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Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

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USS Lyman K. Swenson in 1955
Class overview
NameAllen M. Sumner class
Builders
Operators
Preceded byFletcher class
Succeeded byGearing class
Subclasses
Cost$8 million, excluding armament
In commission1943–75 (USN)
Planned70
Completed58
Cancelled12 (completed as Robert H. Smith class minelayers)
Lost4, plus 2 not repaired
PreservedUSS Laffey
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 2,200–2,220 tons standard
  • 3,515 tons full load
Length
  • 369 ft (112 m) waterline
  • 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m) overall
  • 376 ft (115 m) overall (DD 725–728 & 730–734)
Beam
  • 41 ft (12.5 m)
  • 40 ft (12 m) (DD 692–709)
  • 40 ft 9 in (12.42 m) (DD 744)
  • 41 ft 3 in (12.57 m) (DD 770–776)
Draft
  • 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m) normal
  • 19 ft (5.8 m) full load
  • 18 ft 9 in (5.72 m) full load (DD 735-40 & 749–751 & 771–773)
Propulsion4 Babcock & Wilcox or Foster Wheeler boilers; two General Electric or Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 60,000 shp (45 MW) total; two shafts
Speed34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range
  • 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
  • 503 tons oil fuel (except DD 692–709 500 tons, DD 735–740 515 tons)
Complement336–363
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers. The class was named for Allen Melancthon Sumner, an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Often referred to as simply the Sumner, this class was distinguished from the previous Fletcher class by their twin 5-inch/38 caliber gun mounts, dual rudders, additional anti-aircraft weapons, and many other advancements. The Allen M. Sumner design was extended 14 feet (4.3 m) amidships to become the Gearing class, which was produced in larger numbers but did not see significant service in World War II.

Completed in 1943–45, four Sumners were lost in the war and two were damaged so badly they were scrapped, but the surviving ships served in the US Navy into the 1970s. After being retired from the US fleet, 29 of them were sold to other navies, where they served many more years. One still exists as a museum ship in South Carolina.

Description

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World War II Destroyer Shipbuilders map from Department of Defense (DoD)

The first ship was laid down in May 1943, while the last was launched in April 1945. In that time, the United States produced 58 Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers. The Allen M. Sumner class was an improvement of the previous Fletcher class, which were built from 1941 until 1944. In addition to three twin 5-inch/38 caliber gun mounts replacing the Fletchers' five single mounts, the Sumners had twin rudders, giving them better maneuverability for ASW work when compared to the Fletchers. The 5-inch guns were guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System with a Mark 25 fire control radar linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer stabilized by a Mark 6 8,500 rpm gyro. This fire control system provided effective long-range anti-aircraft (AA) or anti-surface fire. The Allen M. Sumners also had larger set of short-range anti-aircraft armament than the Fletchers, with 12 40 mm guns and 11 20 mm guns compared with the 10 40 mm and 7 20 mm complement typical of a late-war standard Fletcher. The initial design retained the Fletchers' heavy torpedo armament of 10 21-inch (533 mm) tubes in two quintuple mounts, firing the Mark 15 torpedo. As the threat from kamikaze aircraft mounted in 1945, and with few remaining Japanese warships to use torpedoes on, most of the class had the aft quintuple 21-inch torpedo tube mount replaced by an additional 40 mm quadruple mount for 16 total 40 mm guns.[1][2]

The Allen M. Sumners achieved a 20% increase in 5-inch gun armament and almost a 50% increase in light AA armament on a hull the same length as a Fletcher, only 15 inches (38 cm) wider, and about 15 inches (38 cm) deeper in draft. The increase in standard displacement was only 150 tons, about 7.5%. Thus, the Allen M. Sumner class was a significant improvement in combat power at a small increase in cost.

See also the Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer (DM), twelve of which were built on hulls originally intended as Allen M. Sumners. The Gearing-class destroyers were of the same design, modified with a 14-foot (4.3 m) midship extension to carry more fuel to extend the ships' range.

