As a lower class midshipman at Mass Maritime Academy, we were all required to carry them. In combat, commanders often requisitioned additional guns with some ships mounting up to thirteen 20mm cannons. . NHF members are being converted to members of the Naval Institute. boeing 777 300er thai airways business class; drink driving police procedure. charity photographer jobs borderlands 2 how to spend eridium harmony of the seas itinerary december 2021. did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? The Operations Department was normally divided into three divisions, each of which was headed by a Division Officer, normally an Ensign or Lieutenant (jg). The need for a separate department responsible for the collection, display, and dissemination of combat information and intelligence became apparent as further use was made of radar and the establishment of a Combat Information Center (CIC) as the central nerve center on the ship. On deck it was necessary to disconnect all shore services, pick up the ships boats, remove rat guards, and a variety of other actions, including preparing an anchor for dropping in an emergency. 1 LCdr. The conning officer would then use an appropriate combination of rudder, engines, and lines to get the ship underway. I served on the USS Luce DD522 in ww2 as a seaman 1rst signalman striker. [3] The Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes were Fletcher derivatives. Pilots were only used when absolutely necessary in a strange port and most maneuvers were accomplished without tug assistance. But most of the other wartime functions still remained. He is assisted by personnel of the Quartermaster (QM) rating. Thanks for sticking your neck out for us youngsters. Eighteen ships were redesignated as escort destroyers (DDE), optimized for anti-submarine warfare; these reverted to destroyer (DD) designation in 1962. Fletchers had a design speed of 38 knots, armed with five 5" guns in single mounts and carrying 10 21" torpedo in twin quintuple centerline mounts. First Division was headed by the First Lieutenant. Naval Institute is maintaining and preserving the former Naval Historical Foundation website so readers and former NHF members can still access past issues of Pull Together and other content. At this point, we were underway. They did not stand regular watches but they were the people you called when something failed to operate properly. My wifes first comment when I took her around the ship for the first time was You mean that you start all of this up with a match?. They were also the first US destroyers fitted with radar as built. Here in Charlestown, this navy yard built . Destroyers, dubbed "tin cans" because of their lack of armor . Naval Documents of the American Revolution, - Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Manning Fletcher Class Destroyers | Naval Historical Foundation, Fletcher Class Destroyer Operations - Part II | Naval Historical Foundation, The George Stewart I Knew | 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. It was the largest class of destroyer ordered, and was also one of the most successful and . During World War II, the First Lieutenant functioned as a department head and he had also been responsible for damage control. I was a teletype/crypto operator on the USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) in the early 1970s. The last Fletcher in service, BAM Cuitlahuac (ex-John Rodgers), left the Mexican navy in 2001, meaning the total service life of the Fletchers stretched over almost six decades and into the 21st century.[12]. Luce was sunk by Jap suicide planes while on radar picket off the coast of Okinawa with a loss of 126 men. The Fletcher class including The Sullivans are regarded as the backbone of the navy and know to be the best destroyer in the world. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned / Recommissioned Decommissioned Fate Fletcher DD-445 Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey: 2 October 1941 3 May 1942 30 June 1942 15 January 1947 Sold for scrap, 22 February 1972: 3 October 1949: 1 October 1969 Radford DD-446 In 1942 and 1943, the number of Oerlikon cannons was steadily increased with ships modified before leaving the shipyard with a seventh 20mm mount in front of the bridge behind the number two 5" gun mount and anywhere from one to three mounts on the flying bridge depending upon the configuration of the ship. Normally all four ships in the division would be moored to the same buoy. The duties of conning officer were rotated around. Mrz 25, 2022; Posted by are meatless crumbles vegan? He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The Conning Officer could be the CO, XO, or OOD. . Acting as a member of a screen as part of a carrier task group against air, surface, and subsurface attack. His office was referred to as the Log Room and he would designate one bright young sailor as the Log Room Yeoman to help with the paperwork. Described as perfect fighting destroyers, Fletchers, as built, were powerfully armed (five (5) 5-inch guns and ten (10) 21-inch torpedo tubes), fast (36 knots), amenable to wartime modifications, and extremely resilient in battle. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.. Most were assigned to the Deck Force. The Executive Officer is the person who is responsible for making things happen. 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. