Porter class destroyer

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USS Balch (DD-363)
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USS Balch (DD-363)

The Porter-class destroyers were a class of eight 1,850-ton destroyers in the United States Navy.

The first four ships were laid down in 1933 by New York Shipbuilding and the next four in 1934 at Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts. All were commissioned in 1936 except the Winslow, which was commissioned in 1937.

They were built in response to the large destroyers that the Japanese Navy was building at the time, and were initially intended to be leaders of destroyer flotillas. They were originally built with 8 5 inch (127 mm) guns in 4 twin mounts. This proved to be top heavy; so during the war, the number of 5 inch (127 mm) guns was reduced, and more smaller anti-aircraft guns were installed. In some ships, the number 2 mount was replaced by a quad 40 mm mount, and the number 3 mount by a single 5 in/38 (127/38 mm). Additional 40 mm guns were added amidships.

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Porter-class destroyer
Porter | Selfridge | McDougal | Winslow | Phelps | Clark | Moffett | Balch

List of destroyers of the United States Navy
List of destroyer classes of the United States Navy
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