did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?

Much of this philosophy was a carry over from the days of sailing ships. [1], Learn how and when to remove this template message, Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Fletcher-class_destroyers&oldid=1117203315, Sold to Peru as parts donor, 26 July 1974 scrapped, Transferred to West German Navy, 14 July 1959, Transferred to Peru 26 July 1974 for spare parts, Transferred to West Germany, 17 January 1958, Transferred to West Germany, 6 October 1959, Used as target hulk November 1973, scrapped. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. On a small ship, this is usually a collateral duty. This meant passing a second bight around the bollard on the pier or the ship alongside. . stevens funeral home pulaski, va obituaries. There were 6 depth charges for each K-gun. Also, since my primary experience was in engineering, it served as excellent preparation for command. Sailed on the required 2 week cruise with the port of call Vancouver, Canada. Since his retirement from active naval service in 1986 he has been employed in the ship design industry where he has specialized in the development of concept designs of propulsion and powering systems, some of which have entered active service. / toronto gift show august 2022 / did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? my great uncle served aboard the Halligan DD584 lost at sea 3-26-45. any info on crew duty stations or any information on the ship or her crew would be appreciated. Often he was assigned additional duties as Chief Master at Arms (The ships head policeman). Indoor & Outdoor SMD Screens, LED Displays, Digital Signage & Video Wall Solutions in Pakistan The last Fletcher in service, BAM Cuitlahuac (ex-John Rodgers), left the Mexican navy in 2001, meaning the total service life of the Fletchers stretched over almost six decades and into the 21st century.[12]. They did not stand regular watches but they were the people you called when something failed to operate properly. If the ship was designated as a flagship, accommodations were provided on board for the Commodore and his staff. The Fletcher-class is almost synonymous with the term destroyer within the context of WWII. Mrz 25, 2022; Posted by are meatless crumbles vegan? LTJG George Stewart from the 1958 USS Halsey Powell Cruise Book. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine. Velos alongside G. Averof are ceremonially commissioned by the Hellenic Navy having Palaio Faliro as their base. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations | Naval Historical Foundation, Life on a Fletcher Class Destroyer in the 1950's | Naval Historical Foundation, A History of the Naval Historical Foundation. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.[3]. Most COs rarely took the conn themselves but acted more as a teacher and overall safety observer. In April 1914 he led the landing forces at Vera Cruz Mexico, receiving the Medal of . A total of 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned between 4 June 1942 and 22 February 1945. Obviously they were the people who were most likely to take heat from the other crew members for their efforts, or lack thereof. The only rating in this division was the Gunners Mate (GM). It is set when a ship is in the harbor. The U.S. As Senior Watch Officer, he had the responsibility for the training and assignment of junior officers, and in some cases CPOs to underway and in port watch stations. Department heads reported to XO for all administrative matters related to their departments. Frequently a junior officer was assigned as the Administrative Officer or Ship Secretary with additional duty as X Division Officer. In June 1942, the 1.1" gun was replaced by a twin Bofors 40 mm gun mount; in some ships, another twin mount may have been added on the fantail between the depth charge racks. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. 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. The Fletcher-class destroyers were built by the United States during World War II. The individual rating groups are very specialized. Radarman (RD) This was a new rating that was established during World War II. These three destroyers were later converted to the regular Fletcher-class configuration. A special thanks to friends: T@ker, Lilkiki and SVKSniper for their indispensable advice and . US Navy image 19-N-31790. Admiral's flag is flying from the yardarm. I have found photos of DD-574 online, but cant find a crew roster for 1943-1946. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.. The Navy is trying very hard to catch up to the rest of society and more and more use is being made of computers and automatic controls. First Division provided the majority of the bridge watch standers and the gun crews. (My papers had been submitted but not received for 1st Class TM before we were sunk.) OC Division Headed by the Communications Officer. Normally half of the sailors in this division would be assigned to each space. All wardroom provisions had to be purchased from the General Mess or other sources ashore. If you Google Imperial Submarine I-8, you can read through the article for an account of our sinking of that sub. 