Clemson class destroyer

The Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II.

The Clemson-class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, New York Shipbuilding Corporation, William Cramp and Sons, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Bath Iron Works, some quite rapidly. The Clemson class was a minor redesign of the Wickes class, and was the last pre-World War II class of flush-decker destroyers to be built for the United States. Until the Fletcher-class destroyer, the Clemsons were the most numerous class of destroyers commissioned in the United States Navy, and were known colloquially as "four-stackers" or "four-pipers."

Design evolution

As finally built, the Clemson class would be a fairly straight forward expansion of the Wickes-class destroyers. While the Wickes class had given good service there was a desire to build a class more tailored towards the anti-submarine role, and as such several design studies were completed mainly about designing the class with better range. These designs included a reduction in speed to between 26 and 28 knots, freeing up displacement for depth charges and more fuel.^[2]

Upgrading the gun armament from 4" to a 5" system was also considered. In addition the tapered stern of the Wickes-class destroyers resulted in a large turning radius and a correction to this defect was also sought. In the end the General Board decided the 35 knot speed be retained so as to allow the Clemson class to be used as a fleet escort. The pressing need for destroyers overruled any change that would slow production compared to the proceeding Wickes class. Wing tanks for fuel oil were installed on either side of the ships to increase the operational range.^[3] This design choice meant the fuel oil would be stored above the waterline and create additional vulnerability, but the Navy felt a 4900nm range was worth the risk.^[4] Additional improvements included provisions for 5" guns to be installed at a later date, an enlarged rudder to help reduce the turn radius, and an additional pair of 3" anti-aircraft guns on the deck-house.^[5]

In operation

As with the preceding class, the Class Type found that the tapered stern, which made for a nice depth charge deployment feature, dug into the water and increased the turning radius.^[6][7] While the increased rudder size helped, the answer would be in a redesigned stern. They were reported to be prone to heavy rolling in light loaded conditions.^[8] The flush deck gave the hull great strength but this also made the deck very wet.^[9][10]

History

Fourteen ships of the class were involved in the Honda Point Disaster in 1923, of which seven were lost.

Most never saw wartime service, as many were decommissioned in 1930 and scrapped as part of the London Naval Treaty. In 1936 only some 169 of the flush deck destroyers would be left, four of them Caldwell class and the rest of them Wickes and Clemson class.^[11]

Nineteen were transferred to the Royal Navy in 1940 as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement where they became part of the Town class. Others were upgraded or converted to highspeed transports or seaplane tenders and served through World War II.

Most ships remaining in service during World War II were rearmed with dual-purpose 3"/50 caliber guns to provide better anti-aircraft protection.^[12] The AVD seaplane tender conversions received 2 guns; the APD transport, DM minelayer, and DMS minesweeper conversions received 3 guns, and those retaining destroyer classification received 6.^[13] Their original low-angle 4"/50 caliber guns (Mark 9) were transferred to Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships for anti-submarine protection.^[14] For the ships converted to minesweepers, the twelve 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes were replaced by minesweeping gear.^[15]

USS Stewart (DD-224) was scuttled at Soerabaja on March 2, 1942, following the surrender of the Dutch East Indies to the Japanese. She was raised, repaired and recomissioned as a patrol boat by the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was recaptured by the US Navy following the end of World War II. In addition, 17 Clemson-class destroyers were lost during the war.

See also

List of Clemson-class destroyers

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Thomas, Donald I., CAPT USN "Recommissioning Destroyers, 1939 Style" United States Naval Institute Proceedings September 1979 p.71
2. ^ Friedman, p.42-44
3. ^ Friedman, p.44
4. ^ Friedman, p.44
5. ^ Friedman, p.44-45
6. ^ Friedman, p.46
7. ^ http://www.destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html
8. ^ Friedman, p.45
9. ^ Friedman, p.46
10. ^ http://www.destroyerhistory.org/flushdeck/wickesclass.html
11. ^ Friedman, p.49
12. ^ Morrison 1962 p.39
13. ^ Silverstone 1968 pp.112,212,215,276&303
14. ^ Campbell 1985 p.143
15. ^ Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (public domain)

References

• Campbell, John (1985). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4. 
• Morison, Samuel Eliot (1962). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Supplement and General Index. Little, Brown and Company. 
• Silverstone, Paul H. (1968). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company. 

External links

• Clemson-class destroyers at Destroyer History Foundation
• Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org Clemson class