Gearing-class destroyer
![]() USS Hanson in FRAM configuration, 4 August 1971 | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Gearing class |
Builders |
|
Operators |
|
Preceded by | Allen M. Sumner class |
Succeeded by | Norfolk class |
Subclasses |
|
In commission | 1945–1983 |
Planned | 152 |
Completed | 98 |
Cancelled | 54 |
Lost | 1 |
Retired | 98 |
Preserved | 5 |
General characteristics as originally built | |
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | 390.5 ft (119.0 m) |
Beam | 40.9 ft (12.5 m) |
Draft | 14.3 ft (4.4 m) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 36.8 kn (68.2 km/h; 42.3 mph) |
Range | 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
Complement | 350 as designed |
Sensors and processing systems | |
Armament |
|
The Gearing class was a series of 98 destroyers built for the U.S. Navy during and shortly after World War II. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the Allen M. Sumner class, whereby the hull was lengthened by 14 ft (4.3 m) at amidships, which resulted in more fuel storage space and increased the operating range.
The first Gearings were not ready for service until mid-1945 and saw little service in World War II. They continued serving, with a series of upgrades, until the 1970s. At that time many were sold to other nations, where they served many more years.
Procurement and construction
31 vessels were authorized on 9 July 1942:
- DD-710 to DD-721 awarded to Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny.
- DD-742 to DD-743 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
- DD-763 to DD-769 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, San Francisco.
- DD-782 to DD-791 awarded to Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle.
4 vessels were authorized on 13 May 1942:
- DD-805 to DD-808 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
3 vessels were authorized on 27 March 1943 under the Vinson–Trammell Act:
- DD-809 to DD-811 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. (later cancelled)
114 vessels were authorized on 19 July 1943 under the 70% Expansion Act:
- DD-812 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. (later cancelled)
- DD-813 to DD-814 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island. (later cancelled)
- DD-815 to DD-825 awarded to Consolidated Steel, Orange. (815 and 816 later cancelled)
- DD-826 to DD-849 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.
- DD-850 to DD-853 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy.
- DD-854 to DD-856 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island. (later cancelled)
- DD-858 to DD-861 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, San Pedro.
- DD-862 to DD-872 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island.
- DD-873 to DD-890 awarded to Consolidated Steel, Orange.
- DD-891 to DD-893 awarded to Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny. (later cancelled)
- DD-894 to DD-895 awarded to Consolidated Steel, Orange. (later cancelled)
- DD-896 to DD-904 awarded to Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. (later cancelled)
- DD-905 to DD-908 awarded to Boston Navy Yard. (later cancelled)
- DD-909 to DD-916 awarded to Bethlehem Steel, Staten Island. (later cancelled)
- DD-917 to DD-924 awarded to Consolidated Steel, Orange. (later cancelled)
- DD-925 to DD-926 awarded to Charleston Navy Yard. (later cancelled)
(Of the missing numbers in this sequence - 722 to 741, 744 to 762, 770 to 781, and 857 were allocated to orders for Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers; 792 to 804 were awarded to orders for Fletcher-class destroyers.)
Cancelled vessels
In March 1945, the orders for 36 of the above vessels were cancelled, and 11 more orders were cancelled in August 1945. Following the close of World War II, 7 further vessels were cancelled in 1946:
- Castle and Woodrow R. Thompson, the last pair of the twelve vessels launched by Federal Shipbuilding at Kearny, were cancelled on 11 February 1946. They were sold on 29 August 1955, and scrapped.
- Lansdale and Seymour D. Owens, both launched by Bethlehem at San Francisco, were cancelled on 7 January 1946. Their bows were used to repair other destroyers, and their remains were scrapped in 1958–1959.
- Hoel and Abner Read, both building by Bethlehem at San Francisco, were cancelled on 12 September 1946, prior to launch and broken up on the slip.
- Seaman, built by Todd Pacific Shipyards at Seattle; partially completed. Put in reserve on 25 June 1946, sold 12 September 1961, scrapped 22 September 1961.
- Four unnamed vessels (DD-809 to DD-812) awarded to Bath Iron Works, and five others (DD-813, DD-814, and DD-854 to DD-856) awarded to Bethlehem at Staten Island, were cancelled on 12 August 1945.
- Charles H. Roan (DD-815) and Timmerman (DD-816), both awarded to Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, were also cancelled on 12 August 1945. Their names were reallocated to Charles H. Roan and Timmerman respectively.
- Three more unnamed vessels (DD-891 to DD-893) awarded to Federal Shipbuilding at Kearney, were cancelled 8 March 1945.
