Thousand Tonners : These had the raised forecastle that remains common in other navies. The USN was concerned with their inherent structural weakness where the deck line changed and built flush deck destroyers during both World Wars, but seemed to build raised decks during peacetime.
Cassin Class . 1913-15. 4- 4" guns , 8 torpedo tubes ; 1,030 tons; 300 feet ; 29 knots.
Fourteen (14) ships authorized in 1911. Fought in WWI; five transferred to
Coast Guard to catch rum-runners. O'Brian subclass had 10 tt.
All were scrapped by 1936.
Sampson/Tucker class . 1915-16. 4- 4" , 8 tt.; 1,100 tons ; 315 feet ; 29 knots.
Twelve (12) ships (DD-57 to DD-68) authorized in 1913-14 and the newest design
to fight in WWI. Seven to Coast Guard. All were scrapped by 1936 ,
except Allen (DD-66) which served at Pearl Harbor for all of WW2.
Flush Deck Classes . Single level, tapered deck to provide strength, yet
retain freeboard forward.
Caldwell Class . 1917-1918 . 4- 4", 1- 3" guns, 6-12 tt. ; 1,020 tons ; 308 feet ;
35 knots.
Six (6) ships of experimental designs by five different yards to compare performance
in preparation for war. Manley (DD-74) converted to amphibious
transport (APD-1) and served throughout WW2. Three survivors were sent in the
50-old-destroyers deal with England in 1940.
Wickes Class . 1918-1919 . 4- 4" or 6- 3" ; 1- 3": , 6-12 tt. ; 1,090 tons ; 314 feet ; 35 knots.
Over one hundred ships: DD-75 to 185. Modified from Caldwell class for mass production.
Geared turbines. Many had been scrapped before WW2; some became fast transports (APD) or
fast mine sweepers (DMS). Twenty-six (26) went to England in the 1940 deal.
Three that were at Pearl Harbor:
Schley (DD-103), Chew (DD-106), and
Ward (DD-139), as duty destroyer, sank
a miniature sub before the air attack.
Clemson Class . 1919-1920 . 4- 4" , 1- 3" , 12 tt. ; 1,190 tons ; 314 feet ; 35 knots.
Seventy-six (76) ships numbered DD-187 to 274 plus DD-336 to 342;
same as Wickes Class but with larger geared turbines.
Twenty (20) went to England in 1940 with 9 lost.
Eleven in US service did not survive the war including
Reuben James (DD-245)
torpedoed by U-552, 31Oct41, before the war officially started.
Edsall (DD-219),
Stewart (DD-224),
Pope (DD-225),
Peary (DD-226), and
Pillsbury (DD-227)
of the Asiatic fleet were lost in the Java Sea
in the early days of the Pacific War.
Pre-WW2 Classes.
Farragut Class . 1934-35 . 4- 5"/38 , 8 tt. ;
1,400 tons ; 341 feet ; 36 knots.
Eight (8) ships of 1932 program. Farragut (DD-348) to Aylwin (DD-355).
These were the first destroyers built since the 200 plus built for WWI.
They reinstalled the raised forecastle; these were a development class.
A fifth gun was tried amidships and later removed.
Three foundered during WW2. The rest were scrapped in 1947.
Porter / Selfridge Class . 1936-37 . 8- 5"/38 low angle guns, 8 tt ;
1,850 tons ; 381 feet ; 37 knots.
Eight (8) ships: Porter (DD-356) to Balch (DD-363).
Larger ships authorized in 1933 built as squadron leaders,
the maximum size allowed by treaty. Porter was torpedoed by I-21
at Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.
Mahan Class . 1936-37 . 5- 5", 3x4 tt ; 1,400-1,500 tons, 342 feet ;
36 knots.
Sixteen (16) destroyers laid down in 1934. Mahan (DD-364) to Preston (DD-379).
Similar to Farragut class but the two forward 5" mounts were enclosed.
Expanded to 12 torpedoes in three banks of four tubes. The middle 5" gun was
replaced with six 20mm anti-aircraft guns. Nine, over half, were lost in WW2.
