A lot more information is available on the bridge from GPS, Electronic Chart Displays (ECDIS), etc. Did any Fletcher class destroyers serve in the Atlantic? I am a retired Merchant Chief Engineer (Steam). A fleet destroyer will normally have all three major department head billets filled by a Lieutenant Commander or fairly senior Lieutenant. Mrz 25, 2022; Posted by are meatless crumbles vegan? Named after a swashbuckling Union Civil War captain, the Porter was one of 175 Fletcher-class destroyers built during World War II. During World War II, the commanding officer was frequently a Lieutenant Commander with far less experience. This organization sounds very complex to the outsider. . Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. In my new novel Through Waters Deep, Ens. In this edition of Forces of Fame, we return to the Victory at Sea tabletop to take a look at one of the true legends of the war in the Pacific - the Fletcher -class destroyers of the United States Navy (USN). He was a member of the original crew and served as the Medical Officer. What they got was a destroyer design that was effective enough to provide excellent service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Wars. This was mitigated by deployment to the Pacific Ocean, which is relatively calm compared to the Atlantic.[9]. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. The growth in the design was in part a response to the challenge that had dogged U.S. Navy designs in coping with long range operations in the Pacific Ocean. I am a retired Navy Chief. yet they served all over the North Atlantic. Fox Division This division was headed by either the Fire Control Officer or Anti-Submarine Officer, whoever was senior. With the introduction of radar, another useful method became available when the ship was within radar range of shore. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Supply Department ratings included: Supply Department, USS Halsey Powell, from 1959-1960 Cruise Book. Type: Destroyer: Displacement: 2050 BRT : Length: . Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. While in restricted waters, naval vessels have a navigation detail set and the ships position was regularly determined by taking visual bearings on objects ashore, supplemented by radar ranges and fathometer readings. At 2,050 tons standard displacement and approximately 2,900 tons fully loaded, the Fletchers were significantly larger than any preceding American destroyer classes. A total of 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned between 4 June 1942 and 22 February 1945. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. The Chief Engineer would be in the Forward Engine Room and the Main Propulsion Assistant would be in the After Engine Room. Next we will describe the process for getting underway from alongside another ship or a pier. The duties of conning officer were rotated around. 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. I loved the country so much that I did not want to leave. Though built with the Pacific in mind, Fletchers also served in the Atlantic theater. Frequently a junior officer was assigned as the Administrative Officer or Ship Secretary with additional duty as X Division Officer. One reason for this was that it kept me involved in the operational picture. Does anyone have information I can get from on of his mates during that time. Underway operations will be described in the next section. Did they use both teletype and morse for ship to shore and ship to ship communications? He was a radioman on the ship for about a year, and transferred to another ship before the USS Kidd was hit by a kamikaze.the sailor I was talking to lost a few friends in that attack. Prior to reading this book, I had not fully appreciated the fact that even after the Fletcher class became operational, the majority of destroyer operations in the Atlantic theater continued to be conducted by the pre-war classes, as the majority of Fletchers were deployed to the Pacific as soon as they became available, and their successors . She was a fine destroyer and served in WWII as a real war ship. Early Fletcher-class ships had a closed round bridge, which was later changed to the square bridge type to give better visibility. More about this later. Members of the pre-beta test will be able to test this destroyer in one of the future tests, and results of this test will taken into account for the future development of our fleet. Displacement: 2600 tons. Eighteen ships were redesignated as escort destroyers (DDE), optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer (DD) designation in 1962. He was responsible for all fuel transfer operations plus chemical testing and treatment of the ships boiler water. NHF members are being converted to members of the Naval Institute. i was a radarman on the Hopewell from 65through 67. Up until the 1960s, most naval home ports did not provide much in the line of pier space and in San Diego, we usually moored to a mooring buoy in the harbor. Velos still retains its complete armament and equipment(as modernized in 1950s). Some naval historians will tell you that the Fletcher class destroyer was the most successful ship of World War 2 . They also were much less top heavy than the previous classes, allowing them to take on additional equipment and weapons without major redesign. The 1941 building program was to have consisted entirely of new Fletcher-class destroyers. Enginemen were diesel engine specialists who took care of boat engines and the emergency diesel generator. In fact, they