- Ten more unnamed vessels (DD-894, DD-895, and DD-917 to DD-924) awarded to Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, and four more (DD-905 to DD-908) awarded to Boston Navy Yard, and another two (DD-925 and DD-926) awarded to Charleston Navy Yard, were all cancelled on 27 March 1945.
- Nine more unnamed vessels (DD-896 to DD-904) awarded to Bath Iron Works, and another eight (DD-909 to DD-916) awarded to Bethlehem at Staten Island, were all cancelled on 28 March 1945.
Design
The first ship was laid down in August 1944, while the last was launched in March 1946. In that time the United States produced 98 Gearing-class destroyers. The Gearing class was a seemingly minor improvement of the Allen M. Sumner class, built from 1943 until 1945. The main differences were that the Gearings were 14 ft (4.3 m) longer in the midship section, allowing for increased fuel tankage for greater range, an important consideration in Pacific War. More importantly in the long run, the increased size of the Gearings made them much more suitable for upgrades than the Allen M. Sumners, as seen in the wartime radar picket subclass, the 1950s radar picket destroyer (DDR) and escort destroyer (DDE) conversions, and the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) conversions 1960-1965. As designed, the Gearing class's armament was identical to that on the Allen M. Sumner class. Three twin 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber Mark 38 dual purpose (DP) mounts constituted the main battery. The 5-inch guns were guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System with a Mark 25 fire control radar linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer stabilized by a Mark 6 8,500 rpm gyro. This fire control system provided effective long-range anti-aircraft (AA) or anti-surface fire. Twelve 40 mm (1.57 in) Bofors guns in two quad and two twin mounts and 11 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon cannons in single mounts were also equipped. The initial design retained the Allen M. Sumner class's heavy torpedo armament of ten 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes in two quintuple mounts, firing the Mark 15 torpedo. As the threat from kamikaze aircraft mounted in 1945, and with few remaining Japanese warships to use torpedoes on, most of the class had the aft quintuple 21-inch tube mounts replaced by an additional 40 mm quadruple mount (prior to completion on later ships) for 16 total 40 mm guns. Twenty-four ships (DD-742, DD743, 805-808, 829, 831-835, and 874-883) were ordered without torpedo tubes to allow for radar picket equipment; these were redesignated as DDRs in 1948.[1][2][3][4]
1946–1959 upgrades
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Gearing_class_destroyer_development_chart.png/220px-Gearing_class_destroyer_development_chart.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/QSA_Item_ID_436402_United_States_Navy_ships_under_the_Story_Bridge%2C_Brisbane%2C_January_1958_cropped.jpg/220px-QSA_Item_ID_436402_United_States_Navy_ships_under_the_Story_Bridge%2C_Brisbane%2C_January_1958_cropped.jpg)
Following World War II most of the class had their AA and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) armament upgraded. The 40 mm and 20 mm guns were replaced by two to six 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns in up to two twin and two single mountings. One depth charge rack was removed and two Hedgehog ASW mortar mounts added. The K-guns were retained. Nine additional (for a total of 35) ships were converted to radar picket destroyers (DDR) in the early 1950s; these typically received only one 3-inch twin mount to save weight for radar equipment, as did the wartime radar pickets. Nine ships were converted to escort destroyers (DDE), emphasizing ASW. Carpenter was the most thorough DDE conversion, with 4 3-inch/70 caliber guns in twin enclosed mounts, two Weapon Alpha launchers, four new 21-inch torpedo tubes for the Mark 37 ASW torpedo, and one depth charge rack.[5]
FRAM I upgrade
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Gearing_class_destroyers_before_and_after_FRAM_modernization.jpg/220px-Gearing_class_destroyers_before_and_after_FRAM_modernization.jpg)
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, 79 of the Gearing-class destroyers underwent extensive modernization overhauls, known as FRAM I, which were designed under project SCB 206[6] to convert them from an anti-aircraft destroyer to an anti-submarine warfare platform. FRAM I removed all of the DDR and DDE equipment, and these ships were redesignated as DDs. FRAM I and FRAM II conversions were completed 1960–1965. Eventually all but three Gearings received FRAM conversions.[7]
The FRAM I program was an extensive conversion for the Gearing-class destroyers. This upgrade included rebuilding the ship's superstructure, electronic systems, radar, sonar, and weapons. The second twin 5-inch gun mount and all previous AA guns and ASW equipment were removed. On several ships the two forward 5-inch mounts remained and the aft 5-inch mount was removed. Upgraded systems included SQS-23 sonar, SPS-10 surface search radar, two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes, an 8-cell Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC) box launcher, and one QH-50C DASH ASW drone helicopter, with its own landing pad and hangar. Both the Mk 32 torpedo tubes and ASROC launched Mk. 44 homing ASW torpedoes. ASROC could also launch a nuclear depth charge. On 11 May 1962, Agerholm tested a live nuclear ASROC in the "Swordfish" test.[8][9][10]