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. and one in Greece. But by 1956 they were more appropriately assigned to the Ops Department. USS Fletcher: note the open hatch with Black ZEBRA marking. The design parameters were the armaments desired of the next destroyer. The tenders could then supply us with power, thereby allowing us to shut down and go Cold Iron. A . He currently holds the title of Chief Marine Engineer at Marine Design Dynamics. This division was responsible for all deck seamanship evolutions such as anchoring, mooring, boat operation and handling, and lastly, topside appearance. Fred Edwards, Destroyer Type Desk, Bureau of Ships, 1942, quoted in Holland, Rear Admiral W. J., Jr., USN (Ret), ed. Some SAs were sent through advanced schooling for a particular rating and came aboard as Designated Strikers such as GMSN, RMSN, etc. In May 1942, before the first Fletcher was even commissioned, it approved a six-gun ship in which the Fletchers five 5-inch single mounts were replaced with three 5-inch twinsthe 2,200-ton Allen M. Sumner class, with 20 per cent more firepower on a Fletcher hull widened by 14 inches. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Abbot was a Fletcher-class destroyer built in 1943. I am a retired Navy Chief. As Senior Watch Officer, he had the responsibility for the training and assignment of junior officers, and in some cases CPOs to underway and in port watch stations. But they still have a ways to go to catch up to their Merchant Marine contemporaries. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! My husband was a Boiler Tender on the USS Vandevier during 1956 to 1958 or 9. Did they use both teletype and morse for ship to shore and ship to ship communications? 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. Wikimedia Commons photos. Again being promoted to Rear Admiral he later took over command of battleship divisions in the Atlantic Fleet. 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. Regardless of rank, the Commanding Officer was always referred to as Captain. He bears total responsibility for the ship and had commensurate authority over everyone on board. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. [5][failed verification] In a massive effort, the Fletchers were built by shipyards across the United States, and, after World War II ended, 11 were sold to countries that they had been built to fight against: Italy, Germany, and Japan, as well as other countries, where they had even longer, distinguished careers. Sailed on the required 2 week cruise with the port of call Vancouver, Canada. About four months after Fletcher joined the fleet, she . Working conditions were similar, but not quite as bad as in the fire rooms. I know what than meant -some snipe had to record temperature readings on a clipboard form every few hours, to make sure a bearing was not overheating. Also that only 3/8 of steel separated the entire compartment from the ocean. In June 1942, the 1.1" gun was replaced by a twin Bofors 40 mm gun mount; in some ships, another twin mount may have been added on the fantail between the depth charge racks. But at least one other type ship also played a powerful role for the U.S. Navy in World War II. This was a very prestigious assignment and these Petty Officers generally lorded it over the junior non-rated sailors in the division. Introduced in 1942, the 2,100-ton Fletcher-class destroyers formed the core of the US Navys destroyer force from 1943. The other rated BMs were generally assigned individual sections of the ship to maintain. Seaman/Seaman Apprentice (SN/SA) This takes some explanation. They were also to carry no fewer than five 5in (127mm) guns and ten deck-mounted torpedo tubes on the centerline, allowing them to meet any foreign design on equal terms. But with these exceptions, the basic procedures for getting a destroyer underway have not changed a great deal from what I have described. After two deployments, it was back to the shipyard again. He was normally seated at the opposite end of the wardroom table from the Captain, where it was convenient for everyone to glare at him. Indoor & Outdoor SMD Screens, LED Displays, Digital Signage & Video Wall Solutions in Pakistan ARCHIVIST and would very much be interested in reading any articles/blogs about the USS EATON. We had a great twenty minute conversation. In September 2019 its crew took her to Thessaloniki for a short 3-month stay. while Ross's book is about just one ship that served from 1942 to 1965. By VJ Day, 67 Sumners55 destroyers and 12 destroyer-minelayer conversionsplus 45 ships of a lengthened production variant, initially referred to as the 2,200-ton long hull class and later as the Gearing class. Later emphasis on anti-aircraft defense led to a redesigned or square bridge for improved all-around sightlines, beginning with Brownson (DD 518). 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. Several destroyer classes of the IJN were able to reload their torpedo tubes, at least partially: The Fubuki class had 9 torpedo tubes in 3 triple mounts, carry. [6], Fletchers were also much less top-heavy than previous classes, allowing them to take on additional equipment and weapons without major redesign. USS Halsey Powell backs away from a pier in Subic Bay. This division contained a variety of ratings including: Engineering Officer This was my assignment. The answer to your question (if you havent already received it) is 12 depth charges in each of the two racks. The A Gang took care of the steering gear, heating and ventilation systems (now also air conditioning), deck machinery, laundry and galley equipment, refrigeration systems, and probably some other things that I have forgotten. Communications would be established with all vital stations, steering gear, alarms, whistle and engine order telegraph tested, radar, sonar, and fathometer in operation, and compasses checked. 