Clemson-class destroyer

<h2 id="design-evolution">Design evolution</h2>
As finally built, the Clemson class would be a fairly straightforward expansion of the Wickes-class destroyers. While the Wickes class had given good service there was a desire to build a class more tailored towards the anti-submarine role, and as such several design studies were completed, mainly about increasing the ships' range. These designs included a reduction in speed to between 26–28 <a href="/facts/Knot_(unit)/Sho0TF2y">knots</a> (48–52 km/h; 30–32 mph) by eliminating two boilers, freeing up displacement for <a href="/facts/Depth_charge/bLMx1yF9">depth charges</a> and more fuel. This proposal foreshadowed the <a href="/facts/Destroyer_escort/PVW6c3nu">destroyer escorts</a> of <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1">1</a>

Upgrading the gun armament from 4-inch (102 mm) to 5-inch (127 mm) guns was also considered, but only five ships (DD-231 to DD-235) were armed with 5-inch guns. In addition, the tapered stern of the Wickes-class destroyers resulted in a large turning radius and a correction to this defect was also sought, although this was not corrected in the final design. In the end the General Board decided the 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) speed be retained so as to allow the Clemson class to be used as a fleet escort. The pressing need for destroyers overruled any change that would slow production compared to the proceeding Wickes class. Wing tanks for <a href="/facts/Fuel_oil/5Qbta9f5">fuel oil</a> were installed on either side of the ships to increase the operational range.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a> This design choice meant the fuel oil would be stored above the waterline and create additional vulnerability, but the Navy felt a 4,900-<a href="/facts/Nautical_mile/V4yJzvKw">nautical-mile</a> (9,100 km; 5,600 mi) range was worth the risk.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a> Additional improvements included provisions for 5-inch guns to be installed at a later date, an enlarged rudder to help reduce the turn radius, and an additional <a href="/facts/3%2522%2f23_caliber_gun/97WjvYyJ">3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun</a> on the after deck-house.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a>
The class resulted from a <a href="/facts/General_Board_of_the_United_States_Navy/mg9q0QDC">General Board</a> recommendation for further destroyers to combat the submarine threat, culminating in a total of 267 Wickes- and Clemson-class destroyers completed. However, the design of the ships remained optimized for operation with the <a href="/facts/Battleship/PjjTspo5">battleship</a> fleet.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a>

<h2 id="armament">Armament</h2>

The main armament was the same as the Wickes class: four <a href="/facts/4%2522%2f50_caliber_gun/MvTXqCnV">4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber guns</a> and twelve 21-inch (533 mm) <a href="/facts/Torpedo_tubes/D0o8sNR1">torpedo tubes</a>. The <a href="/facts/Mark_8_torpedo/2qobVPQT">Mark 8 torpedo</a> was initially equipped, and probably remained the standard torpedo for this class, as 600 Mark 8 torpedoes were issued to the British in 1940 as part of the <a href="/facts/Destroyers_for_Bases_Agreement/2Dzjcdbu">Destroyers for Bases Agreement</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a>
Although the design provided for two <a href="/facts/Anti-aircraft/fHtGQpLy">anti-aircraft</a> (AA) guns, most ships carried a single <a href="/facts/3%2522%2f23_caliber_gun/97WjvYyJ">3-inch (76 mm)/23 caliber</a> AA gun, typically on the aft deckhouse. A frequent modification was replacing the aft 4-inch gun with the 3-inch gun to make more room for the <a href="/facts/Depth_charge/bLMx1yF9">depth charge</a> tracks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> <a href="/facts/Anti-submarine/auG9IyqG">Anti-submarine</a> (ASW) armament was added during or after construction. Typically, two depth charge tracks were provided aft, along with a <a href="/facts/Y-gun/bLMx1yF9">Y-gun</a> depth charge projector forward of the aft deckhouse.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>
Despite the provision for 5-inch guns, only seven ships were built with an increased gun armament. <a href="/facts/USS_Hovey/7GW7F2oU">USS Hovey</a> and <a href="/facts/USS_Long/9KmyemUF">USS Long</a> had twin 4-inch/50 mounts for a total of eight guns, while DD 231–235 had four <a href="/facts/5%2522%2f51_caliber_gun/IbS7UJhN">5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns</a> in place of the 4-inch guns.