In Navy slang, the modified destroyers were called "FRAM cans", "can" being a contraction of "tin can", the slang term for a destroyer or destroyer escort.[citation needed]
The Gyrodyne QH-50C DASH was an unmanned anti-submarine helicopter, controlled remotely from the ship. The drone could carry two Mark 44 homing ASW torpedoes. During this era the ASROC system had an effective range of only 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi), but the DASH drone allowed the ship to deploy ASW attack to sonar contacts as far as 22 nmi (41 km; 25 mi) away.[11] However, DASH proved unreliable in shipboard service, with over half of the USN's 746 drones lost at sea. This was possibly due to inadequate maintenance support, as other services had few difficulties with DASH. By 1970, DASH had been withdrawn from FRAM I ships, though it was retained into the early 1970s on FRAM II ships, which lacked ASROC. A limitation of drones in ASW was the need to re-acquire the target at ranges beyond the effectiveness of the controlling ship's sonar. This led to shift to the LAMPS program of manned helicopters, which the Gearing class were too small to accommodate.[12]
An upgraded version of DASH, QH-50D, remained in use by the United States Army until May 2006.[13]
FRAM I "A" Ships: (First 8 conversions) Removal of aft twin 5-inch gun mount (Mount 53). Group A ships also received two MK10/11 Hedgehogs fitted on each side of the bridge at the 01 level and had the MK-32 triple torpedo launchers aft of the second stack. FRAM I "B" Ships (remainder of conversions): Kept their forward 5-inch mount (Mount 51), lost the second mount (Mount 52) and kept their aft 5-inch mount (Mount 53). In place of mount 52, a practice 5-inch reloading machine was installed with the MK-32 triple torpedo launchers aft of the loader. Group B ships also received greater ASROC and torpedo storage areas next to the port side of the DASH hangar.[14][15]
FRAM II upgrade
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/USS_Norris_%28DD-859%29_at_sea_in_May_1966.jpg/220px-USS_Norris_%28DD-859%29_at_sea_in_May_1966.jpg)
The FRAM II program was designed primarily for the Allen M. Sumner class destroyer, but sixteen Gearings were upgraded as well. This upgrade program included life-extension refurbishment, a new radar system, Mark 32 torpedo tubes, DASH ASW drone, and variable depth sonar (VDS). Importantly, it did not include ASROC. FRAM II ships included six DDRs and six DDEs that retained their specialized equipment (1960–1961), as well as four DDRs that were converted to DDs and were nearly identical to the Allen M. Sumner class FRAM IIs (1962–1963). The FRAM II ships retained all six 5-inch guns, except the DDEs retained four 5-inch guns and a trainable Hedgehog in the No. 2 position. All FRAM IIs retained two Hedgehogs alongside either the No. 2 5-inch mount or the trainable Hedgehog mount. The four DDRs converted to DDs were armed with two new 21-inch torpedo tubes for the Mk. 37 ASW homing torpedo. Photographs of the six retained DDRs show no markings on the DASH landing deck, as well as a much smaller deckhouse than was usually provided for DASH, so they may not have been equipped with DASH.
Service and disposition
Many of the Gearings provided significant gunfire support in the Vietnam War. They also served as escorts for Carrier Battle Groups (carrier strike groups from 2004) and Amphibious Ready Groups (Expeditionary Strike Groups from 2006). DASH was withdrawn from ASW service in 1969, due to poor reliability. Lacking ASROC, the FRAM II ships were disposed of in 1969–1974. With ASROC continuing to provide a standoff ASW capability, the Gearing FRAM Is were retained in service for several years, with most being decommissioned and transferred to foreign navies 1973–1980. They were replaced as ASW ships by the Spruance-class destroyers, which were commissioned 1975–1983. These had the same ASW armament as a Gearing FRAM destroyer, with the addition of improved sonar and a piloted helicopter, initially the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, and from 1984, the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk. Some Gearings served in the Naval Reserve Force (NRF) from 1973, remaining in commission with a partial active crew to provide training for Naval reservists. The last Gearing-class destroyer in US naval service was William C. Lawe, a FRAM I, decommissioned and struck 1 October 1983, and expended as a target 14 July 1999.[16]
Yang class
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Midship_of_ROCN_Yi_Yang_%28FFG-939%29_20140327.jpg/220px-Midship_of_ROCN_Yi_Yang_%28FFG-939%29_20140327.jpg)
After the Gearing-class ships were retired from USN service, many were sold abroad, including over a dozen to the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) in Taiwan. These ships, along with Fletcher-class destroyers and Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers also acquired then, were upgraded under the Wu Chin (Chinese: 武進) I, II, and III programs and known throughout the ROCN as the Yang-class (Chinese: 陽字號) destroyers as they were assigned names that all end with the word "Yang". The last batch of 7 WC-III program vessels, all of them Gearing class, were retired in the early 2000s.[17]
Under the most advanced Wu Chin III upgrade program, all World War II vintage weapons were removed and replaced with four Hsiung Feng II surface-to-surface missiles, ten SM-1 (box launchers), one 8-cell ASROC, one 76 mm (3 in) Otobreda gun, two Bofors 40 mm AA, one 20 mm Phalanx CIWS and two triple 12.75 in (324 mm) torpedo tubes. The DASH ASW drones were not acquired, but hangar facilities aboard those ships that had them were later used to accommodate of MD 500/ASW helicopters.