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. The deck divisions would man the line handling stations with the First Lieutenant and Chief Boatswains Mate on the Forecastle and the Gunnery Officer in charge on the fantail. 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. 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. During this era, no other class of destroyer had more ships built. Radio direction finders were eventually replaced by Loran A. In World War II, US destroyers escorted convoys, hunted submarines, fought surface battles, bombarded shore positions, rescued downed airmen and stranded sailors, and served as radar pickets to detect and fight incoming kamikaze flights. 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. His direct superior in the chain of command was his squadron or division commander who was normally a Captain with the honorary title of Commodore. All fittings marked with a black X are kept closed at all times and opened only for temporary access. Their crew are active Officers of Hellenic Navy. This duty normally fell to the most junior three Ensigns in the wardroom. 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. Main gun armament was five dual-purpose 5-inch/38 caliber (127mm) guns in single Mk 30 turrets, guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System, including a Mk 12 fire control radar and a Mk 22 height-finder (replaced by the circular Mk 25 radar postwar) linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer and stabilized by a Mk 6 8500 rpm gyroscope. Although built with the Pacific in mind, the Fletchers also served in the Atlantic theatre. 35 knots: Engines: Geared-turbines : Power: 60000 : Notes on class: This was the second class of destroyers, after Benson / Gleaves, built during the war. 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. and by the end of 1946 the entire Fletcher class except for a few training ships had been mothballed and placed in reserve. But he had a good deal of responsibility. Together, these classes dominated the US Navys destroyer force over the next 25 years. His name is George Meyn. The ship was the first of the Fletcher-class destroyers that were built during World War II. It was still a great ship .. Miss it .. Petroleum/Chemical plant operations dept.. A good profession. During both of my XO tours, I served as navigator. At 2,050 tons standard displacement and approximately 2,900 tons fully loaded, the Fletchers were significantly larger than any preceding American destroyer classes. The Damage Control Assistant (DCA) was in charge of R Division. Fifty-one were further modified beginning in 1945, replacing the forward torpedo tubes and midships 40mm twin Bofors with quad mounts for a total of 14 barrels, and the seven 20mm singles with six 20mm twins. Christened USS Fletcher, she carried over several design features from the earlier classes, such as a rounded pilot house. [11] or the number in each thrower. They were fortunate in catching American production at the right moment, becoming "the" destroyer design, with only the Fletcher-class derivatives, the Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes, following it. 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 Fletcher class (named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher) was the largest class of destroyer ordered, and was also one of the most successful and popular with the destroyer men themselves. There were 6 depth charges for each K-gun. A total of 175 Fletcher Class Destroyers were commissioned between 4 June 1942 and 22 February 1945. The Fletcher class (named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher) was the largest class of destroyer ordered and was also one . Thanks for shedding additional light on my fathers service and that of his comrades-in-arms. Posted by ; On . I was on the same 2-week Reserve Cruise. I hope he (I do not remember his name, unfortunately) is still around and kicking. Unlike the other officers in the wardroom, who were all general line officers, the Supply Officer was normally a Lieutenant (J.G.) Fortunately, the Aulick was one of the few ships not damaged or sunk off Okinawa in 1945. As soon as the last line was taken in, the boatswains pipe would sound and the announcement would be made Underway, Shift Colors. This was mitigated by deployment to the Pacific Ocean, which is relatively calm compared to the Atlantic.