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 . In June and July 1943, two more twin Bofors mounts were added in place of the 20mm cannons in front of and below the bridge, giving a total of ten. 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. 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. Transportation was by a combination of ships boats and private water taxis. The Fletcher-class destroyer was a class of destroyers that were used extensively by the United States Navy during World War II. Unlike the other officers in the wardroom, who were all general line officers, the Supply Officer was normally a Lieutenant (J.G.) The last step was to test out the main engines with steam. Posted on . The USS Bush was a Fletcher class destroyer. Indoor & Outdoor SMD Screens, LED Displays, Digital Signage & Video Wall Solutions in Pakistan It was always stressed that the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues. He was also responsible for coordination of shipyard overhauls or periods (availabilities) alongside a tender. Together, these classes dominated the US Navys destroyer force over the next 25 years. You are here: customer is always right in matters of taste; toronto snow storm april 1975; did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?benji and joel madden young. I was aboard the Morrison when we started at radar picket station 11 and moved into station 1, nicknamed coffin corner where we were sunk. May 21, 2022. . 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]. Laid down beginning in 1941, all 175 Fletchers were completed between June 1942 and February 1945, launched an average of 212 days after keel laying and commissioned after an average of 152 days more or 364 days totalnearly 10 per cent faster than the repeat Bensons and Gleaves that preceded them. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any . 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. However the department heads were directly answerable to the CO for all purely operational matters relating to their departments. . Phil Becker, my father, John Hanson, was an officer on USS Aulick DD569. Upon graduation from Boot Camp they were designated as a Seaman Apprentice. Also that only 3/8 of steel separated the entire compartment from the ocean. This alteration was not a success in service and was not repeated. One Petty Officer was designated as the Oil King. Of course, ships today are fitted with Global Positioning (GPS), Electronic Chart Display (ECDIS) and other more advanced equipment. The Fletcher class was the first generation of destroyers designed after the series of naval treaties that had limited ship designs heretofore. In fact, they served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, during which they accounted for 29 Imperial Japanese Navy submarines sunk. There were also fueling stops at Midway and sometimes Guam. The individual rating groups are very specialized. I was in the ROC program, but trained as a Radioman. It was a slow day, and a lot of the safety procedures were not formally set up yet, so me and another engineer friend were able to tour the forward engine room. I had been transferred before the sinking a stroke of luck. . The crew was extremely tight. Not a member of the Naval Institute? Fletchers had a design speed of 38 knots, armed with five 5" guns in single mounts and carrying 10 21" torpedo in twin quintuple centerline mounts. Thank you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Supply Officer also had department head status. They did not appear until the 1970s. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Therefore the functions of the Communications Officer, CIC Officer, and Electronic Material Officer (EMO) were all brought under the Operations Officer. 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. As soon as the last line was taken in, the boatswains pipe would sound and the announcement would be made Underway, Shift Colors. This was a very prestigious assignment and these Petty Officers generally lorded it over the junior non-rated sailors in the division. All Destroyer classes. 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. [3] The Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes were Fletcher derivatives. This officer was responsible for forms of exterior communications, both radio and visual. Signalman (SM) These people stood watch on the signal bridge. There were 39 casualties and extensive damage in the after part of the ship. 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. Designed in the late 1930s and early 1940s . 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". Previously the USS Anthony (DD-515), Ringold (DD-500), Waldsworth (DD-515), Claxton (DD-571), Dyson (DD-572), and Charles Ausburne (DD-570). The Chief Engineer would be in the Forward Engine Room and the Main Propulsion Assistant would be in the After Engine Room. Once clear of the harbor, the navigator would announce that we were entering International Waters, where different Rules of the Road apply. The wartime philosophy was essentially that manpower was cheaper than technology. 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. Preparations would start several hours before getting underway, primarily down in the engineering spaces. He was always on call when the ship was underway. The 1941 building program was to have consisted entirely of new Fletcher-class destroyers. However the Supply Officer served as the permanent mess caterer, a place where he frequently took a lot of heat. The destroyer was the most capable and most feared escort vessel the allies possessed early in the war. I hope youre still here. [9] The answer that came back was five 5in (127mm) dual purpose guns, twelve torpedoes, and twenty eight depth charges would be ideal, while the idea of returning to the 1500 ton designs of the past was seen as undesirable. 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned from June 1942 to February 1945. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and the Fletcher design was generally regarded as highly successful. The Chief Engineer bears responsibility for operation of the ships engineering plant, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary machinery, and interior communications. We had a great twenty minute conversation. The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. 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. She was a fine destroyer and served in WWII as a real war ship. All fittings with a black Y are closed and only opened for protection. 