After the Yang-class destroyers were decommissioned, the SM-1 launch boxes were moved to Chi Yang-class frigates to improve their anti-air capability.
Ships in class
Name | Hull no. | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | FRAM | Decommissioned | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USS Gearing | DD-710 | Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newark, New Jersey | 10 August 1944 | 18 February 1945 | 3 May 1945 | IB | 2 July 1973 | Sold for scrap, 6 November 1974 |
USS Eugene A. Greene | DD-711 | 17 August 1944 | 18 March 1945 | 8 June 1945 | IB | 31 August 1972 | Transferred to Spain, 31 August 1972 | |
USS Gyatt | DD-712 | 7 September 1944 | 15 April 1945 | 2 July 1945 | 22 October 1969 | Sunk as a target, 11 June 1970 | ||
USS Kenneth D. Bailey | DD-713 DDR-713 | 21 September 1944 | 17 June 1945 | 31 July 1945 | II | 20 January 1970 | Sold to Iran, 13 January 1975, to be broken up for spare parts | |
USS William R. Rush | DD-714 | 19 October 1944 | 8 July 1945 | 21 September 1945 | IB | 1 July 1978 | Transferred to South Korea in 1978; retired in 2000; became museum ship; scrapped December 2016 | |
USS William M. Wood | DD-715 | 2 November 1944 | 29 July 1945 | 24 November 1945 | IB | 1 December 1976 | Sunk as target off Puerto Rico during ReadEx 1-83 in March 1983 | |
USS Wiltsie | DD-716 | 13 March 1945 | 31 August 1945 | 12 January 1946 | IB | 23 January 1976 | Sold to Pakistan, 29 April 1977 | |
USS Theodore E. Chandler | DD-717 | 23 April 1945 | 20 October 1945 | 22 March 1946 | IB | 1 April 1975 | Sold for scrap, 30 December 1975 | |
USS Hamner | DD-718 | 25 April 1945 | 24 November 1945 | 12 July 1946 | IB | 1 October 1979 | Sold to Taiwan, 17 December 1980 | |
USS Epperson | DD-719 DDE-719 | 20 June 1945 | 22 December 1945 | 19 March 1949 | IB | 1 December 1975 | Transferred to Pakistan, 29 April 1977 | |
USS Frank Knox | DD-742 DDR-742 | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine | 8 May 1944 | 17 September 1944 | 11 December 1944 | II | 30 January 1971 | Transferred to Greece, 3 February 1971 |
USS Southerland | DD-743 | 27 May 1944 | 5 October 1944 | 22 December 1944 | IB | 26 February 1981 | Sunk as a target, 2 August 1997 | |
USS William C. Lawe | DD-763 | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California | 12 March 1944 | 21 May 1945 | 18 December 1946 | IB | 1 October 1983 | Sunk as a target, 14 July 1999 |
USS Lloyd Thomas | DD-764 DDE-764 | 26 March 1944 | 5 October 1945 | 21 March 1947 | II | 12 October 1972 | Sold to the Republic of China, 12 October 1972 | |
USS Keppler | DD-765 DDE-765 | 23 April 1944 | 24 June 1946 | 23 May 1947 | II | 1 July 1972 | Sold to Turkey | |
USS Rowan | DD-782 | Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington | 25 March 1944 | 29 December 1944 | 31 March 1945 | IB | 18 December 1975 | Ran aground and wrecked while under tow, 22 August 1977 |
USS Gurke | DD-783 | 1 July 1944 | 15 February 1945 | 12 May 1945 | IB | 30 January 1976 | Transferred to Greece, 17 March 1977 | |
USS McKean | DD-784 | 15 September 1944 | 31 March 1945 | 9 June 1945 | IB | 1 October 1981 | Transferred to Turkey, 2 November 1982 | |
USS Henderson | DD-785 | 27 October 1944 | 28 May 1945 | 4 August 1945 | IB | 30 September 1980 | Sold to Pakistan, 1 October 1980 | |
USS Richard B. Anderson | DD-786 | 1 December 1944 | 7 July 1945 | 26 October 1945 | IA | 20 December 1975 | Transferred to Republic of China, 1 June 1977 | |
USS James E. Kyes | DD-787 | 27 December 1944 | 4 August 1945 | 8 February 1946 | IB | 31 March 1973 | Transferred to Taiwan, 18 April 1973 | |
