Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers. The class was named for Allen Melancthon Sumner, an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Often referred to as simply the Sumner, this class was distinguished from the previous Fletcher class by their twin 5-inch/38 caliber gun mounts, dual rudders, additional anti-aircraft weapons, and many other advancements. The Allen M. Sumner design was extended 14 feet (4.3 m) amidships to become the Gearing class, which was produced in larger numbers but did not see significant service in World War II.

USS Lyman K. Swenson in 1955
Class overview
Name	Allen M. Sumner class
Builders	Federal Shipbuilding, NJ (18) Bath Iron Works, ME (14) Bethlehem Staten Island, NY (10) San Francisco, CA (6) San Pedro, CA (5) Todd Pacific Seattle, WA (5)
Operators	United States Navy  Argentine Navy  Brazilian Navy  Chilean Navy  Republic of China Navy  Colombian National Navy  Hellenic Navy  Republic of Korea Navy  Turkish Navy  Imperial Iranian Navy  Islamic Republic of Iran Navy  Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela
Preceded by	Fletcher class
Succeeded by	Gearing class
Subclasses	Robert H. Smith class Daegu class Seguí class Mato Grosso class
Cost	$8 million, excluding armament
In commission	1943–75 (USN)
Planned	70
Completed	58
Cancelled	12 (completed as Robert H. Smith class minelayers)
Lost	4, plus 2 not repaired
Preserved	USS Laffey
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	2,200–2,220 tons standard 3,515 tons full load
Length	369 ft (112 m) waterline 376 ft 6 in (114.76 m) overall 376 ft (115 m) overall (DD 725–728 & 730–734)
Beam	41 ft (12.5 m) 40 ft (12 m) (DD 692–709) 40 ft 9 in (12.42 m) (DD 744) 41 ft 3 in (12.57 m) (DD 770–776)
Draft	15 ft 9 in (4.80 m) normal 19 ft (5.8 m) full load 18 ft 9 in (5.72 m) full load (DD 735-40 & 749–751 & 771–773)
Propulsion	4 Babcock & Wilcox or Foster Wheeler boilers; two General Electric or Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 60,000 shp (45 MW) total; two shafts
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range	6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) 503 tons oil fuel (except DD 692–709 500 tons, DD 735–740 515 tons)
Complement	336–363
Sensors and processing systems	Mk37 GFCS 1 × SC radar
Armament	As built: 6 × 5 in/38 cal guns (127 mm) (in 3 × 2 Mk 38 DP mounts) 12 × 40 mm Bofors AA guns (2 × 4 & 2 × 2) 11 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons 2 × Depth charge racks 6 × K-gun depth charge throwers 10 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes Typical by 1950: 6 × 5 in/38 cal guns (127 mm) (in 3 × 2 Mk 38 DP mounts) 6 × 3 in/50 cal guns (76 mm) (2 × 2, 2 × 1) 2 × Hedgehog ASW weapons 1 × Depth charge rack 6 × K-gun depth charge throwers Typical after FRAM II: (1960–65) 6 × 5 in/38 cal guns (127 mm) (in 3 × 2 Mk 38 DP mounts) 2 × triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes for Mark 44 torpedoes 2 × single 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for Mark 37 torpedoes 1 × Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH) Variable Depth Sonar (VDS)

Completed in 1943–45, four Sumners were lost in the war and two were damaged so badly they were scrapped, but the surviving ships served in the US Navy into the 1970s. After being retired from the US fleet, 29 of them were sold to other navies, where they served many more years. One still exists as a museum ship in South Carolina.

Description

World War II Destroyer Shipbuilders map from Department of Defense (DoD)

The first ship was laid down in May 1943, while the last was launched in April 1945. In that time, the United States produced 58 Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers. The Allen M. Sumner class was an improvement of the previous Fletcher class, which were built from 1941 until 1944. In addition to three twin 5-inch/38 caliber gun mounts replacing the Fletchers' five single mounts, the Sumners had twin rudders, giving them better maneuverability for ASW work when compared to the Fletchers. The 5-inch guns were guided by a Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System with a Mark 25 fire control radar linked by a Mark 1A Fire Control Computer stabilized by a Mark 6 8,500 rpm gyro. This fire control system provided effective long-range anti-aircraft (AA) or anti-surface fire. The Allen M. Sumners also had larger set of short-range anti-aircraft armament than the Fletchers, with 12 40 mm guns and 11 20 mm guns compared with the 10 40 mm and 7 20 mm complement typical of a late-war standard Fletcher. The initial design retained the Fletchers' heavy torpedo armament of 10 21-inch (533 mm) tubes in two quintuple mounts, firing the Mark 15 torpedo. As the threat from kamikaze aircraft mounted in 1945, and with few remaining Japanese warships to use torpedoes on, most of the class had the aft quintuple 21-inch torpedo tube mount replaced by an additional 40 mm quadruple mount for 16 total 40 mm guns.^[1][2]

