Fletcher-class destroyer. US Navy destroyers Fletcher-class destroyers
ATTENTION! Outdated news format. There may be problems with the correct display of content.
Fletcher-class destroyer
Few ships in the course of combat service have received such recognition as the American Fletcher-class destroyer, commissioned in the early forties and well-established in the service of other countries after the end of World War II. This maritime legend, instantly recognizable to all fans of military history, is ready to turn the tide of battle once again in one of the upcoming testing sessions.
The Fletcher is one of the most famous and most massive warships designed and built for the US Navy during World War II. Its history begins in 1939 with the start of the development of a new, improved generation of American destroyers. Due to the fact that the ships that existed at that time did not have the characteristics necessary for the battle with Japan in the Pacific, the US Navy issued special requirements for new projects, which involve increasing the range, speed and firepower of a new generation of destroyers. The restrictions that existed at that time, imposed by the existing maritime agreements, seriously hampered the development of future projects, so the United States chose to ignore them and create a new modern warship. A few years later, in 1941, the first destroyers left the shipyard and entered service the following year.
Taking into account the fact that the Fletcher was supposed to serve in the Pacific theater of operations, where the sea is not as rough as in the Atlantic, the engineers optimized the shape and appearance of the ship. On ships of this type, instead of the traditional forecastle deck, a smooth-deck hull design was used. This decision not only increased the strength of the ship, but also made it possible to quickly and easily upgrade the gun systems. In the later stages of the Pacific War, Japan increasingly sent suicide pilots to attack. However, the deck design of the new destroyers made it possible to quickly equip the ships with heavy anti-aircraft guns, such as the 40 mm Bofors cannon, which once again proved the correctness of the choice made. Such scope for tactical decisions shows that the Fletcher was able to perform literally any task suitable for the destroyer, and perform well.
Not surprisingly, these warships formed the backbone of the US Navy during World War II and took part in almost every combat operation in the Pacific from Midway to Okinawa. An excellent indicator of quality was the fact that in the period from 1942 to 1945, American shipyards produced 175 destroyers of this type, of which only 25 were lost in battle. After the war, these ships continued to serve around the world. It is noteworthy that the last Fletcher, which belonged to the Mexican Navy, was decommissioned in 2001.
Despite the fact that it will be almost impossible to surpass the effectiveness of the Fletcher in real life, the future commanders of these ships in War Thunder will have every chance to confirm their combat merits in the game. Intimidating range of offensive weapons, which range from five 127-mm guns installed in separate gun turrets, to ten 533-mm torpedo tubes, distributed over two launchers in the middle of the hull - the destroyer is able to accept a challenge from any enemy and send it to the bottom . While the player is busy torpedoing or firing at enemy ships with their main battery guns, the AI gunners will take advantage of the destructive power of the AA mounts placed all over the destroyer's deck and prevent enemy aircraft from getting too close. The Fletcher's air defense system consists of a number of 20mm Oerlikon and 40mm Bofors cannons, highly effective guns made famous in World War II. Even if the tide of battle turns against the commanders of this warship and retreat is the only option, they should not despair. Two steam turbines powered by four boilers provide 60,000 horsepower and propel the Fletcher to a speed of 36 knots (68 km/h). In combination with the streamlined hull shape, this allows the destroyer to easily maneuver and quickly get out of dangerous situations.
This destroyer is a real jack-of-all-trades and will surely appeal to many players. The commander will have absolute freedom in choosing tactics to solve the assigned task. Regardless of whether you prefer to lead the attack or, conversely, cover the rear during small operations, the Fletcher will equally effectively carry out your plan. However, do not forget that victory depends only on good team play and coordination. The Fletcher is a good ship, but even she cannot secure an easy victory on her own. Stay close to your teammates and watch their actions. Remember: if you fall behind them, you will go on an unplanned excursion to the seabed in the area of \u200b\u200bthe nearest coral reefs, after which repairs will cost you dearly.
The United States Navy is the sole leader in terms of the navy. No other country pays as much attention and material resources as the United States. The main reason for this is the use of the fleet for the political purposes of the country as a lever of pressure on third parties or a simple display of its power. After all, everyone is well aware that the fleet can represent the interests of the state far from the borders of their native lands. in terms of total displacement, the displacement of its warships is ahead of the next 13 countries combined, and this is certainly a serious indicator. Moreover, the American Navy is the center of ship technologies, and all this is backed up by modern weapons. Today we will consider a class of warships, which, according to some sources, is considered one of the weapons of death of the US Navy - the destroyer.