<h2 id="in-operation">In operation</h2>
As with the preceding Wickes class, the fleet found that the tapered cruiser stern, which made for a nice depth charge deployment feature, dug into the water and increased the turning radius, thus hampering <a href="/facts/Anti-submarine/auG9IyqG">anti-submarine</a> work.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> While an increased rudder size helped, the answer would be in a redesigned stern, but this was not implemented. They were reported to be prone to heavy rolling in light load conditions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> The flush deck gave the hull great strength but this also made the deck very wet.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a>

<h2 id="ships-in-class">Ships in class</h2>
Main article: <a href="/facts/List_of_Clemson-class_destroyers/fPovsUcX">List of Clemson-class destroyers</a>
156 Clemson-class destroyers were built, with an additional six cancelled.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a>

<h2 id="history">History</h2>

Fourteen ships of the class were involved in the <a href="/facts/Honda_Point_Disaster/RzrjhF1g">Honda Point Disaster</a> (aka Point Pedernales) in 1923, of which seven were lost.
Many never saw wartime service, as a significant number were decommissioned in 1930 and scrapped as part of the <a href="/facts/London_Naval_Treaty/oSEQuVTf">London Naval Treaty</a>. About 40 Clemson-class destroyers with <a href="/facts/Yarrow_boiler/T8L1Wgag">Yarrow boilers</a> were scrapped or otherwise disposed of in 1930–31, as these boilers wore out quickly in service. Flush-deckers in reserve were commissioned as replacements.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a> In 1936 only some 169 of the flush deck destroyers would be left, four Caldwell class and the rest Wickes and Clemson class.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> In 1937 four Clemson class were converted to <a href="/facts/Destroyer_minelayer/bkYL7bI8">destroyer minelayers</a> (<a href="/facts/Hull_classification_symbol/sF0X1daX">hull classification symbol</a> DM), joining several Wickes-class ships in this role.
Nineteen were transferred to the <a href="/facts/Royal_Navy/Xdy8YCH7">Royal Navy</a> in 1940 as part of the <a href="/facts/Destroyers_for_Bases_Agreement/2Dzjcdbu">Destroyers for Bases Agreement</a>, where they became part of the <a href="/facts/Town-class_destroyer/yCEEa9eB">Town class</a>. Others were upgraded or converted to <a href="/facts/High-speed_transport/STvv7azB">high-speed transports</a> (APD), high-speed <a href="/facts/Minesweeper/6xFLcTF2">minesweepers</a> (DMS), <a href="/facts/Destroyer_minelayer/bkYL7bI8">destroyer minelayers</a> (DM), or <a href="/facts/Seaplane_tender/uh4lygMD">seaplane tenders</a> (AVD) and served through <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>. Four Wickes-class DM conversions and the four Clemson-class DM conversions survived to serve in World War II.

Most ships remaining in service during World War II were rearmed with dual-purpose <a href="/facts/3%2522%2f50_caliber_gun/JfENPW6H">3-inch/50 caliber guns</a> to provide better anti-aircraft protection.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a> The AVD <a href="/facts/Seaplane_tender/uh4lygMD">seaplane tender</a> conversions received two guns; the APD high-speed transport, DM <a href="/facts/Minelayer/DPSkl2XS">minelayer</a>, and DMS minesweeper conversions received three guns, and those retaining destroyer classification received six.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a> Their original low-angle <a href="/facts/4%2522%2f50_caliber_gun/MvTXqCnV">4-inch/50 caliber guns</a> (Mark 9) were transferred to <a href="/facts/Defensively_Equipped_Merchant_Ships/tPlf5aew">Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships</a> for anti-submarine protection.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a> For the ships converted to minesweepers, the twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes were replaced by minesweeping gear.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a>
<a href="/facts/USS_Stewart_(DD-224)/PUGD3AK1">USS Stewart</a> was scuttled at <a href="/facts/Surabaya/ueSxkgv9">Soerabaja</a> on 2 March 1942, following the surrender of the <a href="/facts/Dutch_East_Indies/1vl6kw8p">Dutch East Indies</a> to the Japanese. She was raised, repaired and recommissioned as <a href="/facts/USS_Stewart_(DD-224)/PUGD3AK1">Japanese patrol boat PB-102</a> by the <a href="/facts/Imperial_Japanese_Navy/smLn7IyT">Imperial Japanese Navy</a>. She was surrendered to the US Navy following the end of World War II and was used as a target for aircraft. In addition, 17 Clemson-class destroyers were lost during the war.
The wrecks of three Clemson-class destroyers remain in the <a href="/facts/San_Francisco_Bay_area/MG53NJ36">San Francisco Bay area</a>, <a href="/facts/USS_Corry_(DD-334)/q3kHgSKp">USS Corry</a> a few miles north of <a href="/facts/Mare_Island_Navy_Yard/yLoqzMun">Mare Island Navy Yard</a> on the <a href="/facts/Napa_River/HRHMylW2">Napa River</a>, <a href="/facts/USS_Thompson_(DD-305)/9zbkR8SS">USS Thompson</a> in the southern part of the Bay where it was used as a bombing target in World War II,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21">21</a> and the aforementioned USS Stewart in what is now the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22">22</a>
A number of ships in the class were christened by the initial batch of women who enlisted in the Navy as <a href="/facts/Yeoman_(F)/sQ5FbHuL">Yeoman (F)</a> in World War I. The <a href="/facts/USS_Hatfield_(DD-231)/nT1AqSKv">USS Hatfield (DD-231)</a> was sponsored by Mrs. J. Edmond Haugh (Helen Brooks) who had been a Yeoman during the Great War.