USS Hollister | DD-788 | 18 January 1945 | 9 October 1945 | 29 March 1946 | IB | 31 August 1979 | Transferred to Taiwan, 3 March 1983 | |
USS Eversole | DD-789 | 28 February 1945 | 8 January 1946 | 10 May 1946 | IB | 11 July 1973 | Transferred to Turkey, 11 July 1973 | |
USS Shelton | DD-790 | 31 May 1945 | 8 March 1946 | 21 June 1946 | IA | 31 March 1973 | Sold to Taiwan, 18 April 1973 | |
USS Chevalier | DD-805 DDR-805 | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine | 12 June 1944 | 29 October 1944 | 9 January 1945 | II | 5 July 1972 | Transferred to South Korea, 5 July 1972 |
USS Higbee | DD-806 | 26 June 1944 | 13 November 1944 | 27 January 1945 | IB | 15 July 1979 | Sunk as a target, 24 April 1986 | |
USS Benner | DD-807 DDR-807 | 10 July 1944 | 30 November 1944 | 13 February 1945 | II | 20 November 1970 | Sold for scrap, 18 April 1975 | |
USS Dennis J. Buckley | DD-808 | 24 July 1944 | 20 December 1944 | 2 March 1945 | IB | 2 July 1973 | Sold for scrap, 29 April 1974 | |
USS Corry | DD-817 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 5 April 1945 | 28 July 1945 | 27 February 1946 | IB | 27 February 1981 | Transferred to Greece, 8 July 1981 |
USS New | DD-818 | 14 April 1945 | 18 August 1945 | 5 April 1946 | IB | 1 July 1976 | Transferred to South Korea, 23 February 1977 | |
USS Holder | DD-819 | 23 April 1945 | 25 August 1945 | 18 May 1946 | IB | 1 October 1976 | Transferred to Ecuador, 23 February 1977 | |
USS Rich | DD-820 | 16 May 1945 | 5 October 1945 | 3 July 1946 | IB | 10 November 1977 | Sold for scrap, 5 December 1979 | |
USS Johnston | DD-821 | 26 March 1945 | 10 October 1945 | 23 August 1946 | IB | 27 February 1981 | Transferred to Republic of China, 27 February 1981 | |
USS Robert H. McCard | DD-822 | 20 June 1945 | 9 November 1945 | 23 October 1946 | IB | 5 June 1980 | Transferred to Turkey, 5 June 1980 | |
USS Samuel B. Roberts | DD-823 | 27 June 1945 | 30 November 1945 | 22 December 1946 | IB | 2 November 1970 | Sunk as a target, 14 November 1971 | |
USS Basilone | DD-824 DDE-824 | 7 July 1945 | 21 December 1945 | 26 July 1949 | IB | 1 November 1977 | Sunk in exercise, 9 April 1982 | |
USS Carpenter | DD-825 DDK-825 DDE-825 | 30 July 1945 | 30 December 1945[18] | 15 December 1949 | IB | 20 February 1981 | Leased to Turkey, 20 February 1981 | |
USS Agerholm | DD-826 | Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine | 10 September 1945 | 30 March 1946 | 20 June 1946 | IA | 1 December 1978 | Sunk as a target, 18 July 1982 |
USS Robert A. Owens | DD-827 DDK-827 DDE-827 | 29 October 1945 | 15 July 1946 | 5 November 1949 | IB | 16 February 1982 | Transferred to Turkey, 16 February 1982 | |
USS Timmerman | DD-828 | 1 October 1945 | 19 May 1951 | 26 September 1952 | 27 July 1956 | Sold for scrap, 21 April 1959 | ||
USS Myles C. Fox | DD-829 | 14 August 1944 | 13 January 1945 | 20 March 1945 | IB | 1 October 1979 | Transferred to Greece for spare parts, 2 August 1980 | |
USS Everett F. Larson | DD-830 DDR-830 | 4 September 1944 | 28 January 1945 | 6 April 1945 | II | 30 October 1972 | Transferred to South Korea, 30 October 1972 | |
USS Goodrich | DD-831 DDR-831 | 18 September 1944 | 25 February 1945 | 24 April 1945 | II | 30 November 1969 | Sold for scrap, 12 September 1977 | |
USS Hanson | DD-832 | 7 October 1944 | 11 March 1945 | 11 May 1945 | IB | 31 March 1973 | Transferred to Republic of China, 18 April 1973 | |
USS Herbert J. Thomas | DD-833 | 30 October 1944 | 25 March 1945 | 29 May 1945 | IB | 4 December 1970 | Transferred to Republic of China, 1 June 1974 | |
USS Turner | DD-834 DDR-834 | 13 November 1944 | 8 April 1945 | 12 June 1945 | II | 26 September 1969 | Sold for scrap, 13 October 1970 | |