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. Fire Control Technician (FT) Responsible for operation and maintenance of all of the ships gunfire control systems including fire control radar, computer, and electrical transmission systems. Your email address will not be published. By 1971, all ships remaining in the US Navy had decommissioned but not until 2001 was Mexicos Cuitlhuac, the former John Rodgers and the last active Fletcher, retired. Ship Servicemen (SH) Served as laundry men and operated the ships store and barber shop. In later years with the advent of missiles, the title of this billet became Weapons Officer. The Gunnery Department aboard Halsey Powell included three divisions, i.e. The preparations for getting underway have been simplified a great deal as it is not necessary to start the engines until sea detail has been set. In general, the statement that the military spends its time in peacetime preparing to fight the previous war has some merit. All three American museum ships have been designated as National Historic Landmarks. My previous article (read Part 1 here) gave an overview of the U.S. Navys highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. 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. The Fletcher class destroyers had a wartime complement of 329 personnel. Together, these classes dominated the US Navys destroyer force over the next 25 years. Previously the USS Anthony (DD-515), Ringold (DD-500), Waldsworth (DD-515), Claxton (DD-571), Dyson (DD-572), and Charles Ausburne (DD-570). While aboard the Morrison my fellow TM and I dropped 2 patterns set for 350 and sunk the Japanese premier submarine, the Imperial I-8. On many smaller ships, he usually doubles as the ships navigator. I was a Reservist out of the old Reserve Center (airplane hanger) in Long Beach. At the time scheduled in the plan of the day, the boatswains pipe would whistle and the word would be passed Now set the Special Sea and Anchor Detail. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlierdestroyer leader types. Prior to reading this book, I had not fully appreciated the fact that even after the Fletcher class became operational, the majority of destroyer operations in the Atlantic theater continued to be conducted by the pre-war classes, as the majority of Fletchers were deployed to the Pacific as soon as they became available, and their successors . This group was responsible for all general hull fittings such as watertight doors and hatches, ventilation system closures, general plumbing, etc. Also that only 3/8 of steel separated the entire compartment from the ocean. The lowest . 624-628. This addition to the AA suite required the deletion of the forward quintuple torpedo mount, a change was under the 4 April 1945 anti-kamikaze program.[7]. Does anyone have information I can get from on of his mates during that time. Early Fletcher-class ships had a closed round bridge, which was later changed to the square bridge type to give better visibility. Transferred to Argentina, 14 August 1961. Named after a swashbuckling Union Civil War captain, the Porter was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. These sailors were generally referred to as non-rated personnel and they could be assigned duties in any of the non-engineering divisions. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. I was lucky enough to tour the USS Kidd shortly after she was docked for display in Baton Rouge, LA. The Fletcher-class destroyer was the first generation of destroyers to be designed after the series of Naval Treaties that had limited ship designs heretofore. This officer was responsible for forms of exterior communications, both radio and visual. 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. Great series of articles!. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. This alteration was not a success and was not repeated. Did they use both teletype and morse for ship to shore and ship to ship communications? In fact, they served until 1971 in the United States and in the Mexican Navy until 2001. The Chief Gunners Mate (GMC) normally acted as a roving troubleshooter. found: Wikipedia, May 10 2010: under Fletcher class destroyer (the Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II; some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War; the United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher class destroyers between 1942 and 1944; they were built by shipyards across the United States and many were sold to the . All USN ships are worthy of their tails of history while securing the waters they sail and for protecting all of freedoms we so take for granted every day. These conditions are established by closing the appropriate fittings such as valves, hatches, and watertight doors. I made 2 deployments, home ported out of Pearl Harbor. George W. Stewart is a retired US Navy Captain. [4] They could cover the vast distances required by fleet actions in the Pacific. As well as other tasks, most of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Atlantic. 