World War II
On December 7, 1941, the day the United States entered World War II, the United States Navy had 100 destroyers seven years old or newer. This number included 27 Benson and Gleaves class destroyers. However, none were equipped with torpedoes comparable to the (then unknown) Type 93 torpedos (Long Lance torpedo) of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and only destroyer leaders had more than four main guns—inferior to the five- to eight-guns on a Japanese Fubuki class destroyer (the first 24 ships of the Benson/Gleaves class were built with five guns, but excessive topweight led to one being removed).
After World War II broke out across Europe in 1939, the United States Navy began sketches for a five-gun ship— on an enlarged hull. Introduced in 1942, the 175 Fletcher class "2100 tonners". became the U.S. Navy's signature destroyer in the Pacific War. By the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy had also commissioned 112 six-gun destroyers derived from the Fletcher design; 67 Allen M. Sumner class 2200 tonners and 45 Gearing class 2250 tonners. The Allen M. Sumner class' hull was slightly wider than the Fletcher class' while the Gearing class design was a lengthened version of the Sumners. Collectively, these destroyer designs are sometimes regarded as the most successful of World War II.
| Class name | Number of ships |
First ship laid down | Last ship commissioned | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fletcher | 175 | 1941 | 1944 | The U.S. Navy's first large destroyers and the most numerous of the wartime classes. | |
| Allen M. Sumner | 58 | 1943 | 1946 | A six-gun derivative of the Fletcher design. 70 ships were originally laid down as Allen M. Sumner class, but 12 were completed as Robert H. Smith class fast minelayers. | |
| Gearing | 98 | 1944 | 1952 | "Long hull" versions of the Allen M. Sumner class. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Destroyer Classes Of The United States Navy
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