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 . We also made fueling stops at Guam and Midway. On many smaller ships, he usually doubles as the ships navigator. Sonarman (SO) Responsible for operation and maintenance of the ships sonar. The Fletcher-class is almost synonymous with the term destroyer within the context of WWII. Department heads reported to XO for all administrative matters related to their departments. 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 CIC included radar repeaters, voice radios, electronic warfare equipment, plotting boards, logging facilities, etc. This division contained a variety of ratings including: Engineering Officer This was my assignment. In my previous two articles ( read Part 1 here, read Part 2 here) I gave technical and manning overviews of the U.S. Navy's highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. The RD ratings stood watch in the Combat Information Center (CIC). Can you point me toward a source for a crew roster of that time period? He currently holds the title of Chief Marine Engineer at Marine Design Dynamics. A Pacific Fleet destroyer operated on a two year cycle in those days. USS Taylor (DD/DDE-468) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral William Rogers Taylor (1811-1889). The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types. I also served aboard USS CORAL SEA (CVA43) for 2 years before joining the submarine force, which I spent 26 years in. Aboard destroyers, these were all Lieutenants billets. Fittings marked with a Red Z, Black Y, and Black Z are all closed. Boiler Technician (BT) This was a fancy name for what was called a Water Tender in the old coal fired Navy. He was directly accountable for all expenditures of government funds. At this point, the word would be passed Secure the Special Sea and Anchor Detail, Set the Regular Underway Watch. The Auxiliary Group (A Gang) was comprised of Machinists Mates (MM) and Enginemen (EN). In my new novel Through Waters Deep, Ens. Fletcher is down to two 5" guns but two 3" rapid firing guns and a MK 15 Trainable Hedgehog Projector (in place of Mount 52) are visible. [11][12][13], In 2018, Kidd was used as the filming location for the fictional USS Keeling DD-548 (codenamed Greyhound), from C.S. Length: 90.5 ft., Beam: 40.9 ft., Click on image to enlarge. I despised this duty until our 1958 deployment to the Far East when I was the decryptor of a message telling us that the 6 month deployment was over and ordering us to return home to San Diego. Forester's novel The Good Shepherd, in her appearance in the book's 2020 cinematic adaptation, Greyhound. This is the third in a series of articles by Captain Stewart detailing the technical specifications, manning, and operations of the U.S. Navys Fletcher class destroyers. These conditions refer to degrees of closure to minimize the effects of potential damage. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlierdestroyer leader types. The Fletchers had a design speed of 38 knots (70km/h; 44mph) and a principal armament of five 5-inch (127mm) guns in single mounts with ten 21-inch (530mm) torpedo tubes in two quintuple centerline mounts. All sailors initially attended Boot Camp where they held the rating of Seaman Recruit (SR). 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. Petroleum/Chemical plant operations dept.. A good profession. He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Bob Crocker BT2 66-71. Went active in 1969. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. *** 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. 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]. They did not stand regular watches but they were the people you called when something failed to operate properly. My husband was a Boiler Tender on the USS Vandevier during 1956 to 1958 or 9. More about this later. Later emphasis on anti-aircraft defense led to a redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson (DD 518). Went to a Target store (Plantation, FL) to pick up some stuff, and outside I saw an older gentleman with a USS Kidd T-shirt. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? 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. As well as other tasks, most of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Atlantic. 175 were produced, more than any other class, and they were built by shipyards across the United States. Once the first burner was lit, subsequent burners could be lit from the adjacent burner. Many memories aboard it. The ratings that came under the Communications officer were: OI Division Headed by the CIC Officer, assisted by the Electronics Material Officer (EMO). 624-628. Pingback: Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations | Naval Historical Foundation, Pingback: Life on a Fletcher Class Destroyer in the 1950's | Naval Historical Foundation. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The Operations Officer billet did not specifically exist at the beginning of World War II. Supply officers were all referred to as Pork Chops because of the shape of their insignia. The lowest . Here in Charlestown, this navy yard built . In the interest of reduced manning levels, did the Radiomen copy fleet broadcast via teletype instead of morse? 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. Pilots were only used when absolutely necessary in a strange port and most maneuvers were accomplished without tug assistance. Boatswains Mates (BM) This was generally considered to be the senior enlisted rating in the navy, a tradition probably handed down from the days of sail. [1] Postwar, the remainder were decommissioned and put into reserve. A Liberty Ship or T-2 Tanker of the same era had a crew of about 40 people, plus a naval armed guard. Type: Destroyer: Displacement: 2050 BRT : Length: . stevens funeral home pulaski, va obituaries. Compared to earlier classes built for the United States Navy, the Fletchers carried a significant increase in lethal firepower, including anti-aircraft (AA) weapons and increased armor plating; this contributed to greater displacement and overall weight and height increase. If there was ever any doubt about who was responsible for a piece of equipment on the ship, it belonged to the Chief Engineer. or Ensign in the Supply Corps. Also, since my primary experience was in engineering, it served as excellent preparation for command. During his 30 year naval career he held two ship commands and served a total of 8 years on naval material inspection boards, during which he conducted trials and inspections aboard over 200 naval vessels. Most COs rarely took the conn themselves but acted more as a teacher and overall safety observer. X-RAY provides the least protection. 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