The Allen M. Sumners achieved a 20% increase in 5-inch gun armament and almost a 50% increase in light AA armament on a hull the same length as a Fletcher, only 15 inches (38 cm) wider, and about 15 inches (38 cm) deeper in draft. The increase in standard displacement was only 150 tons, about 7.5%. Thus, the Allen M. Sumner class was a significant improvement in combat power at a small increase in cost.

See also the Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayer (DM), twelve of which were built on hulls originally intended as Allen M. Sumners. The Gearing-class destroyers were of the same design, modified with a 14-foot (4.3 m) midship extension to carry more fuel to extend the ships' range.

Service

The Allen M. Sumners served on radar picket stations in the Battle of Okinawa, as well as other duties, and had several losses. Cooper, Meredith, Mannert L. Abele, and Drexler were lost during the war, and Hugh W. Hadley was so badly damaged by a kamikaze attack that she was scrapped soon after the war ended. In addition, Frank E. Evans was split in half in a collision with the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, and never repaired. After the war most of the class (except some of the light minelayers) had their 40 mm and 20 mm guns replaced by up to six 3-inch/50 caliber guns (76 mm), and the pole mast was replaced by a tripod to carry a new, heavier radar. On most ships one depth charge rack was removed and two Hedgehog mounts added. One of the two quintuple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tube mountings had already been removed on most to make way for a quadruple 40 mm gun mounting and additional radar for the radar picket mission. 33 ships were converted under the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization II (FRAM II) program 1960–65, but not as extensively as the Gearings. Typically, FRAM Allen M. Sumners retained all three 5-inch/38 twin mounts and received the Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes for the Mark 44 torpedo, and two new single 21-inch torpedo tubes for the Mark 37 torpedo, with all 3-inch and lighter guns, previous ASW armament, and 21-inch torpedo tubes being removed. Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) was also fitted; however, ASROC was not fitted.^[3] Ships that did not receive FRAM were typically upgraded with Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes in exchange for the K-guns, but retained Hedgehog and one depth charge rack.^[2]

In Navy slang, the modified destroyers were called "FRAM cans", "can" being a contraction of "tin can", the slang term for a destroyer or destroyer escort.

Many Allen M. Sumners provided significant gunfire support in the Vietnam War. They also served as escorts for Carrier Battle Groups (Carrier Strike Groups from 2004) and Amphibious Ready Groups (Expeditionary Strike Groups from 2006). From 1965, some of the class were transferred to the Naval Reserve Force (NRF), with a partial active crew to train Naval reservists.

Disposition

USS De Haven c.1970 fitted with FRAM II modifications.

The ships served in the US Navy into the 1970s. DASH was withdrawn from anti-submarine warfare (ASW) service in 1969 due to poor reliability.^[4] Lacking ASROC, the Allen M. Sumners were left without a standoff ASW capability, and were decommissioned 1970–73, with most being transferred to foreign navies. The FRAM Sumners were effectively replaced as ASW ships by the Knox-class frigates (destroyer escorts prior to 1975), which were commissioned 1969–74 and carried a piloted helicopter, typically the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite, and ASROC. After the Allen M. Sumners were retired from the US fleet, seven were sunk by the US in fleet training exercises and 13 were scrapped, while 29 were sold to other navies (two for spare parts), where they served for many more years. Twelve were sold to the Republic of China Navy and two were sold to the Republic of Korea Navy. two were sold to the Iran and one was sold to Turkey. One was sold to Greece.two were sold to Venezuela, two to Colombia, two sold to Chile, five sold to Brazil and four to Argentina.

Currently, only USS Laffey (DD-724), located at Patriots Point, Charleston, South Carolina, remains, as a museum ship.

Other navies

Argentina

Main article: Seguí-class destroyer

The Argentine Navy acquired four Sumners as a more capable adjunct to their previously acquired Fletcher class destroyers. While one was merely to provide spare parts to keep the rest of the fleet serviceable, the other three would go on and serve through the Falklands War, in which they would take a minor role. Soon after the conflict, they were stricken and disposed of.