The destroyer (full name destroyer) is a class of multi-purpose warships that appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. It was inferior in size to a cruiser, but was larger than frigates. Until the 1990s, destroyers were more used as support vessels escorting aircraft-carrying warships. But with the advent of Aegis control system technologies, the picture has changed dramatically - destroyers have become capable of independently destroying any targets in the air, on land or water. However, to give an idea of the class of these warships, I think it would be better if we start dismantling them from an earlier period.
Newest US destroyer Zumwalt
Background and first US Navy destroyers
In the late nineteenth century, the United States adopted a more closed policy. America has not yet had such a large-scale economic, political and military power, as we have become accustomed to seeing it since the middle of the last century. Therefore, today's giant of the production of naval equipment at that time copied the technologies of its European neighbors more than it created its own. However, the Americans had the peculiarity of the mass construction of any equipment, which gave them an advantage in the development of their fleet.
The first destroyers of European countries were built in the 1880s, while in the United States this event took place only in 1890. The first instance of this type of warship in the US Navy was the destroyer Cushing. In the next 10 years, another 34 ships of this type were built. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the US Navy began to build new types of destroyers:
- 1900-1902 16 Bainbridge units;
- 1909, the destroyers "Smith" (prototypes of the English "Tribal" and German "Beagle");
- 1913 the first four-pipe destroyers Kessen / USS Cushing (prototypes of the Russian destroyer Novik and the British V / W).
US destroyers in World War I
Initially, Congress did not plan to enter the First World War, adhering to the Monroe Doctrine, adopted back in the nineteenth century. However, under pressure from President Wilson, the United States nevertheless entered the war in 1917, a year before it ended. Since America was the last player to enter the war, it had plenty of time to complete its fleet.
In the first years of the war, 26 ships of 4 types of destroyers Kessin (8), O'Brien (6), Tucker (6) and Sampson (6) were built. A common feature of all these destroyers was a lack of speed. While European destroyers gained maximum speed up to 35-37 knots, American destroyers only 29 knots, which was a strong minus of that time. However, the United States had its own reasons for this. The first was that high speed created a shortage of fuel. In order to fill this gap, it was necessary to increase the displacement, which the command did not want. Moreover, the speed required high power, and this reduced the life of the engines, which was also not desirable. And of course it was all financial.
In 1916, Congress passed a law to expand the fleet. The rule "the more the better" has become the main principle of the Navy. For example, it was planned to build the first 50 "smooth-deck" destroyers of the "Wicks" type within two years. However, due to the fact that America got involved in the First World War, 111 destroyers of this type were built. An incredible figure that launched the hegemony of the United States. Wicks is the second series of American destroyers. The main feature of this type was its speed, it could reach speeds up to 35 knots and pass at the optimum speed (15 knots) up to 5,000 nautical miles.
Do you think a series of construction of 111 destroyers is a record? No, the next type of destroyer, the Clemson, developed in 1917-1918, was built in the amount of 156 units (and vice versa, this is not a record). Clemson is considered the third series of American destroyers. True, except for some weapons, it was no different from the previous one.
US destroyers played no small role in the outcome of the war. The US deployed about 280 combat and support vessels, of which 64 were destroyers. At the cost of 7,000 personnel and 48 ships (mostly auxiliary), the world learned what the American Navy is capable of.
US destroyers in World War II
The rule "the more the better" showed its results during the First World War, so the US government continued to adhere to it. Taking a break in the construction of destroyers (at that time, cruisers were mainly built), by the beginning of the 1930s, the Navy again began building destroyers of the Farragut, Mahan, Dunlap, Porter, Somers, and Gridley types. , Bagley, Benham, Sims, Gleaves, Benson, Bristol and of course the great Fletcher. For the construction of new destroyers, in 1939, most of the old ones were decommissioned or rebuilt into high-speed minesweepers, landing ships and minelayers. Under a 1940 agreement between the United States and Great Britain, 50 Minnon squadrons were transferred to the Royal Navy in exchange for the lease of military bases belonging to England.
The Porter ships are the first type of leaders - the destroyers of the American fleet (before them, all the leaders were cruisers). They were followed by other leaders, the Somers-class destroyers. Thus, the destroyers grew from auxiliary attack ships into attack ships themselves, which determined their importance in the future.