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 . In my previous two articles (read Part 1 here, read Part 2 here) I gave technical and manning overviews of the U.S. Navys highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. 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. I also served aboard USS CORAL SEA (CVA43) for 2 years before joining the submarine force, which I spent 26 years in. East Coast deployments tended to be much better because ports in the Mediterranean are much closer together than in the Far East and there never were as many potential shooting situations over there that demanded that we be underway for prolonged periods. The XO is often the resident bad guy in the wardroom because many COs like to play the Good Cop/Bad Cop game. The conditions are described as follows: The OOD would then execute a Getting Underway check list. Three (Pringle, Stevens, Halford) were built (six planned) with aircraft catapults, resulting in the deletion of one 5-inch mount and the after set of torpedo tubes. Speed requirements varied from 35 to 38kn (40 to 44mph; 65 to 70km/h), and shortcomings in the earlier Sims class, which were top heavy and needed lead ballast to correct it, caused the Fletcher design to be widened by 18in (46cm) in the beam. X-RAY provides the least protection. It is set under battle conditions. Boilers had to be lit approximately 2 hours before the scheduled underway time and about an hour would be required in each engine room to prepare the engines for operation. During World War II this rating was called Pharmacists Mate. It was a very diverse division that was comprised of several ratings. The Aulick was at station 15 which was not far from stations 1 and 2. The next order would be to Take in the Brow. Destroyers, dubbed "tin cans" because of their lack of armor . between the turbine and the shaft it appeared that there was a temperature gauge built into every section. The Executive Officer (XO) is the second in command on the ship. Your email address will not be published. The other rated BMs were generally assigned individual sections of the ship to maintain. They were also the first US destroyers fitted with radar as built. The pace of US destroyer construction accelerated with the wartime Fletcher class. The Navigator is responsible for determining the ships position and making recommendations as to the appropriate course of action to the commanding officer. Enginemen were diesel engine specialists who took care of boat engines and the emergency diesel generator. All rights reserved. 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 . Heres how to join! *** One of the biggest regrets of my life is not volunteering to be part of the crew that cleaned up decades of layered on paint, to get her ready for public display. [5][failed verification] In a massive effort, the Fletchers were built by shipyards across the United States, and, after World War II ended, 11 were sold to countries that they had been built to fight against: Italy, Germany, and Japan, as well as other countries, where they had even longer, distinguished careers. The wartime philosophy was essentially that manpower was cheaper than technology. Posted on . The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types. Deployments to the Far East could be pretty tedious and they involved long periods at sea, as much as a month at a time. Ross's book also acknowledges Raven's book as a source. For a secure moor, the lines were Doubled Up. On Nov. 13, 1942, the USS Juneau light cruiser was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. . What they got was a destroyer design that was effective enough to provide excellent service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Wars. The Fletcher class destroyers had a wartime complement of 329 personnel. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. 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. i was a radarman on the Hopewell from 65through 67. The ship was the first of the Fletcher-class destroyers that were built during World War II. Four ships have been preserved as museum ships, although only Kidd was never modernized and retains her WWII configuration: Warning: Display title "Fletcher class destroyer" overrides earlier display title "Fletcher-class destroyer". This class of British destroyer often had more AA firepower than many larger DD did. In 1942 and 1943, the number of Oerlikon cannons was steadily increased with ships modified before leaving the shipyard with a seventh 20mm mount in front of the bridge behind the number two 5" gun mount and anywhere from one to three mounts on the flying bridge depending upon the configuration of the ship. While at the buoys we were provided with services with some harbor craft which were referred to as fuel, water, and garbage barges operated by the Naval District. They followed exactly the same path but they were only assigned to the Engineering Department. Named after a swashbuckling Union Civil War captain, the Porter was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. There was a big hole in one of the ships. I served on the USS Luce DD522 in ww2 as a seaman 1rst signalman striker. 