USS Charles P. Cecil | DD-835 | 2 December 1944 | 2 April 1945 | 29 June 1945 | IB | 1 October 1979 | Sold to Greece, 8 August 1980 | |
USS George K. MacKenzie | DD-836 | 21 December 1944 | 13 May 1945 | 13 July 1945 | IB | 30 September 1976 | Sunk as a target, 15 October 1976 | |
USS Sarsfield | DD-837 | 15 January 1945 | 27 May 1945 | 31 July 1945 | IB | 1 October 1977 | Transferred to Republic of China, 1 October 1977 and become museum at An-Pin harbor TAI-NAN, TAIWAN. | |
USS Ernest G. Small | DD-838 DDR-838 | 30 January 1945 | 14 June 1945 | 21 August 1945 | II | 13 November 1970 | Transferred to Republic of China, 13 April 1971 | |
USS Power | DD-839 | 26 February 1945 | 30 June 1945 | 13 September 1945 | IB | 1 October 1977 | Sold to Republic of China, 1 October 1977 | |
USS Glennon | DD-840 | 12 March 1945 | 14 July 1945 | 4 October 1945 | IB | 1 October 1976 | Sunk as a target, 26 February 1981 | |
USS Noa | DD-841 | 26 March 1945 | 30 July 1945 | 2 November 1945 | IA | 31 October 1973 | Loaned to Spain, 31 October 1973; Sold, 17 May 1978 | |
USS Fiske | DD-842 | 9 April 1945 | 8 September 1945 | 28 November 1945 | IB | 5 June 1980 | Transferred to Turkey, 5 June 1980 | |
USS Warrington | DD-843 | 23 April 1945 | 27 September 1945 | 20 December 1945 | IB | 30 September 1972 | Transferred to Taiwan, 24 April 1973, for spare parts | |
USS Perry | DD-844 | 14 May 1945 | 25 October 1945 | 17 January 1946 | IA | 1 July 1973 | Sold for scrap, 24 June 1974 | |
USS Bausell | DD-845 | 28 May 1945 | 19 November 1945 | 7 February 1946 | IA | 30 May 1978 | Sunk as a target, 17 July 1987 | |
USS Ozbourn | DD-846 | 16 June 1945 | 22 December 1945 | 5 March 1946 | IB | 30 May 1975 | Sold for scrap, 1 December 1975 | |
USS Robert L. Wilson | DD-847 | 2 July 1945 | 5 January 1946 | 28 March 1946 | IB | 30 September 1974 | Sunk as a target, 1 March 1980 | |
USS Witek | DD-848 EDD-848 | 16 July 1945 | 2 February 1946 | 23 April 1946 | 19 August 1968 | Sunk as a target, 4 July 1969 | ||
USS Richard E. Kraus | DD-849 | 31 July 1945 | 2 March 1946 | 23 May 1946 | IB | 1 July 1976 | Transferred to South Korea, 23 February 1977 | |
USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. | DD-850 | Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts | 2 April 1945 | 26 July 1945 | 15 December 1945 | IB | 2 July 1973 | Museum ship at Battleship Cove |
USS Rupertus | DD-851 | 2 May 1945 | 21 September 1945 | 8 March 1946 | IB | 10 July 1973 | Loaned to Greece, 10 July 1973 | |
USS Leonard F. Mason | DD-852 | 6 August 1945 | 4 January 1946 | 28 June 1946 | IB | 2 November 1976 | Sold to Republic of China, 10 March 1978 | |
USS Charles H. Roan | DD-853 | 27 September 1945 | 15 March 1946 | 12 September 1946 | IB | 21 September 1973 | Transferred to Turkey, 21 September 1973 | |
USS Fred T. Berry | DD-858 DDE-858 | Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California | 16 July 1944 | 28 January 1945 | 12 May 1945 | II | 15 September 1970 | Scuttled as an artificial reef, 14 May 1972 |
USS Norris | DD-859 DDE-859 | 29 August 1944 | 25 February 1945 | 9 June 1945 | II | 4 December 1970 | Transferred to Turkey, 1 July 1974 | |
USS McCaffery | DD-860 DDE-860 | 1 October 1944 | 12 April 1945 | 26 July 1945 | II | 30 September 1973 | Sold for scrap, 11 June 1974 | |
USS Harwood | DD-861 DDE-861 | 29 October 1944 | 22 May 1945 | 28 September 1945 | II | 1 February 1971 | Transferred to Turkey, 17 December 1971 | |
USS Vogelgesang | DD-862 | Bethlehem Staten Island, Staten Island, New York | 3 August 1944 | 15 January 1945 | 28 April 1945 | IB | 24 February 1982 | Sold to Mexico, 24 February 1982 |
