Mitscher-class destroyer

Destroyer class of the US Navy

The Mitscher class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, but smaller than their immediate predecessor, the experimental Norfolk, they would have been the first post war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Commissioned in 1953–1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in the 1970s. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were sold for scrap by 1980.

All four Mitscher class ships were designed under project SCB 5 and ordered 3 August 1948. They were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,642 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load with a length of 494 feet (151 m), a 50 feet (15 m) beam and a 26 feet (8 m) draft. Beyond that, each ship had a different loadout of propulsion and other systems so as to determine the best course of action for future destroyer design. The Mitscher class would become the winner in internal Navy debates over competing designs, even as an early concept in 1945. With their development the CL 154 class anti aircraft cruisers would be canceled, and no further Norfolks would be built; in both cases the decisions were made on cost effectiveness grounds. In the early 1960s, the Mitscher class underwent modernization through a Class Improvement Program (CIP), which included the replacement of the boilers on the first two ships of the class.

The first two ships, Mitscher and John S. McCain, were converted into guided missile destroyers under SCB 241 in the mid 1960s. They were redesignated as DDG 35 and DDG 36, respectively.

+ Ships of the Mitscher destroyer class Name Hull no. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate Ref Mitscher DL 2Bath Iron Works 3 October 1949 26 January 1952 15 May 1953 1 June 1978 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 August 1980 [] John S. McCain DL 3 24 October 1949 12 July 1952 12 October 1953 29 April 1978 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 13 December 1979 [] Willis A. Lee DL 4Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard 1 November 1949 26 January 1952 5 October 1954 19 December 1969 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1973 [] Wilkinson DL 5 1 February 1950 23 April 1952 29 July 1954 19 December 1969 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1975 []