Porter-class destroyer

<h2 id="design">Design</h2>
The larger <a href="/facts/Destroyer_leader/aqlE1sod">destroyer leader</a> type had been under active consideration since 1921. Indeed, the <a href="/facts/General_Board_of_the_United_States_Navy/mg9q0QDC">General Board</a> recommended the construction of five of the type in that year. One factor in favor of leaders was the Navy's total lack of modern <a href="/facts/Light_cruiser/SMwX2q99">light cruisers</a>, only partly alleviated by the ten <a href="/facts/Omaha-class_cruiser/BlNlFhLr">Omaha-class</a> ships built in the 1920s. Naval historian Norman Friedman believed that the great number of <a href="/facts/Wickes-class_destroyer/Y3LMEnbf">Wickes</a> and <a href="/facts/Clemson-class_destroyer/8P2YbFu5">Clemson-class</a> destroyers hindered the U.S. Congress from purchasing new leaders. The General Board was very interested in equipping such a type with the new higher pressure and higher temperature steam propulsion equipment also proposed for the Farragut-class destroyers; this would extend the ships' range.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1">1</a> The <a href="/facts/London_Naval_Treaty/oSEQuVTf">London Naval Treaty</a> and <a href="/facts/Le_Fantasque-class_destroyer/CY7m4IjY">large French destroyers</a> (France did not sign the treaty and built ships well in excess of its limits) seem to have become the tipping points, with the 1930 recommendations beginning the cycle to actually build ships.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a> The <a href="/facts/World_Disarmament_Conference/jIVWXQ98">Geneva proposals</a> for destroyers also seem to have influence the design, as the Destroyer Leader proposals limited themselves to 1,850 tons per the proposals; these tonnage limits were eventually included in the London treaty.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a>

<h3>Engineering</h3>
The Porters had the same propulsion technology as the immediately preceding Farraguts, with 400 psi (2,800 kPa) steam <a href="/facts/Superheated_steam/0ln3u8sy">superheated</a> to 645 °F (341 °C). The plant was somewhat larger than in the Farraguts, with designed horsepower increased from 42,800 <a href="/facts/Horsepower/jRMwmIxA">shaft horsepower</a> (31,900 kW) to 50,000 shaft horsepower (37,000 kW), resulting in a speed of 37 <a href="/facts/Knot_(unit)/Sho0TF2y">kn</a> (69 km/h; 43 mph).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> Along with the improved fuel efficiency resulting from superheated steam, the four boilers included <a href="/facts/Economizer/snQPwxGp">economizers</a> to further extend the ships' range by preheating incoming <a href="/facts/Feedwater/I1S2mUDq">feedwater</a>. The main <a href="/facts/Steam_turbines/scacVXsB">steam turbines</a> were manufactured by <a href="/facts/New_York_Shipbuilding/w9KlEbyR">New York Shipbuilding</a> in the case of the ships built by that yard. However, as in the Farraguts, the main turbines had single-reduction <a href="/facts/Gear/9KVHRfUR">gearing</a> and no cruising turbines, limiting their efficiency.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a>