USS Steinaker | DD-863 | 1 September 1944 | 13 February 1945 | 26 May 1945 | IB | 24 February 1982 | Sold to Mexico, 24 February 1982 | |
USS Harold J. Ellison | DD-864 | 3 October 1944 | 14 March 1945 | 23 June 1945 | IB | 1 October 1983 | Transferred to Pakistan, 1 October 1983 | |
USS Charles R. Ware | DD-865 | 1 November 1944 | 12 April 1945 | 21 July 1945 | IB | 30 November 1974 | Sunk as target 15 November 1981 | |
USS Cone | DD-866 | 30 November 1944 | 10 May 1945 | 18 August 1945 | IB | 1 October 1982 | Transferred to Pakistan, 1 October 1982 | |
USS Stribling | DD-867 | 15 January 1945 | 8 June 1945 | 29 September 1945 | IA | 1 July 1976 | Sunk as target, 27 July 1980 | |
USS Brownson | DD-868 | 13 February 1945 | 7 July 1945 | 17 November 1945 | IB | 30 September 1976 | Sold for scrap, 10 June 1977 | |
USS Arnold J. Isbell | DD-869 | 14 March 1945 | 6 August 1945 | 5 January 1946 | IB | 4 December 1973 | Sold to Greece, 4 December 1973 | |
USS Fechteler | DD-870 | 12 April 1945 | 19 September 1945 | 2 March 1946 | IB | 11 September 1970 | Sold for scrap, 28 June 1972 | |
USS Damato | DD-871 DDE-871 | 10 May 1945 | 21 November 1945 | 27 April 1946 | IB | 30 September 1980 | Transferred to Pakistan, 1 October 1980 | |
USS Forrest Royal | DD-872 | 8 June 1945 | 17 January 1946 | 29 June 1946 | IB | 27 March 1971 | Sold to Turkey, 27 March 1971 | |
USS Hawkins | DD-873 | Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas | 14 May 1944 | 7 October 1944 | 10 February 1945 | IB | 1 October 1979 | Sold to Taiwan, 17 March 1983 |
USS Duncan | DD-874 DDR-874 | 22 May 1944 | 27 October 1944 | 25 February 1945 | II | 15 January 1971 | Sunk as target, 31 July 1980 | |
USS Henry W. Tucker | DD-875 | 29 May 1944 | 8 November 1944 | 12 March 1945 | IB | 3 December 1973 | Transferred to Brazil, 3 December 1973 | |
USS Rogers | DD-876 | 3 June 1944 | 20 November 1944 | 26 March 1945 | IB | 1 October 1980 | Transferred to South Korea, 25 July 1981 | |
USS Perkins | DD-877 DDR-877 | 19 June 1944 | 7 December 1944 | 4 April 1945 | II | 15 January 1973 | Transferred to Argentina, 15 January 1973 | |
USS Vesole | DD-878 DDR-878 | 3 July 1944 | 29 December 1944 | 23 April 1945 | IB | 1 December 1976 | Sunk as target, 14 April 1983 | |
USS Leary | DD-879 | 11 August 1944 | 20 January 1945 | 7 May 1945 | IB | 31 October 1973 | Transferred to Spain, 17 May 1978 | |
USS Dyess | DD-880 | 17 August 1944 | 26 January 1945 | 21 May 1945 | IB | 27 January 1981 | Sold to Greece for spare parts, 8 July 1981 | |
USS Bordelon | DD-881 | 9 September 1944 | 3 March 1945 | 5 June 1945 | IB | 1 February 1977 | Transferred to Iran, 1 July 1977 | |
USS Furse | DD-882 | 23 September 1944 | 9 March 1945 | 10 July 1945 | IB | 31 August 1972 | Loaned to Spain, 1972; Sold, 17 May 1978 | |
USS Newman K. Perry | DD-883 | 10 October 1944 | 17 March 1945 | 26 July 1945 | IB | 27 February 1981 | Transferred to South Korea, 27 February 1981 | |
USS Floyd B. Parks | DD-884 | 30 October 1944 | 31 March 1945 | 31 July 1945 | IB | 2 July 1973 | Sold for scrap, 1 April 1974 | |
USS John R. Craig | DD-885 | 17 November 1944 | 14 April 1945 | 20 August 1945 | IB | 27 July 1979 | Sunk as target, 17 June 1980 | |
USS Orleck | DD-886 | 28 November 1944 | 12 May 1945 | 15 September 1945 | IB | 1 October 1982 | Transferred to Turkey, 1 October 1982 | |
USS Brinkley Bass | DD-887 | 20 December 1944 | 26 May 1945 | 1 October 1945 | IB | 3 December 1973 | Transferred to Brazil, 3 December 1973 | |
