The Gearing-class of destroyers were 98 destroyers produced by the United States Navy during the late years of World War II. Seeing little service in the war, these ships were upgraded to include better antisubmarine warfare technology and were later sold off to smaller nations such as South Korea, Greece, Argentina, and Pakistan.
History[]
The Gearing-class of destroyers was authorized for construction in 1942-43, although the first was laid down in August 1944. Due to their production timeline, virtually none of the ships were launched in time for World War II, with the last finishing in 1946. However, following the war, the ships underwent extensive ASW refits and weapons upgrades. Notable upgrades include the FRAM I and FRAM II upgrades, which added more ASW equipment, including depth charge launchers and torpedo tubes.
During the Cold War, vessels in this class provided escorts for carrier battle groups and ASW patrols, along with serving in the Naval Reserve Force as training vessels. These ships also provided significant gunfire support during the Vietnam War.
Designs and Upgrades[]
This class of vessels was longer and had larger fuel tanks than previous classes; this made them more suitable for upgrades. This class was armed with a main battery of three twin 5-inch guns, along with secondary 40 mm guns (12x) and 20 mm guns (11x), which were guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System. These vessels were also built with 10 21-inch torpedo tubes, in two quintuple mounts.
Following the end of the war (1946-1959), these vessels were upgraded with ASW and antiaircraft technology, with two new Hedgehog depth charges added.
During the first FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) upgrade, the vessels' superstructure, electronic systems, radar, sonar, and weapons were rebuilt. This includes an SQS-23 sonar, SPS-10 surface search radar, 2 triple Mk 32 torpedo tubes, an ASROC (anti-submarine rocket) launcher
Ships in class[]
- USS Gearing (DD-710)
- USS Eugene A. Greene (DD-711)
- USS Gyatt (DD-712)
- USS Kenneth D. Bailey (DD-713/DDR-713)
- USS William R. Rush (DD-714)
- USS William M. Wood (DD-715)
- USS Wiltsie (DD-716)
- USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD-717)
- USS Hamner (DD-718)
- USS Epperson (DD-719)
- USS Frank Knox (DD-742/DDR-742)
- USS Southerland (DD-743)
- USS William C. Lawe (DD-763)
- USS Lloyd Thomas (DD/DDR-764)
- USS Keppler (DD/DDR-765)
- USS Rowan (DD-782)
- USS Gurke (DD-783)
- USS McKean (DD-784)
- USS Henderson (DD-785)
- USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786)
- USS James E. Kyes (DD-787)
- USS Hollister (DD-788)
- USS Eversole (DD-789)
- USS Shelton (DD-790)
- USS Chevalier (DD/DDR-805)
- USS Higbee (DD-806)
- USS Benner (DD/DDR-807)
- USS Dennis J. Buckley (DD-808)
- USS Corry (DD-817)
- USS New (DD-818)
- USS Holder (DD-819)
- USS Rich (DD-820)
- USS Johnston (DD-821)
- USS Robert H. McCard (DD-822)
- USS Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823)
- USS Basilone (DD/DDE-824)
- USS Carpenter (DD/DDE/DDK-825)
- USS Agerholm (DD-826)
- USS Robert A. Owens (DD/DDE/DDK-827)
- USS Timmerman (DD-828)
- USS Myles C. Fox (DD-829)
- USS Everett F. Larson (DD/DDR-830)
- USS Goodrich (DD/DDR-831)
- USS Hanson (DD-832)
- USS Herbert J. Thomas (DD-833)
- USS Turner (DD/DDR-834)
- USS Charles P. Cecil (DD-835)
- USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836)
- USS Sarsfield (DD-837)
- USS Ernest G. Small (DD/DDR-838
- USS Power (DD-839)
- USS Glennon (DD-840)
- USS Noa (DD-841)
- USS Fiske (DD-842)
- USS Warrington (DD-843)
- USS Perry (DD-844)
- USS Bausell (DD-845)
- USS Ozbourn (DD-846)
- USS Robert L. Wilson (DD-847)
- USS Witek (DD-848)
- USS Richard E. Kraus (DD-849)
- USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850)
- USS Rupertus (DD-851)
- USS Leonard F. Mason (DD-852)
- USS Charles H. Roan (DD-853)
- USS Fred T. Barry (DD/DDE-858)
- USS Norris (DD/DDE-859)
- USS McCaffery (DD/DDE-860)
- USS Harwood (DD/DDE 861)
- USS Vogelgesang (DD-862)
- USS Steinaker (DD-863)
- USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864)
- USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865)
- USS Cone (DD-866)
- USS Stribling (DD-867)
- USS Brownson (DD-868)
- USS Arnold J. Isbell (DD-869)
- USS Fechteler (DD-870)
- USS Damato (DD-871)
- USS Forrest Royal (DD-872)
- USS Hawkins (DD-873)
- USS Duncan (DD/DDR-874)
- USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875)
- USS Rogers (DD-876)
- USS Perkins (DD/DDR-877)
- USS Vesole (DD-878)
- USS Leary (DD-879)
- USS Dyess (DD-880)
- USS Bordelon (DD-881)
- USS Furse (DD-882)
- USS Newman K. Perry (DD-883)
- USS Floyd B. Parks (DD-884)
- USS John R. Craig (DD-885)
- USS Orleck (DD-886)
- USS Brinkley Bass (DD-887)
- USS Stickell (DD-888)
- USS O'Hare (DD-889)
- USS Meredith (DD-890)