Thread: Destroyers - Fletcher Class

Originally Posted by blidgepump

Wow, what a busy place the Mississippi was when this picture was taken.
Is the Ship @ GQ?
Appears every sailor and officer is up on the deck at a battlestation.

Her armor belt on the port side can be clearly identified, too.

*That particular photos was taken just before the Lingayen, Luzon,Phillipines Invasion. Since the pic isnt all that clear and with this aerial shot being taken showing men all around the guns, the guns being pointed in several different directions instead of skyward (starboard sides are raised but not the port side) and men on deck this may have been a period of routine maintenance during preparation for Lingayden's, Luzons and the Phillipines invasion which would be shortly thereafter on Jan 9th 1945.

Originally Posted by USSWisconsin

Imagine the pant load a Japanese airman must have had when he approached these ships

One angry bee's nest thats for sure.

Then the ship's crew must of been getting squared away for action.

Look at the officers gathered forward port side.

Kingfisher ready on the rail,hose detail Starboard of No. 3 turret, busy bee hive in deed.

Top Ten Fighting Ships: Destroyer : Video : The Military Channel

WWII footage of Fletchers in action

I was just reading on NavSource that the USS Stoddard DD 566 was the last Fletcher decommissioned. It was on Pier 15 for a few years at the Naval Station.

The can outboard was the USS Duncan DD 874 and across the pier (Not in the picture) was the USS Savage DE 386,

"The USS Stoddard cleared Okinawa on 17 June 1945 in the screen of Mississippi (BB-41)." Wiki

Ytlas, interesting chance that you mentioned the Stoddard and the earlier picture of BB-41... fate?

Originally Posted by blidgepump

"The USS Stoddard cleared Okinawa on 17 June 1945 in the screen of Mississippi (BB-41)." Wiki

Ytlas, interesting chance that you mentioned the Stoddard and the earlier picture of BB-41... fate?

Coincidence. The Stoddard, Duncan and Savage were on Pier 15 and bows pointing northeast so I could see the hull numbers from anywhere in the yard. The DD 566 is a fairly low hull number to be seen anywhere in the late 1970's and 80's. We had the USS Henderson DD 785 and USS Hollister DD 788 as functioning reservist ships on pier 9.
A guy in our shop was on the Stoddard at one time, probably in the early 1960's. Cancer got him around 1980.

Originally Posted by Ytlas

Coincidence. The Stoddard, Duncan and Savage were on Pier 15 and bows pointing northeast so I could see the hull numbers from anywhere in the yard. The DD 566 is a fairly low hull number to be seen anywhere in the late 1970's and 80's. We had the USS Henderson DD 785 and USS Hollister DD 788 as functioning reservist ships on pier 9.
A guy in our shop was on the Stoddard at one time, probably in the early 1960's. Cancer got him around 1980.

Ytals, I had to study your picture for a moment to figure out that it really was a Fletcher. The missing 5-inchers are a result of a FRAM so all the extra steel is long gone by the time this picture was taken?

Originally Posted by blidgepump

Ytals, I had to study your picture for a moment to figure out that it really was a Fletcher. The missing 5-inchers are a result of a FRAM so all the extra steel is long gone by the time this picture was taken?

According to the NavSource website where I grabbed it, the picture was taken in 1979. The helo pad on the fantail must have been done on it's very last overhaul (1967) because I see pictures dated 1966 and there's still a couple of 5" aft.

I guess after it was decommissioned it was placed at the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Mare Island and eventually worked it way down to Long Beach. Between 1981-2 the three ships were towed away, the Stoddard most likely going to Port Hueneme.

Last time I was in Port Hueneme in January 1994 they had a few ex-Forrest Sherman class DD's and the ex-USS Oklahoma City tied up to the piers with "Target" painted on the sides.

Another view of a dual 20 mm before continuing the inspection tour aft.

1/2 inch 50,000 lb steel used as a shield?

Originally Posted by Ytlas

According to the NavSource website where I grabbed it, the picture was taken in 1979. The helo pad on the fantail must have been done on it's very last overhaul (1967) because I see pictures dated 1966 and there's still a couple of 5" aft.

I guess after it was decommissioned it was placed at the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Mare Island and eventually worked it way down to Long Beach. Between 1981-2 the three ships were towed away, the Stoddard most likely going to Port Hueneme.

Last time I was in Port Hueneme in January 1994 they had a few ex-Forrest Sherman class DD's and the ex-USS Oklahoma City tied up to the piers with "Target" painted on the sides.

This illustration of the Stoddard displays the more traditional dress for a Fletcher class destroyer. Comparing the image from NAVSource and NARA photo 19-N-65228, you know where all the steel went... and it wasn't from brushing with Pepsident !!

"FRAM: By 1948-1951 the remaining Fletchers were re-classified Destroyer Escorts (DDE) and for the RADFORD, JENKINS and NICHOLAS, they were reclassified as DD's after receiving FRAM II. The more than 7 month FRAM II overhaul brought Variable Depth Sonar (for RADFORD and NICHOLAS) and 2 qty, DASH aircraft onboard these ships (DASH on Nicholas, seen right), yet these Fletchers lost all of their Anti-Aircraft guns to save on top-side weight. This included the removal of the 6 qty, 40mm Bofors guns in three twin turrets, 7 qty, 10 x 20mm Oerlikon guns along with the 5 qty, 21" twin torpedo tubes."

Only three Fletcher's got FRAM w/ DASH?

"While it is known that only 3 Fletcher class destroyers received the "official programmed" FRAM II overhaul, it must be noted that the Fletcher class destroyer, USS HAZELWOOD (DD 531-seen below) which did not receive FRAM, but which was a DASH Ship, was the prototype DASH ship for DASH trials in 1958 while maintaining her DD status and therefore was subject to the same installation criteria that the other Fletcher class ships underwent."

How was the Stoddard FRAM referred ( DD 566 ) with a conventional Helicopter ?

The Jenkins was one of the three FRAM II Fletchers was not without prior battledamage.

"USS Jenkins low in the water after striking a Japanese magnetic underwater mine following action in Tarakan, Borneo on April 30 1945. The Jenkins was giving bombardment coverage for Aussie demolitions teams to remove obstructions from landing beach. One crewman, Edward Jerome Weakley F1, killed in forward fire room when boiler exploded. The Jenkins was able to slowly return to Subic Bay, Philippines entering floating dry dock for a false bottom. Then returning to Terminal Island Navy Yard at Long Beach, Calif. Still in dry dock at end of war." Irby Caffy, NavSOURCE

Originally Posted by blidgepump

How was the Stoddard FRAM referred ( DD 566 ) with a conventional Helicopter ?

Since the Stoddard finished up as a target, they might have put the helo deck on as the last minute so people could inspect it after weapons test. I looked through the Stoddard's website and there's no reference to clearing out the fantail to make an area to land a helo.