Truxtun-class destroyer

Three Truxtun-class destroyers were built for the United States Navy. Part of the original 16 destroyers authorized by Congress on 4 May 1898 for the fiscal year 1899 program, they were commissioned in 1902.[1] They were very similar to their Bainbridge-class contemporaries, except for mounting six 6-pounder (57 mm) guns instead of five. They were considered the most successful of the first 16 US Navy destroyers, and were succeeded by the larger Smith class.[1]

USS Truxtun
Class overview
Name: Truxtun class
Builders: Maryland Steel Company, Sparrows Point, Maryland
Operators:  United States Navy
Preceded by: Bainbridge class
Succeeded by: Smith class
Built: 1899–1902
In commission: 1902–1919
Completed: 3
Retired: 3
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer
Displacement:
  • 433 long tons (440 t) normal
  • 605 long tons (615 t) full load
Length: 259 ft 6 in (79.10 m)
Beam: 22 ft 3 in (6.78 m)
Draft: 6 ft (1.8 m)
Installed power:
  • 4 × coal-fired Thornycroft boilers
  • 2 × vertical triple-expansion engines
  • 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW) (design)
Propulsion: 2 × shafts
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) (design)
Capacity: 175 long tons (178 t) coal (fuel)
Complement:
  • 3 officers
  • 75 enlisted
Armament:

The Truxtuns escorted convoys during World War I. All were sold in 1919 and converted to merchant vessels or scrapped.

Design

Armament

The as-built torpedo armament was two 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes with four torpedoes. The gun armament was two 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns and six 6-pounder (2.2 in (57 mm)) guns.[2][3]

During World War I the class was equipped with one or two depth charge racks for the convoy escort mission.[4] Also during World War I, the single torpedo tubes were replaced with two twin torpedo tubes on Truxton and Worden, with the number of torpedoes remaining at four. Whipple was modified with one twin torpedo tube mount and four torpedoes at this time.[5][6]

Engineering

Truxtun had four Thornycroft boilers supplying 240 psi (1,700 kPa) steam to two vertical triple-expansion engines totaling 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW) (design).[1] She made 29.58 knots (34.0 mph; 54.8 km/h) on trials at 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW). Normal coal capacity was 232 tons.[1]

Service

Truxtun and Whipple served first on the East Coast and later on the West Coast prior to World War I. Worden engaged in reserve training duties on the East Coast and acted as a submarine tender 1914–17. All three served in the Atlantic during the US participation in World War I. Following the Armistice, all were sold for scrapping or merchant conversion in 1919.

Ships in class

The three ships of the Truxtun class were:[6][7]

Ship Shipyard Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
USS Truxtun (DD-14) Maryland Steel Company, Sparrows Point, Maryland 13 November 1899 15 August 1901 11 September 1902 18 July 1919 Sold to Joseph G. Hitner for merchant conversion
USS Whipple (DD-15) Maryland Steel Company 13 November 1899 15 August 1901 21 October 1902 7 July 1919 Sold to Joseph G. Hitner for scrapping
USS Worden (DD-16) Maryland Steel Company 13 November 1899 15 August 1901 31 December 1902 13 July 1919 Sold to Joseph G. Hitner for merchant conversion, sunk 1 May 1942
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See also

References
  1. Friedman, p. 10-19, 454
  2. DiGiulian, Tony 3"/50 Mk 2 at NavWeaps.com
  3. DiGiulian, Tony 6 pdr Mk 1 at NavWeaps.com
  4. Friedman, p. 68
  5. Gardiner and Chesneau, p. 159
  6. Bauer and Roberts, pp. 168–169
  7. DestroyerHistory.org Truxtun class destroyer

Bibliography
  • Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 168–169. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
  • Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised Edition). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-442-3.
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
  • Silverstone, Paul H. (1970). U.S. Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-71100-095-6.
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