The Mitscher class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, they would have been the first post-war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Commissioned in 1953-1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in the '70s. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were sold for scrap by 1980.
All four Mitscher class ships were ordered 3 August 1948 and were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,642 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load with a length of 494 feet (151 m), a 50-foot (15 m) beam and a 26-foot (8 m) draft.
Beyond that, each ship had a different loadout of propulsion and other systems so as to determine the best course of action for future destroyer design.
In the early 1960s, the Mitscher class underwent modernization through the Class Improvement Program (CIP), which included the replacement of the boilers on the first two ships of the class.
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Mitscher class destroyer |
| Builders: | Bath Iron Works Fore River Shipyard |
| Operators: |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by: | Gearing-class destroyer |
| Succeeded by: | Forrest Sherman-class destroyer |
| Built: | 1949 – 1954 |
| In commission: | 1953 – 1978 |
| Completed: | 4 |
| Retired: | 4 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Destroyer |
| Displacement: | 3,642 tons standard; 4,855 full load |
| Length: | 490 ft (150 m) |
| Beam: | 47.5 ft (14.5 m) |
| Draft: | 14.7 ft (4.5 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 shaft; gear steam turbines; 4 boilers; 80,000 shp (60 MW) |
| Range: | 4,500 nmi (8,330 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Armament: | 2x 5in (127 mm); 4x 3in (76 mm); 8x 20 mm; 4x 21in (533 mm) TT; 2x Weapon Alpha ASW rocket launcher; 1x depth charge rack |