Fletcher-class destroyer - record holder and hero of World War II
The development of the Fletcher began back in 1939, but the construction decree was signed only in 1941. The main reason for the construction of the Fletchers was the lack of range of the Benson. Initially, the Fletchers were intended for use in the Pacific Ocean, but the layout of the Second World War made its own adjustments to their operation. In total, 175 units of this type were built in 1941-1943 (a record in the history of the construction of one type of ship). Three of them were converted into ("DD-477", "DD-478" and "DD-480"). At the moment, there are 4 Fletcher destroyers, all of them converted into a museum.
According to general characteristics, this type was built in a "smooth-deck" style, which gave it a plus in terms of weight. The second bottom of the ship appeared again, which improved their survivability. The ship's armor ranged from 12.7mm to 19mm, depending on the part of the ship. The 492-ton fuel capacity allowed these destroyers to travel up to 6,000 nautical miles at an optimum speed of 15 knots, and a maximum speed of 32 knots.
Fletcher-class destroyer leader model
From the point of view of weapons, the Fletcher was equipped with fairly modern weapons for that time. It had artillery of the Mark 12 class (127 mm), anti-aircraft artillery of the Bofors and Oerlikon classes, anti-submarine weapons and mine-torpedo weapons. But the main feature was the fire control system, thanks to which the destroyer's artillery was guided using automation.
Due to their range, the Fletcher destroyers sailed freely in the Pacific Ocean. The main naval battles of the US Navy took place in these waters. After the Pearl Harbor crisis, the US Navy stepped up its operations in the Pacific Territory. Battle of Midway, Operation Mo, Capture of Okinawa, Battle of Iwo Jima, Battle of Saipan, Battle of the Solomon Islands, Battle of Gualdacanal, Battle of Savo Island, Battle of Wake and of course the Battle of Leyte Gulf, after which the Imperial Japanese Navy lost all hope for major actions of his fleet, are the Japanese-American naval battles, where the main trump card of the United States was precisely the Fletcher destroyers.
The current position of destroyers in the US Navy
As I already wrote, after the 1980s, the task of destroyers changed dramatically with the advent of Aegis technologies. Destroyers were able to be armed with vertical launchers to use cruise, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft missiles, which made it possible for these ships to provide cover for sea and land groups, as well as to deliver mass strikes against land, sea and air targets.
Currently, the US Navy has 62 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and 2 Zamwalt-class destroyers. Both types are equipped with the Aegis system, Tamahafk cruise missiles (Arleigh Burke up to 56, Zamwalt up to 80 missiles) and many other modern weapons.
The last Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was built in 2012, but the Naval Command plans to build 30 more. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers have been used frequently in combat operations in Libya and Syria.
Zamwalt are representatives of the latest technologies, built in 2013 and 2017. The appearance of these destroyers is very strange. they use Stealth technology. All ships of this type operate exclusively on electricity.
From the point of view of the personnel, on the one hand, these are professionals in their field, on the other hand, these are personnel who can tarnish their name so much that it will no longer be washed off. For example, the captain of the destroyer Porter, which in April 2017 attacked the air base of Syrian troops, as a result of which 72 civilians (27 children) were killed, is a woman - Andria Slough (maybe not the most humane, but the clearest example of professionalism). Another example, the commander of the Fitzgerald destroyer in the same 2017, without taking the necessary measures, collided with a container ship (I hardly think the command patted him on the head for this incident).
It is difficult to recall a more successful and massive type of destroyers of the Second World War than the Fletcher-class destroyers. It is no less difficult to find a ship with such a glorious combat history. The second destroyer of this type, after which the entire series was named, did not look as impressive as the giant battleships and swift cruisers, but it went through the entire war, took part in the largest battles in the Pacific Ocean and remained in service until 1969. The veteran ship's pennant was adorned with fifteen battle stars from World War II and five from the Korean War, which was a clear confirmation of his nickname "Fighting Fletcher".
History of creation
A new type of destroyer was developed in 1939–1940. The war had not yet begun for the United States, and it was not easy for American shipbuilders to develop an “ideal concept” for light ships - naval battles on the other side of the Atlantic did not have time to provide the necessary statistics on the use of destroyers. For example, the actual effectiveness of naval aviation remained a mystery to naval theorists. Thus, there was no clarity regarding the necessary air defense systems, and hence the reserve of free space and displacement, which was required to be included in the project of new destroyers.
The draft applications of 1939 were a development of the Benson and Sims types. At that time, there was a limit of 1,600 tons of displacement for destroyers, but by 1940 it became clear that such a small size of ships would not allow them to be equipped with effective anti-aircraft weapons, and the restriction was removed.