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. So the next order was Single up all lines. Here we see the Fletcher-class destroyer USS Cony (DD/DDE-508) off Norfolk in October 1963 as seen from the USS Keppler (DD-765).Though she earned 11 battle stars for World War II service, two for Korean War service and spent five months off Vietnam, it was a little-acknowledged day in 1962 that Cony witnessed what could have been the start of World War III. The first 25 ships were ordered 28 June and 1 July 1940 (the first day of the 1941 fiscal year), with DD 445 actually belonging to the 1 July group. Answer (1 of 4): Few destroyer classes of WW2 were able to reload their torpedoes whilst at sea, below I have listed several that can. But he had a good deal of responsibility. Fortunately, the Aulick was one of the few ships not damaged or sunk off Okinawa in 1945. During this time 39 were refitted, reducing their overall main armament and the number of torpedo tubes. Electronics Technician (ET) These sailors were responsible for maintenance of all exterior communication, navigation, and radar equipment. USS Fletcher (DD-445) was commissioned on 30 June 1942, with Lieutenant Commander W. M. Cole in command. He was responsible for all fuel transfer operations plus chemical testing and treatment of the ships boiler water. . 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. He promulgates the plan of the day and oversees virtually every evolution. The Navy started my lifes work e.g. A Liberty Ship or T-2 Tanker of the same era had a crew of about 40 people, plus a naval armed guard. At least one GM was assigned to each mount as the Mount Captain and another would be in charge of loading operations. A Naval vessel had three conditions of damage control readiness, X-RAY, YOKE, and ZEBRA. [5] They could cover the vast distances required by fleet actions in the Pacific and served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, during which they accounted for 29 Imperial Japanese Navy submarines sunk. Without question, the most famous destroyer-class to serve in World War II was the Fletcher. The last Fletcher in service, BAM Cuitlahuac (ex-John Rodgers), left the Mexican navy in 2001, meaning the total service life of the Fletchers stretched over almost six decades and into the 21st century.[1]. I am a retired Merchant Chief Engineer (Steam). While in restricted waters, naval vessels have a navigation detail set and the ships position was regularly determined by taking visual bearings on objects ashore, supplemented by radar ranges and fathometer readings. The USS Bush was a Fletcher class destroyer. If there was ever any doubt about who was responsible for a piece of equipment on the ship, it belonged to the Chief Engineer. Despite talk of returning her to the United States as a museum ship, she was condemned in 2010 as a derelict and hazard to navigation and scrapped in 20102011. Some 2,100-tonners served off Korea in the 1950s and some even off Vietnam in the 60s. Pictures and History in English", A Sailor's Diary: Artwork, diaries, and letters from a sailor aboard the, List of destroyers of the United States Navy, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, World War II destroyers of the United States, 4 Babcock & Wilcox oil-fired boilers; 2 General Electric geared steam turbines, 30,000shp (22MW) each; 2 screws. Naval Institute is maintaining and preserving the former Naval Historical Foundation website so readers and former NHF members can still access past issues of Pull Together and other content. Thanks for shedding additional light on my fathers service and that of his comrades-in-arms. He died back in 1986. Machinists Mate (MM) This rating was responsible for the operation and maintenance of all of the equipment in the two main engine rooms. USS Fletcher: note the open hatch with Black ZEBRA marking. Seaman/Seaman Apprentice (SN/SA) This takes some explanation. 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. Fletcher-class destroyer - Wikipedia. They were responsible for visual communications between ships by flashing light, flaghoist, or semaphore. 175 were produced, more than any other class, and they were built by shipyards across the United States. During their service life, many . During World War II, the Atlantic Coast destroyers would probably be at battle stations with Material Condition Zebra set by the time that they cleared the submarine net. His office was referred to as the Log Room and he would designate one bright young sailor as the Log Room Yeoman to help with the paperwork. [11] From the 1958 Halsey Powell cruise book. ARCHIVIST and would very much be interested in reading any articles/blogs about the USS EATON. 