Service

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The Allen M. Sumners served on radar picket stations in the Battle of Okinawa, as well as other duties, and had several losses. Cooper, Meredith, Mannert L. Abele, and Drexler were lost during the war, and Hugh W. Hadley was so badly damaged by a kamikaze attack that she was scrapped soon after the war ended. In addition, Frank E. Evans was split in half in a collision with the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, and never repaired. After the war most of the class (except some of the light minelayers) had their 40 mm and 20 mm guns replaced by up to six 3-inch/50 caliber guns (76 mm), and the pole mast was replaced by a tripod to carry a new, heavier radar. On most ships one depth charge rack was removed and two Hedgehog mounts added. One of the two quintuple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube mountings had already been removed on most to make way for a quadruple 40 mm gun mounting and additional radar for the radar picket mission. 33 ships were converted under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization II (FRAM II) program 1960–65, but not as extensively as the Gearings. Typically, FRAM Allen M. Sumners retained all three 5-inch/38 twin mounts and received the Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes for the Mark 44 torpedo, and two new single 21-inch torpedo tubes for the Mark 37 torpedo, with all 3-inch and lighter guns, previous ASW armament, and 21-inch torpedo tubes being removed. Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) was also fitted; however, ASROC was not fitted.[3] Ships that did not receive FRAM were typically upgraded with Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes in exchange for the K-guns, but retained Hedgehog and one depth charge rack.[2]

In Navy slang, the modified destroyers were called "FRAM cans", "can" being a contraction of "tin can", the slang term for a destroyer or destroyer escort.

Many Allen M. Sumners provided significant gunfire support in the Vietnam War. They also served as escorts for Carrier Battle Groups (Carrier Strike Groups from 2004) and Amphibious Ready Groups (Expeditionary Strike Groups from 2006). From 1965, some of the class were transferred to the Naval Reserve Force (NRF), with a partial active crew to train Naval reservists.

Disposition

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USS De Haven c.1970 fitted with FRAM II modifications.

The ships served in the US Navy into the 1970s. DASH was withdrawn from anti-submarine warfare (ASW) service in 1969 due to poor reliability.[4] Lacking ASROC, the Allen M. Sumners were left without a standoff ASW capability, and were decommissioned 1970–73, with most being transferred to foreign navies. The FRAM Sumners were effectively replaced as ASW ships by the Knox-class frigates (destroyer escorts prior to 1975), which were commissioned 1969–74 and carried a piloted helicopter, typically the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, and ASROC. After the Allen M. Sumners were retired from the US fleet, seven were sunk by the US in fleet training exercises and 13 were scrapped, while 29 were sold to other navies (two for spare parts), where they served for many more years. Twelve were sold to the Republic of China Navy and two were sold to the Republic of Korea Navy. two were sold to the Iran and one was sold to Turkey. One was sold to Greece.two were sold to Venezuela, two to Colombia, two sold to Chile, five sold to Brazil and four to Argentina.

Currently, only USS Laffey (DD-724), located at Patriots Point, Charleston, South Carolina, remains, as a museum ship.

Other navies

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Argentina

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Main article: Seguí-class destroyer

The Argentine Navy acquired four Sumners as a more capable adjunct to their previously acquired Fletcher class destroyers. While one was merely to provide spare parts to keep the rest of the fleet serviceable, the other three would go on and serve through the Falklands War, in which they would take a minor role. Soon after the conflict, they were stricken and disposed of.

Pennant Ship name Former name Acquired Fate
D-25 ARA Segui USS Hank 1 July 1972 Scrapped in 1983
D-26 ARA Hipólito Bouchard USS Borie 1 July 1972 Scrapped in 1984
D-29 ARA Piedrabuena USS Collett 4 June 1974 Sunk as a target in 1988
— — USS Mansfield 4 June 1974 Not commissioned; cannibalized for spare parts

Ships in class

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Ships of the Allen M. Sumner destroyer class
Name Hull no. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate Ref
USS Allen M. Sumner DD-692 Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company 7 July 1943 15 December 1943 26 January 1944 15 August 1973 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping

externalities

[1] [2]
USS Moale DD-693 5 August 1943 16 January 1944 28 February 1944 2 July 1973 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping [3] [4]
USS Ingraham DD-694 4 August 1943 16 January 1944 10 March 1944 15 June 1971 Sold to Greece 16 July 1971 as Miaoulis [5]
USS Cooper DD-695 30 August 1943 9 February 1944 27 March 1944 — Torpedoed and sunk by destroyer Take while intercepting a Japanese convoy into Ormoc Bay 3 December 1944 [6]
USS English DD-696 19 October 1943 27 February 1944 4 May 1944 15 May 1970 Sold to Republic of China Navy 11 August 1970 as Huei Yang [7]
USS Charles S. Sperry DD-697 19 October 1943 13 March 1944 17 May 1944 15 December 1973 Sold to Chile 8 January 1974 as Ministro Zenteno [8]
USS Ault DD-698 15 November 1943 26 March 1944 31 May 1944 16 July 1973 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping [9] [10]
USS Waldron DD-699 16 November 1943 26 March 1944 7 June 1944 17 May 1950 Sold to Colombia 30 October 1973 as Santander (DD-03) [11] [12]
20 November 1950 30 October 1973
USS Haynsworth DD-700 16 December 1943 15 April 1944 22 June 1944 30 January 1970 Sold to Republic of China Navy 12 May 1970 as Yuen Yang [13]
22 September 1950 19 May 1950
USS John W. Weeks DD-701 17 January 1944 21 May 1944 21 July 1944 31 May 1950 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 19 November 1970 [14] [15]
24 October 1950 12 August 1970
USS Hank DD-702 17 January 1944 21 May 1944 28 August 1944 1 July 1972 Sold to Argentina 1 July 1972 as Segui [16] [17]
USS Wallace L. Lind DD-703 14 February 1944 14 June 1944 8 September 1944 4 December 1973 Sold to Republic of Korea Navy 4 December 1973 as Dae Gu [18] [19]
USS Borie DD-704 29 February 1944 4 July 1944 21 September 1944 1 July 1972 Sold to Argentina 1 July 1972 as Hipólito Bouchard (D-26) [20]
USS Compton DD-705 28 March 1944 17 September 1944 4 November 1944 17 September 1972 Sold to Brazil 27 September 1972 as Mato Grosso [21]
USS Gainard DD-706 29 March 1944 17 September 1944 23 November 1944 26 February 1971 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping [22]
USS Soley DD-707 18 April 1944 8 September 1944 7 December 1944 13 February 1970 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise [23]
USS Harlan R. Dickson DD-708 23 May 1944 17 December 1944 17 February 1945 1 July 1972 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 4 January 1973 [24] [25]
USS Hugh Purvis DD-709 23 May 1944 17 December 1944 1 March 1945 15 June 1972 Sold to Turkey 1 July 1972 as Zafer (F 253) [26] [27]
USS Barton DD-722 Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine 24 May 1943 10 October 1943 30 December 1943 22 January 1947 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise. [28]
11 April 1949 30 September 1968
USS Walke DD-723 7 June 1943 27 October 1943 21 January 1944 30 May 1947 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 3 January 1975 [29] [30]
5 October 1950 30 November 1970
USS Laffey DD-724 28 June 1943 21 November 1943 8 February 1944 30 June 1947 Preserved as memorial and berthed at Patriot's Point, Charleston, South Carolina [31] [32]
26 January 1951 9 March 1975
USS O'Brien DD-725 12 July 1943 8 December 1943 25 February 1944 4 October 1947 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 12 January 1972 [33] [34]
5 October 1950 18 February 1972
USS Meredith DD-726 26 July 1943 21 December 1943 14 March 1944 — Sunk 9 June 1944, Wreck sold and scrapped 5 August 1960 [35]
USS De Haven DD-727 9 August 1943 9 January 1944 31 March 1944 3 December 1973 Sold to Republic of Korea Navy, 5 December 1973 as Incheon [36] [37]
USS Mansfield DD-728 28 August 1943 29 January 1944 14 April 1944 4 February 1971 Sold to Argentina 4 June 1974 for spare parts [38] [39]
USS Lyman K. Swenson DD-729 11 September 1943 12 February 1944 2 May 1944 12 February 1971 Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts [40] [41]
USS Collett DD-730 11 October 1943 5 March 1944 16 May 1944 18 December 1970 Sold to Argentina in 1974 as Piedra Buena (D-29) [42] [43]
USS Maddox DD-731 28 October 1943 19 March 1944 2 June 1944 2 July 1972 Sold to Republic of China Navy as Po Yang [44] [45]
USS Hyman DD-732 22 November 1943 8 April 1944 16 June 1944 16 November 1969 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping [46]
USS Mannert L. Abele DD-733 9 December 1943 23 April 1944 4 July 1944 — Sunk by an Ohka bomb during the battle for Okinawa 12 April 1945 [47]
USS Purdy DD-734 22 December 1943 7 May 1944 18 July 1944 2 July 1973 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974 [48]
USS Drexler DD-741 24 April 1944 3 September 1944 14 November 1944 — Sunk by kamikaze 28 May 1945 [49]
USS Blue DD-744 Bethlehem Staten Island, Staten Island, New York 30 June 1943 28 November 1943 20 March 1944 14 February 1947 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 28 April 1977 [50] [51]