<h3>Armament</h3>

There were extensive discussions about the armament, the <a href="/facts/5%2522%2f25_caliber_gun/uh8EwopN">5-inch (127 mm)/25-caliber</a> <a href="/facts/Anti-air_warfare/fHtGQpLy">anti-aircraft</a> (AA) gun being favored as being easy to work and train in a fast-moving and lively type of ship. The other candidate was the <a href="/facts/5%2522%2f51_caliber_gun/IbS7UJhN">5-inch/51-caliber</a> surface type, being very powerful but all but useless against aircraft. It was a discussion made more interesting as the <a href="/facts/5%2522%2f38_caliber_gun/wPFbnX4p">5-inch/38-caliber dual-purpose gun</a> became available in the early 1930s and the Ordnance Department favored it rather strongly. The 5-inch/38-caliber gun was simply a 5-inch/25-caliber gun with the same projectiles and a longer barrel, but significantly increased range against both air and surface targets.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a> The class was originally built with eight Mk 12 guns in four Mark 22 single-purpose (surface action only) twin <a href="/facts/Gunhouse/Rn5mhFdW">enclosed mounts</a>; the single-purpose mounts were adopted to save weight.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a> Anti-aircraft protection was provided by two quadruple <a href="/facts/1.1%2522%2f75_caliber_gun/Ecl4SwAV">1.1-inch (28 mm)</a> mounts; in the 1930s this was considered sufficient. Although the Porters had the same eight 21-inch (533 mm) <a href="/facts/Torpedo_tube/D0o8sNR1">torpedo tubes</a> as the Farraguts, a full set of reloads was carried. The class was initially equipped with the <a href="/facts/Mark_11_torpedo/GYwvBo67">Mark 11</a> or <a href="/facts/Mark_12_torpedo/6lMNvBqT">Mark 12 torpedo</a>, which were replaced by the <a href="/facts/Mark_15_torpedo/1jA2YglW">Mark 15</a> beginning in 1938.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a> The heavy armament proved top-heavy, and aircraft were becoming a greater threat, so during World War II on most of the class, mounts 51 and 54 were replaced with dual-purpose (surface action and air action) twin mounts,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a> and the original 1.1-inch guns were replaced with <a href="/facts/Bofors_40_mm_Automatic_Gun_L%2f60/zmDs1A9M">40 mm Bofors</a> and <a href="/facts/20_mm_Oerlikon/UL9r7E0U">20 mm Oerlikons</a>. In some ships, mount 52 was replaced by a quadruple 40 mm mount, and mount 53 became a single 5 in/38 cal dual-purpose mount. Additional 40 mm guns were added amidships along with 20 mm weapons. In most ships, four <a href="/facts/K-gun/bLMx1yF9">K-gun</a> <a href="/facts/Depth_charge/bLMx1yF9">depth charge</a> throwers were added to augment the as-built pair of depth charge racks. In some cases (DD-357, DD-359, DD-360) late in the war, the torpedo tubes, two K-guns, and one depth charge rack were landed, to accommodate additional light AA armament, for a total of sixteen 40 mm in three quadruple and two twin mounts and four 20 mm in two twin mounts.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a><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="service">Service</h2>
<a href="/facts/USS_McDougal_(DD-358)/uUc8Ge82">McDougal</a>, <a href="/facts/USS_Winslow_(DD-359)/aQm1QWnU">Winslow</a>, and <a href="/facts/USS_Moffett/p2Fojac2">Moffett</a> were among the five destroyers and two cruisers that supported the <a href="/facts/Franklin_D._Roosevelt/HtG9vMQv">Roosevelt</a>-<a href="/facts/Winston_Churchill/Wm8LXNzH">Churchill</a> conference at <a href="/facts/Placentia_Bay/uKgJyG1a">Placentia Bay</a> near <a href="/facts/Argentia/XM9c1Ndx">Argentia</a>, <a href="/facts/Newfoundland/3rdY8zvo">Newfoundland</a> that resulted in the <a href="/facts/Atlantic_Charter/MVtYCU39">Atlantic Charter</a> in August 1941. <a href="/facts/USS_Selfridge_(DD-357)/Pv51UfdF">Selfridge</a> and <a href="/facts/USS_Phelps/hN0WqRk7">Phelps</a> were in port during the <a href="/facts/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor/CLBkUVjC">attack on Pearl Harbor</a> on 7 December 1941 and engaged enemy aircraft. The class served in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Atlantic/PV9uF2Jw">Battle of the Atlantic</a>, in the <a href="/facts/Pacific_War/yNu6op98">Pacific War</a>, and escorted convoys in the <a href="/facts/Americas/hEuUTL4K">Americas</a>. Phelps was at the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea/HbpVNGIf">Battle of the Coral Sea</a> and the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Midway/f8gBT8Ax">Battle of Midway</a>, scuttling the disabled <a href="/facts/Aircraft_carrier/90vrSN0V">aircraft carrier</a> <a href="/facts/USS_Lexington_(CV-2)/6mLk9huu">Lexington</a> with torpedoes at the former battle and picking up some of the crew from the sea following the orderly ship abandonment. Balch rescued survivors of the aircraft carrier <a href="/facts/USS_Yorktown_(CV-5)/saq9qUjE">Yorktown</a> at Midway. While operating out of <a href="/facts/Trinidad/gJQ350S6">Trinidad</a> in the <a href="/facts/Caribbean/zRI9aMCh">Caribbean</a>, Moffett assisted in sinking two <a href="/facts/U-boat/GgjbMzMT">U-boats</a>, <a href="/facts/German_submarine_U-128_(1941)/yQtNfrxL">U-128</a> and <a href="/facts/German_submarine_U-604/k1slDamo">U-604</a>. Notable engagements for other ships of the class included the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Guadalcanal/IHYalWdG">invasion of Guadalcanal</a> and the <a href="/facts/Marianas_campaign/vjMrdMp6">Marianas campaign</a>. By September 1944 the class was concentrated in the Atlantic. <a href="/facts/USS_Porter_(DD-356)/DNcBGhrr">Porter</a> was the class's only loss, in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Islands/066E1sjj">Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands</a> on 26 October 1942. <a href="/facts/USS_Selfridge_(DD-357)/Pv51UfdF">Selfridge</a> lost her bow to a torpedo in the <a href="/facts/Naval_Battle_of_Vella_Lavella/EDg0LxuW">Naval Battle of Vella Lavella</a> on 6 October 1943, but was repaired. McDougal and Winslow were reclassified as AG-126 and AG-127 in September 1945 and modified for anti-<a href="/facts/Kamikaze/4sEW1GcF">kamikaze</a> research in a similar configuration to <a href="/facts/Gearing-class_destroyer/YSkVaQFa">Gearing-class</a> <a href="/facts/Radar_picket/yv5e5KUf">radar picket</a> destroyers. All except Winslow were scrapped shortly after the war; Winslow remained in service as a training ship until 1950 and was scrapped in 1959. Winslow was the longest serving by far of all destroyers commissioned in the 1930s and the last by far to go to the <a href="/facts/Ship_breakers/qh49CobX">ship breakers</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a>