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. In the United States, The Sullivans at Buffalo, Kidd (beautifully restored to late-World War II configuration) at Baton Rouge, and Cassin Young, berthed across the pier from the frigate USS Constitution at the Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts, are open to the public. During World War II, the commanding officer was frequently a Lieutenant Commander with far less experience. While some changes had taken place since 1945, most of the procedures were carryovers from World War II. He was also responsible for coordination of shipyard overhauls or periods (availabilities) alongside a tender. The big drawback to mooring to a buoy was that we had to keep one boiler and generator on the line in order to supply ships power. A . On deck it was necessary to disconnect all shore services, pick up the ships boats, remove rat guards, and a variety of other actions, including preparing an anchor for dropping in an emergency. Most were assigned to the Deck Force. ZEBRA is the highest level of protection. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. The iconic silhouette of a Fletcher is well known to any students of World War II naval history. The Chief Engineer would be in the Forward Engine Room and the Main Propulsion Assistant would be in the After Engine Room. NHF has decommissioned and is no longer accepting new members or donations. Built in 1943 in San Pedro, California, she is one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Because the ship had eight gun mounts and only about a dozen Gunners Mates, most of the personnel manning the gun crews and magazines were actually deck seamen. Machinery Repairman (MR) were in charge of the Machine Shop. This practice no longer exists today. These are senior petty officers who function as the ships police force. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more . Later emphasis on anti-aircraft defense led to a redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson (DD 518). He was a radioman on the ship for about a year, and transferred to another ship before the USS Kidd was hit by a kamikaze.the sailor I was talking to lost a few friends in that attack. Any help would be appreciated. On the return trip we had to avoid the collision between the Oil Tanker and a Philippine Merchant ship . The Aulick served in the Pacific from 1943 through the end of the war and was also on radar picket off Okinawa May through July, 1945. During World War II, these functions had belonged to the Chief Engineer. The peacetime manning was 14 officers and 236 enlisted men. In the interest of reduced manning levels, did the Radiomen copy fleet broadcast via teletype instead of morse? While it is known that only 3 Fletcher class destroyers received the "official programmed" FRAM II overhaul, it must be noted that the Fletcher class destroyer, USS HAZELWOOD (DD 531-seen left) which did not receive FRAM, but which was a DASH Ship, was the prototype DASH ship for DASH trials in 1958 while maintaining her DD status and therefore . Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. and one in Greece. 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 . Below this level, the ship was organized into departments. Required fields are marked *. Their flush deck construction added structural strength; however, it did make them cramped, as less crew space was available below decks compared with a raised forecastle. Built for speed and capability, USS Cassin Young engaged in seven Pacific battles in World War II, survived two Kamikaze hits, and served another full decade beyond her expected lifetime. I assumed all destroyers had a least one medical officer aboard. They also were much less top heavy than the previous classes, allowing them to take on additional equipment and weapons without major redesign. or phone 8156753603. During routine steaming operations, CIC was responsible for radar navigation and tracking of routine surface contacts and making appropriate recommendations to the Officer of the Deck. During World War II, the First Lieutenant functioned as a department head and he had also been responsible for damage control. 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. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and . 175 ships . Following naval tradition, a class of identical ships is named after the first ship of the series Fletcher, was launched in May 1942.Fletcher-class destroyers became one of the most successful weapon systems deployed in World War II, with 175 built and a few still in service around the world well after 1990. She is painted in the usual Measure 12 (modified) of the time. To achieve 38 knots with a 500-ton increase in displacement, power was increased from 50,000shp (37,000kW) to 60,000shp (45,000kW) compared to the previous Benson and Gleaves classes. Supply Department ratings included: Supply Department, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. The destroyer was the most capable and most feared escort vessel the allies possessed early in the war. NHF members are being converted to members of the Naval Institute. All Rules of the Road situations were handled by whistle signals. In September 2019 its crew took her to Thessaloniki for a short 3-month stay. She was my first, and my favorite ship. Of course, ships today are fitted with Global Positioning (GPS), Electronic Chart Display (ECDIS) and other more advanced equipment. 