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_United_States_Navy_losses_in_World_War_II/NQK4mBwE">List of United States Navy losses in World War II</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/List_of_ship_classes_of_the_Second_World_War/oGNNSUB8">List of ship classes of the Second World War</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<ul><li>Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-87021-459-4.</li>
<li>Morison, Samuel Eliot (1962). <a href="https://archive.org/details/supplementgenera00mori">History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Supplement and General Index</a>. Little, Brown and Company.</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Norman_Friedman/xXIfSk4w">Friedman, Norman</a> (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-55750-442-3.</li>
<li>Gardiner, Robert, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, London: Conway Maritime Press, 1985. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-85177-245-5.</li>
<li>Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, London: Conway Maritime Press, 1980. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-83170-303-2.</li>
<li>Silverstone, Paul H., U.S. Warships of World War I (Ian Allan, 1970), <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-71100-095-6.</li>
<li>Silverstone, Paul H. (1968). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/05idx.htm">NavSource Destroyer Photo Index Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_4-50_mk9.htm">DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 4"/50 Gun Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-23_mk13.htm">DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 3"/23 Gun Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_3-50_mk10-22.htm">DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 3"/50 Gun Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTUS_PreWWII.htm">DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com Pre-WWII US Torpedoes</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm">US Navy Torpedo History, part 2</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140915054904/http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm">Archived</a> 2014-09-15 at the <a href="/facts/Wayback_Machine/nmQ3a6JC">Wayback Machine</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clemson class destroyers.

<ul><li><a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass/">Clemson-class destroyers</a> at <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090219202357/http://destroyerhistory.org/">Destroyer History Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080809220031/http://www.destroyers.org/Class/cl-Clemson.htm">Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org Clemson class</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Friedman, pp. 42–44 <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Friedman, p. 44 <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Friedman, p. 44 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Friedman, pp. 44–45 <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Friedman, p. 40 <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Torpedo History: Torpedo Mk8". Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140915054904/http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140915054904/http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Friedman, p. 44 <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Friedman, p. 45 <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Friedman, p. 46 <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"Wickes- and Clemson-class flush-deck destroyers". Archived from the original on 17 January 2006. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060117160429/http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060117160429/http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Friedman, p. 45 <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Friedman, p. 46 <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"Wickes- and Clemson-class flush-deck destroyers". Archived from the original on 17 January 2006. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060117160429/http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20060117160429/http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Gardiner 1985, p. 125 <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">"DestroyerHistory.org Flush-decker page, retrieved 16 Oct 2013". Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2011. <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/" target="_blank">http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Friedman, p. 49 <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">Morrison 1962 p. 39 <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Silverstone 1968 pp. 112, 212, 215, 276, 303 <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">Campbell 1985 p. 143 <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (public domain) <a href="/wiki/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships" target="_blank">/wiki/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:21">"DestroyerHistory.org Flush-deckers today page, retrieved 16 Oct 2013". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013. <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/today" target="_blank">http://destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/today</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:22">Greshko, Michael (1 October 2024). "Wreck of 'Ghost Ship of the Pacific' Found Off California". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 October 2024. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/science/shipwreck-ghost-ship-pacific-drones.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/science/shipwreck-ghost-ship-pacific-drones.html</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Clemson-class destroyer open-in-new

Clemson-class destroyer