<h2 id="ships-in-class">Ships in class</h2>
Construction data<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a><table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Name</th><th scope="col">Hull no.</th><th scope="col">Builder</th><th scope="col">Laid down</th><th scope="col">Launched</th><th scope="col">Comm.</th><th scope="col">Decomm.</th><th scope="col">Fate</th></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Porter_(DD-356)/DNcBGhrr">Porter</a></th><th scope="row">DD-356</th><td rowspan="4"><a href="/facts/New_York_Shipbuilding/w9KlEbyR">New York Shipbuilding</a></td><td>18 December 1933</td><td>12 December 1935</td><td>27 August 1936</td><td>—</td><td>Lost in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_the_Santa_Cruz_Islands/066E1sjj">Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands</a>, 26 October 1942</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Selfridge_(DD-357)/Pv51UfdF">Selfridge</a></th><th scope="row">DD-357</th><td>18 December 1933</td><td>18 April 1936</td><td>25 November 1936</td><td>15 October 1945</td><td>Scrapped 1946</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_McDougal_(DD-358)/uUc8Ge82">McDougal</a></th><th scope="row">DD-358</th><td>18 December 1933</td><td>17 July 1936</td><td>23 December 1936</td><td>24 June 1946</td><td>Reclassified AG-126 17 September 1945, scrapped 1949</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Winslow_(DD-359)/aQm1QWnU">Winslow</a></th><th scope="row">DD-359</th><td>18 December 1933</td><td>21 September 1936</td><td>17 February 1937</td><td>28 June 1950</td><td>Reclassified AG-127 17 September 1945, scrapped 1959</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Phelps/hN0WqRk7">Phelps</a></th><th scope="row">DD-360</th><td rowspan="4"><a href="/facts/Fore_River_Shipbuilding/BESIs6zh">Fore River Shipbuilding</a></td><td>2 January 1934</td><td>18 July 1935</td><td>26 February 1936</td><td>6 November 1945</td><td>Scrapped 1947</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Clark_(DD-361)/81cGlK7z">Clark</a></th><th scope="row">DD-361</th><td>2 January 1934</td><td>15 October 1935</td><td>20 May 1936</td><td>23 October 1945</td><td>Scrapped 1946</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Moffett/p2Fojac2">Moffett</a></th><th scope="row">DD-362</th><td>2 January 1934</td><td>11 December 1935</td><td>28 August 1936</td><td>2 November 1945</td><td>Scrapped 1947</td></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/USS_Balch_(DD-363)/pLVRq8Ux">Balch</a></th><th scope="row">DD-363</th><td>16 May 1934</td><td>24 March 1936</td><td>20 October 1936</td><td>19 October 1945</td><td>Scrapped 1946</td></tr></tbody></table>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Somers-class_destroyer/KbvBUw6o">Somers-class destroyer</a></li></ul>