USS Stickell | DD-888 | 5 January 1945 | 16 June 1945 | 31 October 1945 | IB | 1 July 1972 | Transferred to Greece, 1 July 1972 | |
USS O'Hare | DD-889 | 27 January 1945 | 22 June 1945 | 29 November 1945 | IB | 31 October 1973 | Loaned to Spain, 31 October 1973; Sold, 17 May 1978 | |
USS Meredith | DD-890 | 27 January 1945 | 28 June 1945 | 31 December 1945 | IA | 29 June 1979 | Transferred to Turkey, 29 June 1979 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Map_of_WW2_Shipyards_building_DD.jpg/350px-Map_of_WW2_Shipyards_building_DD.jpg)
Survivors
Five Gearing-class destroyers are preserved as museum ships: two in the United States, one in South Korea, one in Taiwan, and one in Turkey. The ROKS Jeon Buk (DD-916) (formerly the USS Everett F. Larson) was scrapped in December 2021, leaving five survivors out of the ninety eight ships built.
Surviving ships
- USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) in Fall River, Massachusetts
- USS Orleck (DD-886) in Jacksonville, Florida
- ROCS Te Yang (DDG-925) in Tainan City, Taiwan
- ROKS Jeong Ju (DD-925) in Dangjin, South Korea
- TCG Gayret (D352) in Izmit, Turkey
Surviving parts
- USS Higbee (DD-806), in Naval Station Mayport Dental Clinic, Florida.
- ROCS Kai Yang (DDG-924), in August 23 Artillery Battle Museum, Taichung, Taiwan.
- ROCS Tze Yang (DDG-930), in Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan.[19]
- Quetzalcoatl (E-03), in Mexican Pacific Fleet headquarters, Mexico.
References
- ^ ."The Sumner Class As Built Archived 22 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 August 2009."
- ^ Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 129–131. ISBN 1-55750-442-3.
- ^ Silverstone, Paul H. (1977) [1965]. U.S. Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-0157-X.
- ^ Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 133–134. ISBN 0-83170-303-2.
- ^ Friedman 2004, pp. 510–513.
- ^ Friedman 2004, pp. 285.
- ^ Gardiner and Chumbley, pp. 562-563
- ^ "FRAM". Gyrodynehelicopters.com. 1 September 1962. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 213–217, 240–245. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- ^ Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 201–206. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
- ^ "QH-50C". Gyrodynehelicopters.com. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Friedman 2004, pp. 282–283.
- ^ "Gyrodyne Today". Gyrodynehelicopters.com. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Pike, John. "DD-710 Gearing-class". www.globalsecurity.org.
- ^ "Special Feature - FRAM". www.navsource.org.
- ^ Friedman 2004, p. 510
- ^ John Pike. "Chao Yang-class [Gearing] Destroyer - Republic of China [Taiwan] Navy". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Naval Vessel Register".
- ^ "Destroyer Photo Index DD-873 / DDR-873 USS HAWKINS". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- NavSource.org Destroyer Photo Gallery index page
- Gearing-class destroyers at Destroyer History Foundation
- Gearing Class
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![]() Comodoro Py class |
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![]() Marcílio Dias class |
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![]() Chao Yang class |
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![]() Chungbuk class |
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![]() Quetzalcóatl class |
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![]() Alamgir class |
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![]() Churruca class |
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- Preceded by: Allen M. Sumner class
- Followed by: Mitscher class