The result of the development was a project of a ship with a length of 114.7 m (according to other sources - 112.5 m) and a displacement of 2100 tons. with a turning circle of 950 yards (867 m) at a speed of 30 knots.
The US Department of the Navy approved the design submitted by the Bureau of Shipbuilding specialists on January 27, 1940. The destroyer was supposed to be armed with five 127-mm Mk.12 guns with a barrel length of 38 calibers. The main means of anti-ship warfare became two Mk.15 torpedo tubes, which had five 533 mm tubes each (later they were replaced by Mk.23 tubes). To combat enemy submarines, six K-type bombers with an ammunition load of 28 bombs served. Anti-aircraft weapons consisted of a quadruple 28 mm gun and four 12.7 mm Browning machine guns. Having approved the project, the ministry placed an order for twenty-four ships. By the end of 1940, the order had increased to hundreds of destroyers, and a total of 175 ships of this series were commissioned during World War II.
The destroyer with tail number DD-445 was launched on May 3, 1942, in the midst of the war. The ship was named after Francis Friday Fletcher, commander of the first destroyer in the United States North American fleet. A little earlier, the destroyer Nicholas (DD-449) was commissioned, but the series was named after a ship with a lower tactical number.
Francis Friday Fletcher (1855–1914), commander of the USS Cushing, the first destroyer in the US Navy
navsource.org/archives
The operation of the ships almost immediately showed the ineffectiveness of machine-gun armament as an anti-aircraft weapon. New combat aircraft were too tenacious even for "solid" 50-caliber bullets. Moreover, the 28-mm gun mount turned out to be not powerful enough - on the Fletcher it was replaced by a twin 40-mm Bofors gun. The machine guns were also dismantled, replacing them with four 20 mm Oerlikon cannons.
Later, during the modernization of 1943, the number of Bofors was increased to five, and Oerlikons to seven. In 1945, two Bofors were changed to quadruple mounts, and four of the seven Oerlikons were changed to twins, bringing the total number of anti-aircraft guns to twenty-five. At the same time, one of the torpedo tubes was dismantled.
In general, for the Fletchers, an overload of the structure was typical: because of it, even a powerful power plant of 60,000 hp. could never give out a nameplate speed of 38 knots. The real maximum speed of these destroyers did not exceed 34 knots, which, nevertheless, was an impressive indicator for such large ships. As American naval historian Norman Friedman wrote, “In retrospect, the Fletchers are considered the most effective of the American destroyers. Fast, roomy, able to withstand significant damage while continuing to fight..
127-mm bow gun mounts of the destroyer "Fletcher"
navsource.org/archives
Service History
1942
After degaussing the hull at Bayon (July 16), the destroyer Fletcher went to the Guantanamo base for crew training. Lieutenant Commander William Cole became commander of the destroyer, and Joseph Wylie was appointed his deputy. Midshipman Alfred Gressard recalled: “We had the best skipper and his deputy in the entire Navy. Cole was a wonderful commander who was loved by the entire crew. He also had a great relationship with Wylie. These are the two best officers I have ever met.”.
The bridge of the destroyer Fletcher. United States Naval Museum, Washington
Source - en.wikipedia.org
On November 5, the Fletcher arrived in Noumea (New Caledonia), after which it became part of Task Force 67. The situation in the Pacific was far from calm - the Americans launched Operation Watchtower, the purpose of which was to cover the island of Guadalcanal from the landing of deblocking Japanese forces and the destruction of enemy bases on the islands of Rabaul, New Ireland and others. It was here that the first Fletchers received their baptism of fire.
The destroyer "Fletcher" at sea. Scenic reconstruction by J. Watt
navsource.org/archives
The Fletcher first saw action on 30 October during a bombardment of Lunga Point on the north coast of Guadalcanal. The real battle awaited him on November 13, when the American squadron clashed with the Japanese battlecruisers Hiei and Kirishima, as well as eleven destroyers. The battle cruiser Hiei and the destroyer Akatsuki began the battle, at 01:48 they illuminated the American cruiser Atlanta with firing searchlights at a distance of 2.7 km. The Fletcher, along with five other ships, opened fire on the Akatsuki, focusing on the searchlights. The volleys fell well, and soon the Japanese destroyer sank. Due to short distances and surprise, the battle proceeded chaotically and lasted only about forty minutes, but turned out to be extremely bloody. "Hiei" received a torpedo hit, which turned out to be fatal for him. In addition to this, in the morning it was damaged by Avenger torpedo bombers that had risen from American aircraft carriers, and the Japanese were forced to sink the ship, which had lost its course. The honor of a successful torpedo salvo on the Japanese cruiser belonged to the destroyer Luffy (DD-459). At this time, the Fletcher and its other sistership, the O'Bannon, fired on enemy destroyers, providing access to the attack of other ships of the American squadron.
