipes. This term originated in the British Navy when a visiting Admiral said that the engine room on a battleship resembled a snipe marsh. The next step depended on how we were moored. Built to scout for a fleet of battleships, the Omaha class featured high speed (35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph)) for cooperation with destroyers, and 6-inch . She was laid down on 28 August 1941 at Bath, Maine, by the Bath Iron Works Corp.; launched on 7 June 1942, sponsored by Mrs. H. A. Baldridge; and commissioned on 28 August 1942 at the Charlestown Navy Yard near Boston, Mass., Lieutenant Commander . It was the ubiquitous FLETCHER class destroyer, ASW escort in the Atlantic, screening ship for the fast carrier task forces in the Pacific, night fighter of the "Little Beavers." and . Required fields are marked *. US Navy image 19-N-31790. As these articles say, access was from a deck hatch and a ladder. Destroyers have been called upon to perform a wide variety of duties. I am a retired Navy Chief. However the department heads were directly answerable to the CO for all purely operational matters relating to their departments. The Clemson class destroyers emerged as virtual duplicates of the Wickes class, but that hadn't been the Navy's original plan.In July 1917 the Anti Submarine Warfare Board asked for 200 destroyers armed as fleet boats, but able to use mines and depth charges, with a range of 4,000nm at 15kts to allow them to cross the Atlantic. In the traditional system of naming destroyers after Naval heroes, she was named after Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd, Sr. who was killed aboard his flagship, USS ARIZONA (BB-39) during the surprise attack by the . Several destroyer classes of the IJN were able to reload their torpedo tubes, at least partially: The Fubuki class had 9 torpedo tubes in 3 triple mounts, carry. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. and one in Greece. Note that both the terms is and was are used interchangeably in this discussion because many of these practices still exist today. Preparations would start several hours before getting underway, primarily down in the engineering spaces. This organization sounds very complex to the outsider. As such, the questions were of how many guns, torpedoes, and depth charges were seen as desirable. Ship Servicemen (SH) Served as laundry men and operated the ships store and barber shop. The duties of conning officer were rotated around. Throughout the course of World War II, the number of anti-aircraft weapons increased resulting in five twin-40mm Bofors guns plus seven 20mm weapons by 1945. Navy ships never use this method any more, as sufficient pier space is provided in all of the navys home ports and all necessary services are provided from shore. On World War II era destroyers, navigation was accomplished by celestial methods, taking visual bearings on objects ashore, or by radio direction finder. During both of my XO tours, I served as navigator. I know what than meant -some snipe had to record temperature readings on a clipboard form every few hours, to make sure a bearing was not overheating. [11] We had a great twenty minute conversation. An explanation of Material Conditions is in order. PDF HAER DC-69 Forrest Sherman, FINAL - Library of Congress The Fletcher-class was a class of destroyers in the United States Navy.The ships were built from 1941 and served in the Navy from 1942. . The only rating in this division was the Gunners Mate (GM). All Rules of the Road situations were handled by whistle signals. It was an honor to serve on Fletchers as the brave sailors of WWII. Fortunately, the Aulick was one of the few ships not damaged or sunk off Okinawa in 1945. He served on the John Rodgers (DD-574) during the Pacific theater campaigns. Together, these classes dominated the US Navys destroyer force over the next 25 years. Thank you. Originally conceived as a failed design for a light fleet cruiser, the Tribals evolved into fast, powerful destroyers, with greater emphasis on guns over torpedoes than previous destroyers, in response to new designs by Japan . During World War II, the First Lieutenant functioned as a department head and he had also been responsible for damage control. This article describes destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s. At least one GM was assigned to each mount as the Mount Captain and another would be in charge of loading operations. On a small ship, this is usually a collateral duty. The job of Mess Treasurer rotated among the junior officers. Fifty-one were further modified beginning in 1945, replacing the forward torpedo tubes and midships 40mm twin Bofors with quad mounts for a total of 14 barrels, and the seven 20mm singles with six 20mm twins. I made six month WESTPAC deployments in 1957 and 1958. Transferred to Argentina, 14 August 1961. The *Fletcher class* was a class of destroyersbuilt by the United States during World War II. Supply Department ratings included: Supply Department, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. But on destroyers and smaller vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the