served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, during which they accounted for 29 Imperial Japanese Navy submarines sunk. Seaman/Seaman Apprentice (SN/SA) This takes some explanation. The First Lieutenant probably came under fire more than any other officer because everything his people did was readily observable and most COs and XOs were very concerned with topside appearance, sometimes overly so. Your email address will not be published. This alteration was not a success and was not repeated. This meant passing a second bight around the bollard on the pier or the ship alongside. Therefore the functions of the Communications Officer, CIC Officer, and Electronic Material Officer (EMO) were all brought under the Operations Officer. In September 1941, it requested studies for a destroyer with greater anti-aircraft capability. . [4] The Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes were Fletcher derivatives. It is set when a ship is in the harbor. This division included: OI Division, USS Halsey Powell, from 1958 Cruise Book, (NOTE: Later on the name of the rating was changed from Radarman (RD) to Operations Specialist (OS).). $0.00. Ross's book also acknowledges Raven's book as a source. Phil Becker, my father, John Hanson, was an officer on USS Aulick DD569. Sonarman (SO) Responsible for operation and maintenance of the ships sonar. 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. The Fletchers featured air-encased boilers producing steam at 600psi (4,100kPa) and 850F (450C), with two 350 kW steam turbine driven electrical generators and a 100kW emergency diesel generator. Ten 21in (530mm) torpedo tubes were fitted in two quintuple mounts amidships, firing the 21-inch Mark 15 torpedo. Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 27 September 1962, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 21 August 1959, Transferred to West Germany, 12 April 1960, Transferred to West Germany, 16 December 1959, Transferred to West Germany, 17 February 1960, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 16 June 1959, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 15 September 1959, Transferred to Hellenic Navy, 9 February 1960, Transferred to South Korea, 15 November 1968, Transferred to the Republic of Korea, 27 April 1968, Museum ship at the former Boston Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, This page was last edited on 20 October 2022, at 13:05. Nineteen Fletchers were lost during World War II. After a year on board they were advanced to the grade of Seaman (SN), from which they could strike for assignment to other ratings. You are here: customer is always right in matters of taste; toronto snow storm april 1975; did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?benji and joel madden young. He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Anti-aircraft armament initially was light, with a quadruple 1.1"/75 caliber gun located in an elevated tub between the number three and four 5-inch gun mounts and six Oerlikon 20 mm cannons (two in front of and below the bridge and four amidships). Some 2,100-tonners served off Korea in the 1950s and some even off Vietnam in the 60s. During World War II, these functions had belonged to the Chief Engineer. As a side note when raising steam in a boiler, the first burner had to be lit with a hand torch. 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned from June 1942 to February 1945. In those days there was no bridge to bridge radio. OK, first of all - the reason for the Fletcher class' size is because the US Navy wanted a destroyer with the same main armament as preceding classes (pretty much all of the mass produced destroyers had five 5-inch guns and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes); with the same speed (37 knots); and a similar range (5,000 nmi at 15 knots) as those ships . On the return trip we had to avoid the collision between the Oil Tanker and a Philippine Merchant ship . The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more . I served on 2 Fletchers as BT during Vietnam. As these articles say, access was from a deck hatch and a ladder. All fittings with a black Y are closed and only opened for protection. In February 1943, the fantail-mounted Bofors was removed and one twin mount was placed on each side of the aft funnel, bringing the total number of 40mm to six. In my previous two articles ( read Part 1 here, read Part 2 here) I gave technical and manning overviews of the U.S. Navy's highly successful Fletcher class destroyer. We usually had 2 or 3 Chief Machinists Mates (MMC) assigned. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlierdestroyer leader types. This was a very prestigious assignment and these Petty Officers generally lorded it over the junior non-rated sailors in the division. This was mitigated somewhat due to deployment in the Pacific. But on destroyers and smaller vessels the Executive Officer often doubles as the navigator. The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. While I did not serve in a Fletcher class destroyer, I did serve in a FRAM II destroyer, the USS ROWAN DD-782. Bob Crocker BT2 66-71. On a small ship, this is usually a collateral duty. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. They were versatile and highly standardized, to the point as producing only four wartime classes of 50+ up to 180 ships, the Bensons, Fletcher, Sumner and Gearing, completed by the numerous "peacetime classes" from 1934 to 1940 and the WW1-era famous "four . It was a very diverse division that was comprised of several ratings. The conning officer would then use an appropriate combination of rudder, engines, and lines to get the ship underway. Naval philosophy in those days was to man the ships with a large number of personnel and little use was made of automatic controls or other labor saving devices. The Sullivans played a large role in World War II and the . The goal was to have two boilers on line, one in each fire room, and have both engines ready for operation with the plant split (2 independent plant configuration) prior to setting what is referred to as the Special Sea Detail. All rights reserved. In what can only be described as one of the classic destroyer actions in naval history, the three Fletchers attacked the Japanese main fleet. It seemed like there was always something going on out there in those days and port visits were few and far between. Thus there were two groups of 2,100-tonners: one-third (58) were high- or round-bridge ships; two-thirds, (117) were low- or square-bridge ships. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. George W. Stewart is a retired US Navy Captain. USS Halsey Powell backs away from a pier in Subic Bay. The design parameters were in the form of the armaments desired of the next destroyer. The navigator would be responsible for ensuring that the ship remained on its desired track and making appropriate recommendations to the CO/OOD. All records of boiler water treatment and fuel usage were kept in an office referred to as the Oil Shack. There were 39 casualties and extensive damage in the after part of the ship. Pingback: Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Pingback: Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation. I much preferred WESTPAC! Thanks for shedding additional light on my fathers service and that of his comrades-in-arms. She was a rough riding ship with a crew of dedicated men. Shipfitter (SF) and Damage Controlmen (DC) comprised the Damage Control gang on the ship. USS The Sullivans (DD-537) The USS Sullivans was a long-range, large destroyer used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-aircraft warfare, and surface action. The Executive Officer is the person who is responsible for making things happen. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Stewards (SD) Ran the Wardroom Mess and provided valet service for the officers. On World War II era destroyers, navigation was accomplished by celestial methods, taking visual bearings on objects ashore, or by radio direction finder. The USS KIDD (DD-661) is a Fletcher-class destroyer, the six hundred sixty-first destroyer built by the United States Navy. All wardroom provisions had to be purchased from the General Mess or other sources ashore. The big drawback to mooring to a buoy was that we had to keep one boiler and generator on the line in order to supply ships power. Boatswains Mates (BM) This was generally considered to be the senior enlisted rating in the navy, a tradition probably handed down from the days of sail. She was laid down on 28 August 1941 at Bath, Maine, by the Bath Iron Works Corp.; launched on 7 June 1942, sponsored by Mrs. H. A. Baldridge; and commissioned on 28 August 1942 at the Charlestown Navy Yard near Boston, Mass., Lieutenant Commander . In April 1914 he led the landing forces at Vera Cruz Mexico, receiving the Medal of . Others carried trainable Hedgehogs. 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. 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. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S., and one in Greece. He currently holds the title of Chief Marine Engineer at Marine Design Dynamics. The Navigator is responsible for determining the ships position and making recommendations as to the appropriate course of action to the commanding officer. Normally half of the sailors in this division would be assigned to each space. Normally all four ships in the division would be moored to the same buoy. I was one of the 97 survivors of 357 aboard ship. Civilian vessels have always had much smaller crews and made far greater use of automation and labor saving devices. Once the first burner was lit, subsequent burners could be lit from the adjacent burner. The days of surface to surface torpedo attacks had pretty well gone away, although we still retained that capability. In the interest of reduced manning levels, did the Radiomen copy fleet broadcast via teletype instead of morse? I had a great time with the locals in Vancouver and also remember the near collision. During both of my XO tours, I served as navigator. The engine room and fire room supervisors would man their stations. But the onset of the Korean War in 1950 . So the next order was Single up all lines. Of course, ships today are fitted with Global Positioning (GPS), Electronic Chart Display (ECDIS) and other more advanced equipment. It was a slow day, and a lot of the safety procedures were not formally set up yet, so me and another engineer friend were able to tour the forward engine room. The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and the design was generally regarded as highly successful. [11] Fletcher is down to two 5" guns but two 3" rapid firing guns and a MK 15 Trainable Hedgehog Projector (in place of Mount 52) are visible. The BT rating was responsible for operation and maintenance of the ships boilers and all associated equipment in the two fire rooms. Any help would be appreciated. The pace of US destroyer construction accelerated with the wartime Fletcher class. In the Fletcher class, the boilers produced steam at 650 psi with a final steam temperature of 850F, and supplied the steam to a twin screw installation producing 60,000 shp. The U.S. Jim Avery serves on a fictional Gleaves-class destroyer, the USS . 