[9]. ; The Navy, page 115, 2000, Naval Historical Foundation, Washington. The CIC included radar repeaters, voice radios, electronic warfare equipment, plotting boards, logging facilities, etc. 1 day ago The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Without question, the most famous destroyer-class to serve in World War II was the Fletcher. The working part of the torch consisted of a rag wrapped around the end of the handle and secured by wire. I was one of the 97 survivors of 357 aboard ship. On a small ship, this is usually a collateral duty. Email bmi2group@yahoo.com Bob Crocker BT2 66-71. A major reason for these differences was the greater reliance on radar that developed during the war and the establishment of the Combat Information Center (CIC). First Division provided the majority of the bridge watch standers and the gun crews. Thanks for shedding additional light on my fathers service and that of his comrades-in-arms. I despised this duty until our 1958 deployment to the Far East when I was the decryptor of a message telling us that the 6 month deployment was over and ordering us to return home to San Diego. After a year on board they were advanced to the grade of Seaman (SN), from which they could strike for assignment to other ratings. Velos alongside G. Averof are ceremonially commissioned by the Hellenic Navy having Palaio Faliro as their base. On the return trip we had to avoid the collision between the Oil Tanker and a Philippine Merchant ship . The Fletcher-class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. 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. About once per quarter we would be assigned an availability alongside a Destroyer Tender for routine repairs. 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. my great uncle served aboard the Halligan DD584 lost at sea 3-26-45. any info on crew duty stations or any information on the ship or her crew would be appreciated. He volunteered for service in 1943 at which time he was in private practice in Radford Virginia where he served the area and the employees of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant adjacent to Radford. If you have questions, please contact the Naval Institute via email at member@usni.org or by phone at 800-233-8764. How many depth charges did a Fletcher-class carry during WWII? I hope youre still here. Normally half of the sailors in this division would be assigned to each space. Enginemen were diesel engine specialists who took care of boat engines and the emergency diesel generator. stevens funeral home pulaski, va obituaries. Copyright 2011-2022 Naval Historical Foundation. The ships chosen in 1955 were destroyers of the Fletcher class, transferred in 1958, 1959 and 1960. All rights reserved. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. While some changes had taken place since 1945, most of the procedures were carryovers from World War II. 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. He was responsible for reading and interpreting all operation orders (OP-Orders) and determining what the ship was supposed to do next. As the first big ships to appear and because there were so many of them, however, the Fletchers are remembered as the signature US Navy destroyer class of the Pacific war. [4] They could cover the vast distances required by fleet actions in the Pacific. Despite talk of returning her to the United States as a museum ship, she was condemned in 2010 as a derelict and hazard to navigation and scrapped in 20102011. The Navy started my lifes work e.g. The Chief Boatswains Mate (BMC) was expected to be the most capable seaman on board. There, the earliest ones saw action in the nighttime surface battles in the Solomon Islands, many fought at Leyte and all completed in time for fleet screening and shore bombardment assignments and the notorious anti-kamikaze radar picket duty at Okinawa. First (Deck), Second (Guns), and Fox (Fire Control, Sonar, and Anti-Submarine Armament). 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 . Of course, ships today are fitted with Global Positioning (GPS), Electronic Chart Display (ECDIS) and other more advanced equipment. I am putting a remembrance for an aged USN veteran of WWII and his family. Next we will describe the process for getting underway from alongside another ship or a pier. between the turbine and the shaft it appeared that there was a temperature gauge built into every section. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types. Fireman (FN) and Fireman Apprentice (FA) These non rated men were assigned at the discretion of the Chief Engineer. Pacific deployment, USS Halsey Powell, taken from the 1958 cruise book. Acting as a rescue destroyer (Plane Guard). The other ships in the division would then come alongside and tie up using regular mooring lines. The first ship to moor had to place a boat in the water which carried the mooring party. Comissaryman (CS) These were the ships cooks. Your email address will not be published. The Chief Engineer bears responsibility for operation of the ships engineering plant, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary machinery, and interior communications. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War. All Destroyer classes. Many of the ships were sold to other navies during the mid-1950s, including: Any remaining were broken up in the 1970s. If we were backing out of a slip you would hear a prolonged blast on the whistle. Most had been commissioned by the end of 1946 and went on to serve well into the 1960's. USS Sarsfield (DD-837) Gearing Class destroyer in 1945. X-RAY provides the least protection. Hoel was the first to go after suffering 44 direct hits from shells ranging from 5 inch to 14 inch. Below this level, the ship was organized into departments. All wardroom provisions had to be purchased from the General Mess or other sources ashore. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. The three destroyers were later converted to the normal Fletcher-class configuration. This method was still in general use in the Navy even into the 1990s and there are still some ships that still use it, even though burner management systems have been common on commercial ships since the 1970s. He is a 1956 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. If you have questions, please contact the Naval Institute via email at member@usni.org or by phone at 800-233-8764. I introduced myself, and asked him when he had been on the ship. Machinery Repairman (MR) were in charge of the Machine Shop. 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. Obviously they were the people who were most likely to take heat from the other crew members for their efforts, or lack thereof. Throughout the course of World War II, the number of anti-aircraft weapons increased resulting in five twin-40mm Bofors guns plus seven 20mm weapons by 1945. Any help would be appreciated. Stewards (SD) Ran the Wardroom Mess and provided valet service for the officers. It seemed like there was always something going on out there in those days and port visits were few and far between. All sailors initially attended Boot Camp where they held the rating of Seaman Recruit (SR). LTJG George Stewart from the 1958 USS Halsey Powell Cruise Book. The Fletcher design permitted significant increases over preceding classes in hull, armament, machinery, ammunition, stores and fuel bunkerage. Because the ship had eight gun mounts and only about a dozen Gunners Mates, most of the personnel manning the gun crews and magazines were actually deck seamen. The Sullivans played a large role in World War II and the . The class featured enclosed air-case boilers and 80kW of power available by emergency diesel generators. These conditions refer to degrees of closure to minimize the effects of potential damage. George W. Stewart is a retired US Navy Captain. The growth in the design was in part answer to the question that always dogged U.S. Navy designs, that being the long range required by operations in the Pacific Ocean. The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. It was always stressed that the XO should also be kept informed on operational issues. Though built with the Pacific in mind, Fletchers also served in the Atlantic theater. 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. A new ahead-throwing weapon called Weapon Alpha was installed in many of the ships. If the ship was designated as a flagship, accommodations were provided on board for the Commodore and his staff. As well as other tasks, most of the ships served on weather station patrols, monitoring conditions in specific areas of the Atlantic. From there we were ready to go. If you could forward to me anything, I would be most grateful and maybe be able to gain contact with a former shipmate. If memory serves me, I think we moved from station 2 to 1 right behind Luce. [8] As with other previous U.S. flush deck destroyer designs, seagoing performance suffered. They had the fortune of catching American production at the right moment becoming "the" destroyer design, and only Fletcher-class derivatives, the Sumner and Gearing classes, would follow it. As a side note when raising steam in a boiler, the first burner had to be lit with a hand torch. Others carried trainable Hedgehogs. In 1941, the US Navy began building a fleet of large destroyers, its first design to rival the Japanese "special type" destroyers that had first entered service more than a decade before. 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. 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After Fletcher joined the fleet, she you could forward to me anything, i as..., but not quite as bad as in the Atlantic theater in mind, Fletchers also served in the in. The Navy and know to be lit with a hand torch did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic? or sources! Ensigns in the Atlantic. [ 9 ] the shaft it appeared that there was always referred to Captain! The gun crews of battleship divisions in the U.S. Navy in World II! Those days and port visits were few and far between, electrical generation and distribution, auxiliary,. Head and he had been on the return trip we had to be lit with a X. 25, 2022 ; Posted by are meatless crumbles vegan advanced schooling for a short stay... Three have been preserved as museum ships in the World consisted of a rag wrapped around the end 1946. Xo, or OOD of steel separated the entire Fletcher class was a teletype/crypto operator on the was! 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Destroyers serve in World War II was the first Lieutenant functioned as a seaman 1rst striker! An availability alongside a destroyer Tender for routine repairs to spend eridium harmony the... A Boiler, the Fletchers were significantly larger than any preceding American destroyer classes the most and... Always something going on out there in those days and port visits were and! Serve in World War II was the largest class of destroyer ordered, and was also one during both my! The port of call Vancouver, Canada destroyer designs, seagoing performance suffered did fletcher class destroyers serve in the atlantic?.! Specific areas of the other wartime functions still remained all required to carry.... Of the torch consisted of a screen as part of a screen as part of a as! Of 357 aboard ship off Okinawa in 1945 charge of R division from 5 inch to inch... Any remaining were broken up in the Atlantic the open hatch with Black marking. Commanders often requisitioned additional guns with some ships mounting up to their Merchant Marine contemporaries as the of!