The deck of the destroyer USS Fletcher during modernization in San Francisco, 1943
navsource.org/archives
From the battle "Fletcher" came out without damage. The battle took place on an “unlucky day” - Friday the 13th, the number of the ship, when adding all its numbers, also gave a total of thirteen (4 + 4 + 5), like the number of Task Force 67, so superstitious sailors gave their ship the nickname “Lucky Thirteenth » (Lucky Thirteen).
Luck generally accompanied the Fletcher and many members of its crew. As the operator of the Bofors anti-aircraft gun, John Jensen, recalled, once, under the threat of a nighttime enemy air strike, the destroyer stood up to cover the battleship Colorado, moving forward on its side beam. At this time, the gunners of the battleship fired a premature shot with a shrapnel projectile from a 127-mm gun. The shell exploded right above the Fletcher, and its striking elements showered the deck of the destroyer. Part of the shrapnel hit the box of 40-mm charges - a strong explosion followed, but only one sailor was injured (in the arm). In the morning, Jensen was horrified to find a hole in the deck just thirty centimeters from his combat post - a little more, and shrapnel would have laid him down on the spot.
Luck, crew skill and excellent radar allowed the Fletcher to get out of the battle at Cape Tassafaronga, which took place on the night of November 30, 1942, without significant damage. Task Force 67 as part of the heavy cruisers Northampton, Minneapolis, "Pensacola", "New Orleans", the light cruiser "Honolulu" and four destroyers were supposed to intercept the "Tokyo Express" of eight destroyers, which delivered reinforcements and ammunition to the Japanese troops stationed in the Solomon Islands.
Fletcher's engine room
The Fletcher led the task force's combat order and established radar contact with the enemy in the Savo Island area. The American destroyers opened the battle with a salvo of torpedoes and cannon shots, "hanging" illuminating shells over the formation of enemy ships. A firestorm from the cruisers hit the destroyer Takanami, which was ahead of the Japanese column. The ship was engulfed in flames, and he actually left the battle.
View from the Fletcher on the battle order of the destroyers during the campaign to Cape Tassafaronga. 1943
Source - picasaweb.google.com
Japanese Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka skillfully used fire glare, smoke screens and, due to skillful maneuvering, missed a twenty-torpedo volley of Americans. According to military historian Russell Crenshaw, the main reason for such a rare luck of the Japanese was low quality american torpedoes. The commander of the US Navy in the South Pacific, Vice Admiral William Halsey, drew different conclusions from the battle:
“The destroyers fired a torpedo salvo at too great a distance. The use of torpedoes at night at distances greater than 4,000–5,000 yards is unacceptable... The destroyers leading the way, having fired torpedoes, did not provide support to the cruisers, leaving to the northwest. Such a lack of offensive initiative by destroyer formations is unacceptable in future operations.
Torpedo tube Mk.23
Source - picasaweb.google.com
Japanese Type 93 torpedoes of a huge caliber of 610 mm had a long range and significant speed, so the Japanese response volleys led to disastrous consequences. Three American heavy cruisers went out of action, having received terrible damage. "New Orleans" and "Minneapolis" were completely torn off the bows, and the "Northampton" sank, and the "Fletcher", who came to the scene of the tragedy, had to do rescue work. Together with the destroyer Drayton, he took on board 773 people.
1943
Bloody fighting continued in the Solomon Islands. The Japanese command, realizing the importance of jump and support airfields, ordered the creation of an airfield at Cape Munda (New Georgia Island). To eliminate this threat, the command of Task Force 67 allocated Tactical Group 67.2. On January 5, the destroyers Fletcher and O'Bannon, along with three cruisers, shelled enemy positions for an hour.
On February 11, near Rennell Island, a seaplane from the light cruiser Helena spotted a Japanese submarine. The pilots marked the place of contact with a smoke bomb, pointing the destroyer Fletcher at the target. An attack with nine depth charges resulted in the destruction of the submarine I-18. By February 21, the Battle Fletcher arrived at Russell Island to support the landing. On April 23, the destroyer arrives in Sydney for routine repairs, where she remains until May 4. Upon completion, Fletcher was relocated to San Francisco for major repairs and modernization. Despite the quite successful combat fate, the ship needed repairs due to minor damage and wear and tear on the machines. In addition, anti-aircraft weapons showed insufficient effectiveness: the realities of World War II forced the Americans to strengthen the battery of Bofors and Oerlikons.