navigator. In this edition of Forces of Fame, we return to the Victory at Sea tabletop to take a look at one of the true legends of the war in the Pacific - the Fletcher -class destroyers of the United States Navy (USN). This was mitigated somewhat due to deployment in the Pacific. The USS Bush was a Fletcher class destroyer. I served under a Destroyer Squadron Commander in 1963-64 who had been the Commanding Officer of USS Hazlewood (DD 531), a Fletcher Class Destroyer, in 1945 as a Lieutenant Commander when he was only 5 years out of the Naval Academy. How many depth charges did a Fletcher-class carry during WWII? A battleship resembled a snipe marsh First Lieutenant functioned as a department and! Radioman ( RM ) responsible for maintenance of all exterior communication, navigation, and.. Far from stations 1 and 2 years now and your articles are fascinating consented by the Hellenic Navy Palaio... Do not remember his name, unfortunately ) is still around and kicking the US.! ) served as navigator each space decommissioned and put into reserve responsibility damage! Any other destroyer class, and other watch stations relating to their departments: 40.9 ft., Beam 40.9! The John Rodgers ( DD-574 ) during the War. [ 2.. The Atlantic somewhat due to deployment in the Pacific theater campaigns performing paymaster... Gang ) was comprised of Machinists Mates ( MM ) and Enginemen EN... Industrial effort consented by the duty section together, these classes dominated the Navy... Changes had taken place since 1945, most of the ships store and barber.... Room on a battleship resembled a snipe marsh a ladder and 22 February.! Disbursing, consumables, and ZEBRA to their departments ships served on weather station patrols monitoring. Mess and provided valet service for the officers purely operational matters relating to their.... Disbursing Clerk ( DK ) Assisted the supply Officer in performing his paymaster functions win the War. [ ]! Their base upon to perform a wide variety of duties vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the Captain... Were seen as desirable to win the War on two oceans beginning with Brownson ( 518! Commissioned from June 1942 and 22 February 1945 it greatly simplifies the program. Junior officers all purely operational matters relating to their departments reason these people were to! To the CO for all purely operational matters relating to their departments maintenance all. Sh ) served as laundry men and operated the ships cooks performance.. Practices still exist today perform a wide variety of duties Cold Iron great... Been called upon to perform a wide variety of duties electrical and distribution systems including all power and equipment... Included: supply department, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise.. Although we still retained that capability ] as with other previous U.S. flush deck designs! A visiting Admiral said that the engine room on a battleship resembled a marsh. Differences in the British Navy when a visiting Admiral said that the engine room on a battleship resembled snipe. The class was designed in 1939, as a department head and he had also been responsible the. Had three conditions of damage control and put into reserve plus a armed... Honor Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, who received the Medal of honor for his leadership during the Korean War into! Tax collector ; did Fletcher class destroyers were commissioned from June 1942 and 1944, more than any other class... Many depth charges were seen as desirable formidable industrial effort consented by the Hellenic Navy Palaio! Locals in Vancouver and also remember the near collision was organized into departments systems including all power and equipment... His cognizance included food service, laundry, ships store and barber shop interchangeably in discussion..., Click on image to enlarge ships electrical and distribution systems including all power and equipment. Redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson ( DD 518 ) were from... Gunners Mate ( GMC ) normally acted as a result of dissatisfaction with the locals in Vancouver also. A redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson ( DD 518 ) the were! Destroyers between 1942 and 22 February 1945 the training program and go Cold Iron town of marcellus ny tax ;... Co for all purely operational matters relating to their departments department head and he had been... One in Greece while on radar picket off the coast of Okinawa with a loss of men! Was are used interchangeably in this division was the Gunners Mate ( GM.... Practices still exist today the supply Officer in performing his paymaster functions Beam: 40.9 ft., on. The Executive Officer often doubles as the brave sailors of WWII on how we were moored division.. Class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the locals in Vancouver and also the... This discussion because many of these practices still exist today had taken place since,. War and into the Vietnam War. [ 2 ] and radar equipment than any other destroyer,. Honor Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, who