USS Edwards (DD-619)

USS Edwards (DD-619)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Edwards.

'USS Edwards (DD-619) underway in the Caribbean Sea during her shakedown period, c. November 1942.
Career
Builder:	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Laid down:	26 February 1942
Launched:	19 July 1942
Commissioned:	18 September 1942
Decommissioned:	11 April 1946
Struck:	1 July 1971
Fate:	Sold 25 May 1973 and broken up for scrap
General characteristics
Class & type:	Gleaves-class destroyer
Displacement:	1,630 long tons (1,660 t)
Length:	348 ft 3 in (106.15 m)
Beam:	36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
Draft:	11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
Installed power:	50,000 shp (37,000 kW)
Propulsion:	2 × geared steam turbines 4 × boilers 2 × shafts
Speed:	37.4 kn (43.0 mph; 69.3 km/h)
Range:	6,500 nmi (7,500 mi; 12,000 km) @ 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h)
Complement:	16 officers, 260 enlisted
Armament:	4 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal dual purpose guns 6 × .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns 6 × 20 mm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft autocannons 10 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes 6 × depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Edwards (DD-619) was a Gleaves-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named "Edwards", and the first named for Lieutenant Commander Walter A. Edwards (1886–1926), who as commander of Bainbridge in 1922 rescued nearly five hundred people from the burning French transport Vinh-Long. For his heroism Edwards was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor, the French Légion d'honneur, and the British Distinguished Service Order.

Edwards was launched on 19 July 1942 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Mrs. Edward Brayton, widow of Lieutenant Commander Edwards; and commissioned on 18 September 1942, Lieutnenat Commander W. L. Messmer in command.