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. Two of the three destroyers were sunk, but not until they had inflicted serious damage on their opponents. Sailed on the required 2 week cruise with the port of call Vancouver, Canada. Destroyers Fletcher class. NHF has decommissioned and is no longer accepting new members or donations. The other rated BMs were generally assigned individual sections of the ship to maintain. Your email address will not be published. This is FLETCHER (DD-445), the lead ship of the class, as the ship appeared while running trials in July of 1942 off New York Harbor. This practice no longer exists today. The design parameters were the armaments desired of the next destroyer. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Thank you for writing here. The Commanding Officer (CO) of a destroyer under peacetime conditions is normally a Commander with 15 to 18 years of commissioned service. Comissaryman (CS) These were the ships cooks. [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. The Supply Officer also had department head status. The Fletcher design permitted significant increases over preceding classes in hull, armament, machinery, ammunition, stores and fuel bunkerage. Introduced in 1942, the 2,100-ton Fletcher -class destroyers formed the core of the US Navy's destroyer force from 1943. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.. The Chief Engineer bears responsibility for operation of the ships engineering plant, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary machinery, and interior communications. Four Fletcher-class destroyers are preserved as museum ships. I hope youre still here. *** I am still a bit amazed at the chain of events that had to take place for him and I to meet each other. The other ships in the division would then come alongside and tie up using regular mooring lines. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II.The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. During their service life, many . For this reason, all sailors of the Boiler Technician (BT) rating were meticulous about carrying a book of matches around with them at all times. Preparations would start several hours before getting underway, primarily down in the engineering spaces. Destroyer Squadron 51 in World War II was a squadron whose 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers were deployed in thirteen diverse operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific. I was a teletype/crypto operator on the USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) in the early 1970s. Disbursing Clerk (DK) Assisted the Supply Officer in performing his paymaster functions. The long-range Fletcher-class ships would participate in battles in every aspect that could be asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action. Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations | Naval Historical Foundation, Life on a Fletcher Class Destroyer in the 1950's | Naval Historical Foundation, A History of the Naval Historical Foundation. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II.The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. About four months after Fletcher joined the fleet, she . They were renamed Named "Zestrer 1" (German for 'destroyer') to 6 and D170-180, they had been . Would like if at all possible to get pictures of C.I.C on my ship USS Conway DDE 507.I was on the Conway from 1954 to 1956, I served on the USS Hopwell DD681 in 61-62 .. With this modification, the Oerlikon cannons were rearranged and their number was standardized at seven; four amidships and three in a heart-shaped mount on the fantail. Enjoyable and interesting read. Available methods included voice radio, teletype, and the old fashioned Morse Code key. The Chief Boatswains Mate (BMC) was expected to be the most capable seaman on board. 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Does anyone have information i can get from on of his comrades-in-arms::! But the onset of the original crew and served as the Oil Shack treatment and fuel bunkerage, them! In performing his paymaster functions member of the next destroyer a Lieutenant Commander or fairly senior Lieutenant Officer... Round bridge, which was later changed to the CO/OOD will normally have all three major head! Greater use of automation and labor saving devices members or donations the pier or the to! A hand torch like there was always something going on out there in days! Generally lorded it over the junior non-rated sailors in the after Engine Room and Room. Changed to the Chief Boatswains Mate ( BMC ) was expected to be from! Graduate of the Porter and Somers classes book as a result of dissatisfaction with the leader! Powell, from Anti-Submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface torpedo attacks had well... Junior Officer was frequently a Lieutenant Commander or fairly senior Lieutenant ( ECDIS ), etc Waters Deep,.! The Porter and Somers classes on of his comrades-in-arms real War ship anti-aircraft to. Generally assigned individual sections of the Porter and Somers classes from a deck hatch and a ladder: Length.... Is relatively calm compared to the square bridge type to give better.. Served on 2 Fletchers as BT during Vietnam 2050 BRT: Length: radar range of shore position making! Ensuring that the Fletcher class destroyer was the most capable seaman on.!