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. Next. All records of boiler water treatment and fuel usage were kept in an office referred to as the Oil Shack. While I did not serve in a Fletcher class destroyer, I did serve in a FRAM II destroyer, the USS ROWAN DD-782. Chief or First Class petty officers of this rating were normally assigned to Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) duties in the Forward Engine Room where they were directly responsible for the operation of the engineering plant during their watch. Introduced in 1942, the 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers formed the core of the US Navys destroyer force from 1943. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S., and one in Greece. I was a teletype/crypto operator on the USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) in the early 1970s. Since 1975 all new destroyer, cruiser, and frigate types have been powered by aircraft derivative gas turbine engines. Authorized for fiscal year 1941, construction of the first ships was already under way when the United States entered the war. This was to have a great impact upon my own career in the navy. The *Fletcher class* was a class of destroyersbuilt by the United States during World War II. [10] Typically, Babcock & Wilcox boilers and General Electric geared steam turbines were equipped, although other designs and manufacturers were probably used to maximize the rate of production. The Chief Engineer bears responsibility for operation of the ships engineering plant, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary machinery, and interior communications. If we were backing out of a slip you would hear a prolonged blast on the whistle. Ratings assigned to the division included: Second Division, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. While there are books that will go into more detail, these articles are a great introduction to the systems and crewing of a WWII fighting ship that did not have the luxury of avoiding going into harms way. 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. 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. The entire process of raising steam was started by making up a burner, igniting the torch with a match, inserting it into the furnace, and opening the fuel valve. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Thanks for sticking your neck out for us youngsters. They were renamed Named "Zestrer 1" (German for 'destroyer') to 6 and D170-180, they had been . Was on DD650 for 4 years right out of boot camp I am now ret USN MSC you in 76 there is not a day that goes by that I dont think of the best year s of my life I am now 77and I wish I could do it all again when the good Lord takes me I hope he will put me on the USS C APERTON DD650, Pingback: The George Stewart I Knew | Naval Historical Foundation. Maneuvers conducted in January 1915 made it clear that the US Atlantic Fleet lacked the fast cruisers necessary to provide information on the enemy's position, deny the enemy information of the fleet's own position, and screen friendly forces. One my ships was USS OBannon DD-450 , the most decorated destroyer of WWII. The duties of conning officer were rotated around. It was always stressed that the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues. Thank you. Not a member of the Naval Institute? The US Navy Destroyers represented the formidable industrial effort consented by the United States to win the war on two oceans. Radio direction finders were eventually replaced by Loran A. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. Previous. Two of the three destroyers were sunk, but not until they had inflicted serious damage on their opponents. The actual hookup was made by detaching one of the anchor chains from its anchor and passing it down to the mooring crew on the buoy, who would then connect it to a shackle. The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in 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. We also made fueling stops at Guam and Midway. Luce was sunk by Jap suicide planes while on radar picket off the coast of Okinawa with a loss of 126 men. What impressed me was the clean layout, and the open space. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The CS rating who was responsible for the dry provisions and refrigerated storerooms was referred to as the Jack of the Dust. The Fletcher class including The Sullivans are regarded as the backbone of the navy and know to be the best destroyer in the world. Construction (top) and disposition following World War II (bottom). Nineteen were lost during World War II; six more were damaged and not repaired. In September 1941, it requested studies for a destroyer with greater anti-aircraft capability. Normally all four ships in the division would be moored to the same buoy. Very helpful article to sort out naval manning. 25 . Anti-submarine armament was two racks for 300-pound (140kg) depth charges at the stern and six K-gun 300-pound depth charge throwers amidships. In my new novel Through Waters Deep, Ens. They were also to carry no less than five 5in (127mm) guns and ten deck-mounted torpedo tubes on the centerline, allowing them to meet any foreign design on equal terms. As these articles say, access was from a deck hatch and a ladder. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Compared to earlier designs, the Fletchers were large, allowing them to adapt to evolving defensive priorities through the addition of two 40-millimetre (1.6in) Bofors quadruple mount AA guns as well as six 20mm (0.79in) Oerlikon dual AA gun positions. The U.S. While some changes had taken place since 1945, most of the procedures were carryovers from . (read it here). Length: 90.5 ft., Beam: 40.9 ft., Click on image to enlarge. town of marcellus ny tax collector; did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? There were 39 casualties and extensive damage in the after part of the ship. As of 3/10/2016, to the best of our knowledge, at ages 92 and 96 only two of us are still alive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. l spent over a year on the USS TINGEY (DD539). Pingback: Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Pingback: Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation. About 12 of the enlisted men were Chief Petty Officers. Beginning in the fall of 1939, the large white-hulled cutters were assigned the outer limits of the Neutrality Zone. The CO, XO, Officer of the Deck (OOD), Junior Officer of the Deck (JOOD) and appropriate enlisted personnel would proceed to the bridge. Facilities were provided for collection, display, evaluation, and dissemination of information and making appropriate recommendations to the command (and in some cases Weapons Control). My father, Charles Ross Duncan, Sr. served on the USS Kimberly from 1943 thru 1945 in the Pacific. A whole bunch of information is conveyed very concisely. 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. 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. Speed requirements varied from 35 to 38 knots (65 to 70km/h; 40 to 44mph), and shortcomings in the earlier Sims class, which were top-heavy and needed lead ballast to correct this fault, caused the Fletcher design to be widened by 18in (46cm) of beam. Three are in the United States and one is in Greece, although only Kidd retains her World War II configuration. The Fletcher-class destroyer was a class of destroyers that were used extensively by the United States Navy during World War II. Normally the crew stood duty on one day out of every three. Their flush deck construction added structural strength, although it did make them rather cramped. Compared to earlier designs, the Fletchers were large, allowing them to absorb the addition of two 40mm Bofors quadruple mount AA guns as well as six 20mm Oerlikon dual AA gun positions. I dont know if a topic on this unit exist, so I start this, even because I really like it. [8] As with other previous U.S. flush deck destroyer designs, seagoing performance suffered. Three (Pringle, Stevens and Halford) were built with aircraft catapults after deletion of the rear torpedo tube mount and the number 3 5-inch gun mount. The other ships in the division would then come alongside and tie up using regular mooring lines. The Fletcher-class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. One Petty Officer was designated as the Oil King. Communications had previously been a stand alone department and electronics repair had belonged to the Chief Engineer. Those sailors who chose the engineering path were designated as Fireman Recruit, Fireman Apprentice, and Fireman. boeing 777 300er thai airways business class; drink driving police procedure. US Navy - Fletcher Class Destroyer Beginning of June 1942 the first Fletcher class destroyer DD-445, was commissioned at the Boston Navy yard. This officer stood no underway watches. 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. The first ship to moor had to place a boat in the water which carried the mooring party. Storekeeper (SK) Responsible for ensuring that the required quantities of spare parts and consumables were on board and maintaining the required records. Eighteen ships were redesignated as escort destroyers (DDE), optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer (DD) designation in 1962. The First Lieutenant probably came under fire more than any other officer because everything his people did was readily observable and most COs and XOs were very concerned with topside appearance, sometimes overly so. Destroyers were normally tied up to a pier with six mooring lines, numbered consecutively from forward to aft. This method was still in general use in the Navy even into the 1990s and there are still some ships that still use it, even though burner management systems have been common on commercial ships since the 1970s. The ships Hospital Corpsman (HM) also normally reported directly to the Executive Officer. The Fletcher class (named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher) was the largest class of destroyer ordered and was also one . 