14 May 1949 12 December 1949
15 September 1950 27 January 1971
USS Brush DD-745 30 July 1943 28 December 1943 17 April 1944 27 October 1969 Sold to Republic of China Navy 9 December 1969 as Hsiang Yang [52]
USS Taussig DD-746 30 August 1943 25 January 1944 20 May 1944 1 December 1970 Sold to Republic of China Navy as second Lo Yang (DDG-914). Sold as scrap in 2013. [53] [54]
USS Samuel N. Moore DD-747 30 September 1943 23 February 1944 24 June 1944 24 October 1969 Sold to Republic of China Navy 10 December 1969 as Heng Yang (DD-2) [55]
USS Harry E. Hubbard DD-748 30 October 1943 24 March 1944 22 July 1944 15 January 1947 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping [56]
14 May 1949 12 December 1949
27 October 1950 17 October 1969
USS Alfred A. Cunningham DD-752 23 February 1944 3 August 1944 23 November 1944 August 1949 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 10 January 1979 [57] [58]
5 October 1950 24 February 1971
USS John R. Pierce DD-753 24 March 1944 1 September 1944 30 December 1944 1 May 1947 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 10 January 1974 [59] [60]
11 April 1949 2 July 1973
USS Frank E. Evans DD-754 21 April 1944 3 October 1944 3 February 1945 11 May 1949 Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 10 October 1969 [61] [62]
15 September 1950 1 July 1969
USS John A. Bole DD-755 20 May 1944 1 November 1944 3 March 1945 6 November 1970 Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts [63] [64]
USS Beatty DD-756 4 July 1944 30 November 1944 31 March 1945 14 July 1972 Sold to Venezuela 14 July 1972 as Carabobo [65]
USS Putnam DD-757 Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California 11 July 1943 26 March 1944 12 October 1944 6 January 1950 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974 [66] [67]
October 1950 6 August 1973
USS Strong DD-758 25 July 1943 23 April 1944 8 March 1945 9 May 1947 Sold to Brazil, 31 October 1973, as Rio Grande do Norte (D-37) [68] [69]
14 May 1949 31 October 1973
USS Lofberg DD-759 4 November 1943 12 August 1944 26 April 1945 15 January 1971 Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts [70] [71]
USS John W. Thomason DD-760 21 November 1943 30 September 1944 11 October 1945 8 December 1970 Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 as Nan Yang [72] [73]
USS Buck DD-761 1 February 1944 11 March 1945 28 June 1946 15 July 1973 Sold to Brazil 16 July 1973 as Alagoas [74] [75]
USS Henley DD-762 8 February 1944 8 April 1945 8 October 1946 1 March 1950 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974 [76] [77]
23 September 1950 1 July 1973
USS Lowry DD-770 Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California, Terminal Island 1 August 1943 6 February 1944 23 July 1944 30 June 1947 Sold to Brazil 31 October 1973 as Espirito Santo [78] [79]
27 December 1950 29 October 1973
USS Hugh W. Hadley DD-774 6 February 1944 16 July 1944 25 November 1944 15 December 1945 Sold 2 September 1947 for scrap [80]
USS Willard Keith DD-775 5 March 1944 29 August 1944 27 December 1944 20 June 1947 Sold to Colombia as Caldas (DD-02) [81]
23 October 1950 1 July 1972
USS James C. Owens DD-776 9 April 1944 1 October 1944 17 February 1945 3 April 1950 Sold to Brazil 15 July 1973 as Sergipe [82] [83]
20 September 1950 15 July 1973
USS Zellars DD-777 Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington 24 December 1943 19 July 1944 25 October 1944 19 March 1971 Sold to Iran 12 October 1973 as Babr [84]
USS Massey DD-778 14 January 1944 12 September 1944 24 November 1944 17 September 1973 Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 10 January 1974 [85] [86]
USS Douglas H. Fox DD-779 31 January 1944 30 September 1944 26 December 1944 21 April 1950 Sold to Chile 8 January 1974 Ministro Portales (DD-17) [87] [88]
15 November 1950 15 December 1973
USS Stormes DD-780 15 February 1944 4 November 1944 27 January 1945 5 December 1970 Sold to Iran 16 February 1972 Palang (DDG-9) [89]
USS Robert K. Huntington DD-781 29 February 1944 5 December 1944 3 March 1945 31 October 1973 Sold to Venezuela as Falcon [90] [91]
USS Bristol DD-857 Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California, Terminal Island 5 May 1944 29 October 1944 17 March 1945 21 November 1969 Sold to Republic of China Navy 9 December 1969 Hua Yang [92]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ ."The Sumner Class As Built Archived 22 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 August 2009."
  2. ^ a b Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 129–131. ISBN 1-55750-442-3..
  3. ^ "Special Feature – FRAM". www.navsource.org.
  4. ^ Friedman, p. 283
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