This article incorporates text from the <a href="/facts/Public_domain/YWKMDKw4">public domain</a> <a href="/facts/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships/1eWoFXWn">Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships</a>.

<h3>Citations</h3>

<h3>Sources</h3>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/K._Jack_Bauer/nuqHwkRe">Bauer, K. Jack</a>; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990: Major Combatants. <a href="/facts/Westport%2c_Connecticut/aE6DqyyW">Westport, Connecticut</a>: Greenwood Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-313-26202-0.</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; Chesneau, Roger (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-83170-303-2.</li>
<li>Silverstone, Paul H. (1965). U.S. Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan Ltd.</li>
<li> This article incorporates text from the <a href="/facts/Public_domain/YWKMDKw4">public domain</a> <a href="/facts/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships/1eWoFXWn">Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships</a>.</li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Porter class destroyers.

<ul><li><a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/porterclass/">Porter-class destroyers</a> at <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/">Destroyer History Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/assets/pdf/generalinformationbooks/356porter_GIBook.pdf">USS Porter, USS Selfridge, USS McDougal, and USS Winslow General Information Book with as-built data</a> at <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/">Destroyer History Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/">"Goldplater" destroyers</a> at <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/">Destroyer History Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/goldplater/1850ton/">1850-ton leader classes</a> at <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/">Destroyer History Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.destroyers.org/Class/c-Porter.htm">Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org - Porter class destroyer</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20151124172016/http://www.destroyers.org/Class/c-Porter.htm">Archived</a> 2015-11-24 at the <a href="/facts/Wayback_Machine/nmQ3a6JC">Wayback Machine</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/05idx.htm">NavSource Destroyer Photo Index Page</a></li></ul>

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

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Friedman, p.77 <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Friedman, p.79 <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Friedman, p.79 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Friedman, pp. 84, 464 <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">USS Porter, USS Selfridge, USS McDougal, and USS Winslow General Information Book with as-built data at Destroyer History Foundation <a href="http://destroyerhistory.org/assets/pdf/generalinformationbooks/356porter_GIBook.pdf" target="_blank">http://destroyerhistory.org/assets/pdf/generalinformationbooks/356porter_GIBook.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"DiGiulian, Tony, 5"/38 (12.7 cm) Mark 12 at Navweaps.com". Retrieved 29 August 2007. <a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Friedman, p.79 <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"DiGiulian, Tony, 5"/38 (12.7 cm) Mark 12 at Navweaps.com". Retrieved 29 August 2007. <a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Torpedo History: Torpedo Mk 11, Mk 12 and Torpedo Mk 15". Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2015. <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:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"DiGiulian, Tony, 5"/38 (12.7 cm) Mark 12 at Navweaps.com". Retrieved 29 August 2007. <a href="http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm" target="_blank">http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-38_mk12.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Bauer and Roberts, pp. 183-184 <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Gardiner and Chesneau, p. 125 <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Friedman, p. 219 <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Bauer and Roberts, pp. 183-184 <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">Bauer and Roberts, pp. 183-184 <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Porter-class destroyer open-in-new

Porter-class destroyer