Gridley Class . 1937 . 4- 5"/38 , 16 tt.; 1,500 tons ; 342 feet ;
36 knots.
Ten (10) ships: Gridley (DD-380) -with some numbers in other classes- to Jarvis (DD-393).
A design to increase torpedo capacity to four banks of four tubes.
Forward 5" in gun houses, aft remained open guns. Blue (DD-387) and Jarvis (DD-393)
lost at Guadalcanal, Henley (DD-391) at New Guinea.
Dunlap / Fanning Class . 1938 . 5- 5"/38 , 3x4 torpedo tubes ;
1,500 tons ; 342/334 feet ; 36.5 knots.
Two ships: Dunlap (DD-384) and Fanning (DD-385) were similar to Mahon class,
but with high-pressure super-heated boilers.
Somers Class . 1938 . 8- 5" , 3x4 tt. ; 1,850 tons ; 381 feet ; 35 knots.
Five ships: Somers (DD-381), Warrinton (DD-383), Sampson (DD-394),
Davis (DD-395), and Jouett (DD-396) with increased armaments as four twin 5" gun houses
and twelve torpedo tubes. They were top heavy and modified throughout the war.
Warrington (DD-383) foundered in hurricane off the Bahamas 13 Sep 44;
Benham Class . 1939 . 4- 5" , 8 tt. ; 1,500 tons ; 341 feet ; 36 knots.
Twelve (12) ships: Benham (DD-397) to Wilson (DD-408) equipped with four single 5" gun houses.
Benham (DD-397 torpedoed at Battle of Guadalcanal 15 Nov 42.
Rowan (DD-405) torpedoed in the Mediterranean.
Sims / Anderson Class . 1939-40 . 5- 5"/38 , 8 tt. ; 1,850 tons ; 348 feet ;
37 knots.
Twelve (12) ships, Sims (DD-409) to Buck (DD-420), commissioned in 1939-40,
represented the latest ship design and bore the brunt of the early days
of the war. Almost half were sunk. They started the war with an extra 5" gun
that was removed to save weight. Single stack. Five were lost in WW2 including
Sims (DD-409)
bombed at Coral Sea; the other four were torpedoed.
Gleaves Class consists of sub-classes: Benson / Livermore / Bristol Class . 1940-1942 . 4- 5" , 5 tt. ; 1,630 tons ; 348 feet ; 37 knots.
This class overlaps ships: Gleaves (DD-423) commissioned 1940.
Sixty-six ships of which thirteen were lost.
Benson Class . 1940, 1942 . 4- 5" , 5 tt. ; 1,630 tons ; 348 feet ; 37 knots.
Twenty-five (25) ships: DD-421 to DD-443 similar to Sims Class but with
two funnels. Benson (DD-421) 1940. A second batch was completed in 1942.
Livermore Class . 1940 . 4- 5" , 5x4 tt. ; 1,630 tons ; 348 feet ; 37 knots.
Sixteen (16) ships: Livermore (DD-429) to Ingraham (DD-444). Originally
equipped with 5- 5" guns and twenty torpedo tubes, the ships were top heavy
and the amidships gun and the after torpedo mount were replaced with several 20 mm.
Three lost in action in the Solomons, one to accident.
Bristol / Buchanan Class . 1942 . 4- 5" , 5 or 10 tt ; 1,620-1,630 tons ; 348 feet ; 37 knots.
Forty-seven (47) destroyers authorized in 1940 after war started in Europe. Derived from the
Benson and Livermore classes. Those built by various yards differed slightly: some
used round funnels, others square, some had pedestal fire control, some
had a squared bridge. Fifteen did not survive the war.
Twenty-four become destroyer mine sweepers, DMS-19 to 42 in 1944-45.
Bristol (DD-453), 1941, was torpedoed off Oran. Buchanan (DD-484) 1942.
The second group had 4- 5", 4- 40mm, 5 torpedo tubes.
