From the 1958 Halsey Powell cruise book. He was usually the only qualified lathe operator on board. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. Posted on . Fittings marked with a Red Z, Black Y, and Black Z are all closed. During their service life, many . Normally half of the sailors in this division would be assigned to each space. He functions as the administrator of the ship and has overall responsibility for all personnel on board. Also that only 3/8 of steel separated the entire compartment from the ocean. Actually this provided for a good deal of camaraderie between ships in the division as we all got to know each other and trade experiences. Therefore the functions of the Communications Officer, CIC Officer, and Electronic Material Officer (EMO) were all brought under the Operations Officer. Electricians Mates (EM) Were responsible for the entire ships electrical and distribution systems including all power and lighting equipment. Eventually, eleven shipyards launched 175 ships over the next 32 monthsthe most numerous class of destroyer completed by any navy. In this article I will attempt to describe how a World War II Destroyer was manned and organized. The individual rating groups are very specialized. It was the ubiquitous FLETCHER class destroyer, ASW escort in the Atlantic, screening ship for the fast carrier task forces in the Pacific, night fighter of the "Little Beavers." . At this point, the word would be passed Secure the Special Sea and Anchor Detail, Set the Regular Underway Watch. [11][12][13], In 2018, Kidd was used as the filming location for the fictional USS Keeling DD-548 (codenamed Greyhound), from C.S. She was my first, and my favorite ship. That number was necessary to allow around the clock manning of gun mounts, repair parties, and other watch stations. I am so sorry I never had a discussion with him about his experiences and what he did, before he died when I was 14. 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 iconic silhouette of a Fletcher is well known to any students of World War II naval history. There were 6 depth charges for each K-gun. On Halsey Powell, our Ops Officer was also assigned as navigator, although that was not universal practice aboard destroyers. Thanks for sticking your neck out for us youngsters. 25 . He is assisted by personnel of the Quartermaster (QM) rating. The entire process of raising steam was started by making up a burner, igniting the torch with a match, inserting it into the furnace, and opening the fuel valve. I did not like this practice and I always made sure that more experienced officers were assigned to these duties when I became a commanding officer myself. Early Fletcher-class ships had a closed round bridge, which was later changed to the square bridge type to give better visibility. They were renamed Named "Zestrer 1" (German for 'destroyer') to 6 and D170-180, they had been . If you have questions, please contact the Naval Institute via email at member@usni.org or by phone at 800-233-8764. These differences will be described as we go along. When he answered 1943 I had to change gears in a hurry! This was mitigated by deployment to the Pacific Ocean, which is relatively calm compared to the Atlantic.[9]. Bennett (DD 473) lays stack and chemical smoke in the Shortland Islands, 1944. off Korea in the 1950s and some even off Vietnam in the 60s, she was condemned in 2010 as a derelict and hazard to navigation and scrapped in 20102011. I hope youre still here. 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. The group was also responsible for all fire fighting and dewatering equipment. This addition to the AA suite required the deletion of the forward quintuple torpedo mount, a change done under the 4 April 1945 anti-kamikaze program. They followed exactly the same path but they were only assigned to the Engineering Department. During this time 39 were refitted, reducing their overall main armament and the number of torpedo tubes. It was a very diverse division that was comprised of several ratings. Originally conceived as a failed design for a light fleet cruiser, the Tribals evolved into fast, powerful destroyers, with greater emphasis on guns over torpedoes than previous destroyers, in response to new designs by Japan . I assumed all destroyers had a least one medical officer aboard. May 21, 2022. . [1] Postwar, the remainder were decommissioned and put into reserve. Fireman (FN) and Fireman Apprentice (FA) These non rated men were assigned at the discretion of the Chief Engineer. This group normally had one or more qualified welders assigned. Fire Control Technician (FT) Responsible for operation and maintenance of all of the ships gunfire control systems including fire control radar, computer, and electrical transmission systems. Shipfitter (SF) and Damage Controlmen (DC) comprised the Damage Control gang on the ship. Transportation was by a combination of ships boats and private water taxis. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more . All wardroom provisions had to be purchased from the General Mess or other sources ashore. Working conditions were similar, but not quite as bad as in the fire rooms. Once this was accomplished, the OOD would pass the order to stand by to answer all bells to the engine room and them report ready to get underway to the CO. Does anyone have information I can get from on of his mates during that time. Again, the terms is and was are used interchangeably in this article. I am the USS EATON DD/DDE510 REUNION ASSOC. At 2,050 tons standard displacement and approximately 2,900 tons fully loaded, the Fletchers were significantly larger than any preceding American destroyer classes. I introduced myself, and asked him when he had been on the ship. The Chief Boatswains Mate (BMC) was expected to be the most capable seaman on board. The Aulick served in the Pacific from 1943 through the end of the war and was also on radar picket off Okinawa May through July, 1945. Meanwhile, medium-size Coast Guard cutters and U.S. Navy destroyers covered waters closer inshore. Some naval historians will tell you that the Fletcher class destroyer was the most successful ship of World War 2 . Answer (1 of 4): Few destroyer classes of WW2 were able to reload their torpedoes whilst at sea, below I have listed several that can. Ten 21in (530mm) torpedo tubes were fitted in two quintuple mounts amidships, firing the 21-inch Mark 15 torpedo. My uncle was also a TM2 aboard the USS Terry. Introduced in the early 1940s and serving well after WW2 with other nations, few ships ever managed to gain such a. I served on 2 Fletchers as BT during Vietnam. Deployments were six months in length followed by a six month period in the US, about half of which was spent underway in various fleet exercises off the West Coast. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. Destroyers Fletcher class. They were also to carry no less than five 5in (127mm) guns and ten deck-mounted torpedo tubes on the centerline, allowing them to meet any foreign design on equal terms. US Navy - Fletcher Class Destroyer Beginning of June 1942 the first Fletcher class destroyer DD-445, was commissioned at the Boston Navy yard. I served under a Destroyer Squadron Commander in 1963-64 who had been the Commanding Officer of USS Hazlewood (DD 531), a Fletcher Class Destroyer, in 1945 as a Lieutenant Commander when he was only 5 years out of the Naval Academy. Four Fletcher-class destroyers are preserved as museum ships. [1], Learn how and when to remove this template message, Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Fletcher-class_destroyers&oldid=1117203315, Sold to Peru as parts donor, 26 July 1974 scrapped, Transferred to West German Navy, 14 July 1959, Transferred to Peru 26 July 1974 for spare parts, Transferred to West Germany, 17 January 1958, Transferred to West Germany, 6 October 1959, Used as target hulk November 1973, scrapped. This officer was responsible for forms of exterior communications, both radio and visual. We usually had 2 or 3 Chief Machinists Mates (MMC) assigned. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. l spent over a year on the USS TINGEY (DD539). raddish kids recipes; . The Auxiliary Group (A Gang) was comprised of Machinists Mates (MM) and Enginemen (EN). Commissioned; Brazilian Navy : K (1) 1922 - 1922 : Marcilio Dias (3) 1943 . There were also fueling stops at Midway and sometimes Guam. The ship was named to honor Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, who received the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the Mexican-American War. . Under these conditions, a commissioned CIC Watch Officer (CICWO) was assigned. Normally he was a non-watchstander and he was usually provided with at least one full time assistant. NHF has decommissioned and is no longer accepting new members or donations. I much preferred WESTPAC! Navy ships never use this method any more, as sufficient pier space is provided in all of the navys home ports and all necessary services are provided from shore. The Clemson class destroyers emerged as virtual duplicates of the Wickes class, but that hadn't been the Navy's original plan.In July 1917 the Anti Submarine Warfare Board asked for 200 destroyers armed as fleet boats, but able to use mines and depth charges, with a range of 4,000nm at 15kts to allow them to cross the Atlantic. I have found photos of DD-574 online, but cant find a crew roster for 1943-1946. Three are in the United States and one is in Greece, although only Kidd retains her World War II configuration. But on destroyers and smaller vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the navigator. The other ships in the division would then come alongside and tie up using regular mooring lines. Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II; six more were damaged, evaluated as constructive total losses, and not repaired. This would be followed by Now Set Material Condition Yoke Throughout the Ship followed by The Officer of the Deck is Shifting his Watch from the Quarterdeck to the Bridge. Pingback: Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Pingback: Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation. Speed requirements varied from 35 to 38kn (40 to 44mph; 65 to 70km/h), and shortcomings in the earlier Sims class, which were top heavy and needed lead ballast to correct it, caused the Fletcher design to be widened by 18in (46cm) in the beam. The plant has to be started up from the Central Control Station below decks, but once it is ready for operation throttle control can be transferred to the bridge. Jim Avery serves on a fictional Gleaves-class destroyer, the USS . [citation needed]. Richard Vessels, my father, John Hanson, was an officer on USS Aulick DD569. Introduced in 1942, the 2,100-ton Fletcher -class destroyers formed the core of the US Navy's destroyer force from 1943. 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 Pacific by employing a so called "flush deck" construction as opposed to the traditional "forecastle . Required fields are marked *. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. 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. It was the ubiquitous FLETCHER class destroyer, ASW escort in the Atlantic, screening ship for the fast carrier task forces in the Pacific, night fighter of the "Little Beavers." and . This article describes destroyer operations as I remember them during the late 1950s. Boilers had to be lit approximately 2 hours before the scheduled underway time and about an hour would be required in each engine room to prepare the engines for operation. The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. He had non-judicial powers over all personnel under his command (Referred to as Captains Mast) or he could convene a summary or special court martial. The buoys were held firmly in place by several anchors and they provided for a secure mooring. Destroyers, dubbed "tin cans" because of their lack of armor . Designed in the late 1930s and early 1940s . Some went. The Fletcher class was the first generation of destroyers designed after the series of naval treaties that had limited ship designs heretofore. Built for speed and capability, USS Cassin Young engaged in seven Pacific battles in World War II, survived two Kamikaze hits, and served another full decade beyond her expected lifetime. The ship was the first of the Fletcher-class destroyers that were built during World War II. It is set under battle conditions. Facilities were provided for collection, display, evaluation, and dissemination of information and making appropriate recommendations to the command (and in some cases Weapons Control). Most were assigned to the Deck Force. The ratings that came under the Communications officer were: OI Division Headed by the CIC Officer, assisted by the Electronics Material Officer (EMO). Velos still retains its complete armament and equipment(as modernized in 1950s). In fact, they served until 1971 in the United States and in the Mexican Navy until 2001. At the time scheduled in the plan of the day, the boatswains pipe would whistle and the word would be passed Now set the Special Sea and Anchor Detail. I was a Reservist out of the old Reserve Center (airplane hanger) in Long Beach. The CIC included radar repeaters, voice radios, electronic warfare equipment, plotting boards, logging facilities, etc. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. The XO is often the resident bad guy in the wardroom because many COs like to play the Good Cop/Bad Cop game. George W. Stewart is a retired US Navy Captain. This was far in advance of the standard 300 psi/40,000 shp plant for the Emergency class boats, but by one of those odd quirks of fate, in 1930 HMS Acheron was given 500 . In later years with the advent of missiles, the title of this billet became Weapons Officer. 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did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?