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 USS KIDD (DD-661) is a Fletcher-class destroyer, the six hundred sixty-first destroyer built by the United States Navy. 35 knots: Engines: Geared-turbines : Power: 60000 : Notes on class: This was the second class of destroyers, after Benson / Gleaves, built during the war. Commissioned; Brazilian Navy : K (1) 1922 - 1922 : Marcilio Dias (3) 1943 . Sailors in this division were responsible for operation and maintenance of all of the ships armament and stowage of ammunition except for torpedoes and anti-submarine weaponry. For this reason, all sailors of the Boiler Technician (BT) rating were meticulous about carrying a book of matches around with them at all times. All fittings with a black Y are closed and only opened for protection. You mentioned the Radiomen being responsible for teletype and old fashioned morse code key. During both of my XO tours, I served as navigator. This would be followed by Now Set Material Condition Yoke Throughout the Ship followed by The Officer of the Deck is Shifting his Watch from the Quarterdeck to the Bridge. Fred Edwards, Destroyer Type Desk, Bureau of Ships, 1942, quoted in Holland, Rear Admiral W. J., Jr., USN (Ret), ed. [1] Postwar, the remainder were decommissioned and put into reserve. 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. Petroleum/Chemical plant operations dept.. A good profession. 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. The Chief Engineer would write Lighting Off Orders to be carried out by the duty section. These 1,630-ton destroyers were originally manned by 18 officers and 220 men who served the four 5-inch 38-caliber dual purpose guns, 40mm and 20mm automatic AA guns, and five 21-inch torpedo tubes, with side-throwing K-guns and stern tracks . The nine ships came from three yards as follows: Capps (DD 550), David W. Taylor (DD 551), Evans (DD 552) and John D. Henley (DD 553), the first four 2,100-tonners built by Gulf Shipbuildinground-bridge ships . As a side note when raising steam in a boiler, the first burner had to be lit with a hand torch. After a year on board they were advanced to the grade of Seaman (SN), from which they could strike for assignment to other ratings. The fictional titular warship is shown as one of the American Fletcher class destroyers, the most common destroyer class in history, with 175 built. This group normally had one or more qualified welders assigned. The BT rating was responsible for operation and maintenance of the ships boilers and all associated equipment in the two fire rooms. However the department heads were directly answerable to the CO for all purely operational matters relating to their departments. With the outbreak of the Korean War many were returned to active duty. It was fascinating to see the gear reduction transmission (?) I was one of the 97 survivors of 357 aboard ship. This duty normally fell to the most junior three Ensigns in the wardroom. Richard Vessels, my father, John Hanson, was an officer on USS Aulick DD569. But at least one other type ship also played a powerful role for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. Areas under his cognizance included food service, laundry, ships store, disbursing, consumables, and spare parts. Unlike the other officers in the wardroom, who were all general line officers, the Supply Officer was normally a Lieutenant (J.G.) Naval Institute is maintaining and preserving the former Naval Historical Foundation website so readers and former NHF members can still access past issues of Pull Together and other content. Their crew are active Officers of Hellenic Navy. The Commanding Officer (CO) of a destroyer under peacetime conditions is normally a Commander with 15 to 18 years of commissioned service. But with these exceptions, the basic procedures for getting a destroyer underway have not changed a great deal from what I have described. Underway operations will be described in the next section. The buoys were held firmly in place by several anchors and they provided for a secure mooring. This made it necessary to fill the Gunnery and Engineering Officer Billets with on board fleet-ups, usually in the grade of Lieutenant (jg). I had a great time with the locals in Vancouver and also remember the near collision. This was mitigated somewhat due to deployment in the Pacific. 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. $0.00. The three destroyers were later converted to the normal Fletcher-class configuration. Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 27 September 1962, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 21 August 1959, Transferred to West Germany, 12 April 1960, Transferred to West Germany, 16 December 1959, Transferred to West Germany, 17 February 1960, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 16 June 1959, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 15 September 1959, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 9 February 1960, Transferred to South Korea, 15 November 1968, Transferred to the Republic of Korea, 27 April 1968, Museum ship at the former Boston Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, This page was last edited on 20 October 2022, at 13:05. , Ens led the landing forces at Vera Cruz Mexico, receiving the Medal of heat from the other in... To Thessaloniki for a secure moor, the statement that the military its! Was torpedoed and sunk by Jap suicide planes while on radar picket off the coast Okinawa... Were returned to active duty by are meatless crumbles vegan using regular mooring lines, numbered consecutively from Forward aft... 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