The destroyer returned to combat service only on September 27, based in Noumea. At the same time, the Fletcher became part of Task Force 53, and from November 20 to November 30, it took part in the landing on the Gilbert Islands as part of tactical group 53.2. In early December, the ship was transferred to the Kwajalein Atoll to support a ground operation.
1944
Having undergone maintenance in Pearl Harbor in December 1943, the Fletcher continued to participate in the Gilbert-Marshall offensive operation of the combined forces of the Navy and the US Army. So, on January 30-February 21, he happened to cover the battleships that were shelling Watge Atoll. By the second half of April, the destroyer was included in Task Force 77 under the command of Vice Admiral Thomas Cassin Kincaid. Directly, the Fletcher was part of the Tactical Group 77.2, which was led by Rear Admiral Oldendorf - it was the main striking force of the formation, which consisted of 28 destroyers, 6 battleships and 8 cruisers. In May 1944, the Fletcher took part in the battle with Japanese destroyers off the island of Biak near New Guinea. During the battle, three enemy destroyers were damaged.
Task Forces 38 and 77, under the personal direction of Admiral William Halsey, took part in the grandiose operation to capture the Philippines and Battle of Leyte Gulf 23–26 October 1944 The Fletcher escorted convoys and took part in the shelling of ground targets, and also served as an air defense ship.
"Fletcher" in combat campaign. Photo of unknown origin and date
Source - navsource.org/archives
1945
In early January, being part of the tactical group 77.2, the Fletcher provides landing on the island of Luzon, covering the landing with artillery and anti-aircraft fire. A downed Japanese aircraft was recorded on the account of the ship. On January 29, the Fletcher covers the minesweepers in Subic Bay, and on January 31, it supports the landing force in Nasugbu Bay with artillery fire.
In February, the ship sailed to the shores of the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island, where it fired guns along the coast and covered minesweepers in Manila Bay. Most of the service of the Fletcher (and other destroyers) during this period of the war is connected with ensuring the work of minesweepers engaged in clearing water areas from mines. According to the memoirs of John Jensen, it was then that the ship was fired upon by a coastal howitzer battery from a camouflaged position. Unable to counter-battery and in the complete absence of target designation, the Fletcher commander (by then Lieutenant Commander Johnston) masterfully took the ship out of the fire until a howitzer projectile damaged the minesweeper YMS-48. The Fletcher rushed to the rescue, but was itself hit, killing five sailors and injuring five more. However, the smoke screen made it possible to complete the combat mission, and the crew of the minesweeper was saved. The Americans sent the damaged ship to the bottom with gunfire.
The end of February was marked for the Fletcher by covering the landings on the islands of Palawan and Mindanao. In April-May, the destroyer patrols the Philippines and ensures the landing of troops on Tarakan Island in Indonesia. On June 1, the ship was taken to San Pedro (California) for repairs, and World War II ended for her. August 7, 1945 "Fighting Fletcher" completed military service, and in 1947 he was withdrawn to the naval reserve.
The “vacation” of the well-deserved ship turned out to be short-lived - the world after the end of the war was very tense. The time has come for the great confrontation between the two superpowers, and in 1949 the Fletcher is transferred to San Diego as an escort destroyer. He soon became part of the Valley Forge aircraft carrier group, which operated against North Korea in the 1950-1953 war. After the end of the Korean War, the destroyer operated as part of the US 7th Fleet, making several trips as an anti-submarine ship. In the future, "Lucky Thirteenth" served for many more years and was withdrawn from the fleet only in 1969.
Fletcher in 1943
Source - shipmodels.info
"Fletcher" personifies the combat fate of a whole type of destroyers named after him. A long and eventful combat "career" of twenty-seven years would have done honor to any battleship, but such a bright military fate fell on these small and nondescript ships.
Bibliography:
- Gaisinsky P. B. "Fletchers": 50 years in the ranks. Kharkov: ATF, 2000
- Crenshaw Jr., Russell S. The Battle of Tassafaronga, Naval Institute Press, 2010
- Jensen John V. A Collection of Stories from WWII, http://ussfletcher.org/stories/wwii.html
- Friedman N.U.S. Destroyers. Illustrated Design Stories. Naval Institute Press, 2003
- Morison, Struggle for Guadalcanal . Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2001