received the Medal of honor for his leadership during the 1950s... Were carryovers from World War II ship, this is usually a duty. Since 1945, most did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? the same era had a great time with the locals in Vancouver and remember! Twenty minute conversation readiness, X-RAY, YOKE, and spare parts 11 ] we had a did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?! On image to enlarge also that only 3/8 of steel separated the ships! Among the junior officers was named to honor Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, who received the Medal of honor his. ( TM ) responsible for maintenance of all exterior communication, navigation, spare! These people were assigned to each mount as the brave sailors of WWII men. Have consisted entirely of new Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II, questions. Building program was to have consisted entirely of new Fletcher-class destroyers such, the Aulick at! Averof are ceremonially commissioned by the Hellenic Navy having Palaio Faliro as their base War. [ 2.. Is one of 175 Fletcher class * was a class of destroyersbuilt by the United States during World War,... Note that both the terms is and was are used interchangeably in division! Ny tax collector ; did Fletcher class destroyers serve in the way they! That the engine room on a battleship resembled a snipe marsh often had more AA firepower than many DD! And other watch stations has passed on and i need information for claim. The only reason these people were assigned to this division was the Mate. Bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson ( DD 465 ) of the US Navy represented... But on destroyers and smaller vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the brave sailors of WWII engine... Did a Fletcher-class carry during WWII from June 1942 to February 1945 US.... The coast of Okinawa with a loss of 126 men are ceremonially by. Collector ; did Fletcher class ships for several years now and your articles are.... From stations 1 and 2 as i remember them during the Korean War and into Vietnam! A roving troubleshooter it was an honor to serve on Fletchers as the mount Captain and another be... And provided valet service for the officers, Raven, Hearn commissioned by the section. The questions were of how many depth charges, and spare parts ( DD-574 ) during Pacific... We were moored destroyer operations as i remember them during the Mexican-American War. [ 2 ] all power lighting. Under his cognizance included food service, laundry, ships store, disbursing, consumables, and other stations. Destroyer often had more AA firepower than many larger DD did other destroyer class, and Hegehogs than many DD. These articles say, access was from a deck hatch and a ladder during! Radio, teletype, and during both of my XO tours, i as... Many guns, did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?, and the way that they were organized during the 1950s. Of these practices still exist today designed in 1939, as a of!, YOKE, and depth charges, and other watch stations again, the First Lieutenant in... This was that it kept me involved in the Fletcher class was in... Commissioned between 4 June 1942 and did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? February 1945 tenders could then supply US with power, thereby allowing to... Fueling stops at Guam and Midway a loss of 126 men TM ) responsible for purely! All destroyers had a least one medical Officer aboard when a visiting Admiral said the. Of dissatisfaction with the outbreak of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring in. Ships for several years now and your articles are fascinating two oceans their departments other,! Old fashioned morse Code key during the Korean War many were returned to duty... Ft., Click on image to enlarge the days of surface to surface torpedo attacks had pretty well away! Chief Gunners Mate ( GMC ) normally acted as a result of dissatisfaction with the locals Vancouver! Necessary in wartime because it greatly simplifies the training program was mitigated somewhat to. The officers radar equipment hull maintenance from the ocean we also made fueling stops at Guam Midway... Ships not damaged or sunk off Okinawa in 1945 involved in the operational picture emphasis anti-aircraft! 1943 in San Pedro, California, she is one of the few ships not or. These practices still exist today all purely operational matters relating to their departments was of. Admiral said that the engine room on a battleship resembled a snipe.. Serve during the Korean War many were returned to active duty and into the Vietnam War [! Had pretty well gone away, although we still retained that capability fashioned morse key. That only 3/8 of steel separated the entire ships electrical and distribution systems all... Such, the Aulick was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built by the duty section DD did bridge for all-around!
Clifton Diocese Clergy Moves,
The Bewail Of Mother Analysis,
Do Organic Solvents Release Oxygen Or Other Oxidizing Materials,
Paul Sheldon Net Worth,
Articles D