Fletcher Class . 1942 . 5- 5"/38 , 6- 40 mm , 10 torpedo tubes ; 2,050 tons; 376 feet ; 36.5 knots.
Ninety-eight (98) ships. Five single 5" gun houses. Design goes back to the flush deck.
Sixteen lost.
Improved Fletcher Class . 1943 . 5- 5"/38 , 10- 40 mm , 10 tt. ; 2,050 tons ; 376 feet ;
36 knots.
Fifty-three (53) ships, had lower fire control directors and minor updates.
Three lost.
Allen M Sumner Class . 1944 . 6- 5"/38 . 8-12- 40 mm , 10 tt. ; 2,200 tons ; 376 feet ; 36.5 knots.
Sixty-three (63) ships. An improvement of the Fletcher design with
three double 5" gun houses. Heavier, yet fastest destroyer class.
Twelve were converted to minelayers DM-23 to DM-34.
Gearing Class . 1945 . 6- 5"/38 , 12 to 16 40 mm , 10 torpedo tubes ; 2,400 tons ; 390 feet ; 35 knots.
One hundred five (105) ships. These are enlargement of the Sumner class with 14 feet added
between the funnels to allow additional fuel and equipment.
Everts Class . 1943 . 3- 3"/50 , 2- 40mm ; 1,150 tons ; 289/283 feet ; 20 knots.
Seventy-five (75) ships: DE-5 thru 50, 256-265, 301-307, 527-530.
32 were delivered to RN by Lend Lease.
Edsall Class . 1943 . 3- 3"/50 , 2- 40mm ; 1,200 tons ; 306 feet ; 20 knots.
Eighty-one (81) ships: DE-129 and higher numbers.
9 torpedo tubes, hedgehog, 2 depth charge tracks, 8 "K-guns.
In the 1950s, 34 were converted to radar picket ships, DER, to act
as a seagoing extension to the DEW line. The last DER was scraped in 1975.
Bostwick/Cannon Class . 1943-44 . 3- 3"/50 , 2- 40mm ; 1,240 tons ; 306 feet ; 20 knots.
Fifty-seven (57) ships. Six lend-lease to Brazil. Open guns. 9 torpedo tubes,
a hedge hog, 2 depth charge tracks, 8 K-guns. Diesel-electric.
Buckley Class . 1943-44 . 3- 3" or 2- 5"/38 , 2- 40mm ; 1,400 tons ; 306 feet ; 24 knots.
One hundred (100) ships. 46(34?) ships lend lease to England. Fifty became fast transports,
APD-37 to APD-86. Newly commissioned USS England (DE-635) intercepted a
picket line of Japanese submarines and sank six between 19May-31May44.
Rudderow Class . 1944 . 2- 5"/38 , 4- 40mm ; 1,450 tons ; 306 feet ; 28 knots.
Ninety-nine (99) ships. This was the last DE type. It followed the
Buckley design with the placement of arms in single 5" gun houses fore and
aft. Nine torpedo tubes, one hedge hog, 2 depth charge tracks, 8 K-guns.
To compensate for the extra weight, the bridge and funnel
were lowered and lightened. 81 were completed, but only 22 as
destroyer escorts ; 59 were completed as fast transports, APD, with
two landing craft and accommodations for 162 troops.
Turbo electric power to overcome a shortage of turbine blades.
Holt (DE-706) was given to South Korea;
Riley (DE-579) to Taiwan.
John C Butler Class . 1944 . 2- 5"/38 ; 1,350 tons, 306 feet ; 28 knots.
Eighty-three (83) ships. A geared turbine version of the Rudderow Class after turbine blades became available.
Early models had 3 torpedo tubes. All had hedgehogs. All were disposed of by 1972.
Towards the end of the war when there was no Japanese navy to attack, but kamikazes were rife, DEs had their torpedo tubes replaced with anti-aircraft guns.
Post-war escorts were reclassed as "frigates" (FF) about 1975 to denote single screw designs.
Gray means did not participate in the Pacific War.