Pennant	Ship name	Former name	Acquired	Fate
D-25	ARA Segui	USS Hank	1 July 1972	Scrapped in 1983
D-26	ARA Hipólito Bouchard	USS Borie	1 July 1972	Scrapped in 1984
D-29	ARA Piedrabuena	USS Collett	4 June 1974	Sunk as a target in 1988
—	—	USS Mansfield	4 June 1974	Not commissioned; cannibalized for spare parts

Ships in class

Ships of the Allen M. Sumner destroyer class

Name	Hull no.	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Fate	Ref
USS Allen M. Sumner	DD-692	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company	7 July 1943	15 December 1943	26 January 1944	15 August 1973	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping externalities
USS Moale	DD-693		5 August 1943	16 January 1944	28 February 1944	2 July 1973	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping
USS Ingraham	DD-694		4 August 1943	16 January 1944	10 March 1944	15 June 1971	Sold to Greece 16 July 1971 as Miaoulis
USS Cooper	DD-695		30 August 1943	9 February 1944	27 March 1944	—	Torpedoed and sunk by destroyer Take while intercepting a Japanese convoy into Ormoc Bay 3 December 1944
USS English	DD-696		19 October 1943	27 February 1944	4 May 1944	15 May 1970	Sold to Republic of China Navy 11 August 1970 as Huei Yang
USS Charles S. Sperry	DD-697		19 October 1943	13 March 1944	17 May 1944	15 December 1973	Sold to Chile 8 January 1974 as Ministro Zenteno
USS Ault	DD-698		15 November 1943	26 March 1944	31 May 1944	16 July 1973	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping
USS Waldron	DD-699		16 November 1943	26 March 1944	7 June 1944	17 May 1950	Sold to Colombia 30 October 1973 as Santander (DD-03)
					20 November 1950	30 October 1973
USS Haynsworth	DD-700		16 December 1943	15 April 1944	22 June 1944	30 January 1970	Sold to Republic of China Navy 12 May 1970 as Yuen Yang
					22 September 1950	19 May 1950
USS John W. Weeks	DD-701		17 January 1944	21 May 1944	21 July 1944	31 May 1950	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 19 November 1970
					24 October 1950	12 August 1970
USS Hank	DD-702		17 January 1944	21 May 1944	28 August 1944	1 July 1972	Sold to Argentina 1 July 1972 as Segui
USS Wallace L. Lind	DD-703		14 February 1944	14 June 1944	8 September 1944	4 December 1973	Sold to Republic of Korea Navy 4 December 1973 as Dae Gu
USS Borie	DD-704		29 February 1944	4 July 1944	21 September 1944	1 July 1972	Sold to Argentina 1 July 1972 as Hipólito Bouchard (D-26)
USS Compton	DD-705		28 March 1944	17 September 1944	4 November 1944	17 September 1972	Sold to Brazil 27 September 1972 as Mato Grosso
USS Gainard	DD-706		29 March 1944	17 September 1944	23 November 1944	26 February 1971	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping
USS Soley	DD-707		18 April 1944	8 September 1944	7 December 1944	13 February 1970	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise
USS Harlan R. Dickson	DD-708		23 May 1944	17 December 1944	17 February 1945	1 July 1972	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 4 January 1973
USS Hugh Purvis	DD-709		23 May 1944	17 December 1944	1 March 1945	15 June 1972	Sold to Turkey 1 July 1972 as Zafer (F 253)
USS Barton	DD-722	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine	24 May 1943	10 October 1943	30 December 1943	22 January 1947	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise.
					11 April 1949	30 September 1968
USS Walke	DD-723		7 June 1943	27 October 1943	21 January 1944	30 May 1947	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 3 January 1975
					5 October 1950	30 November 1970
USS Laffey	DD-724		28 June 1943	21 November 1943	8 February 1944	30 June 1947	Preserved as memorial and berthed at Patriot's Point, Charleston, South Carolina
					26 January 1951	9 March 1975
USS O'Brien	DD-725		12 July 1943	8 December 1943	25 February 1944	4 October 1947	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 12 January 1972
					5 October 1950	18 February 1972
USS Meredith	DD-726		26 July 1943	21 December 1943	14 March 1944	—	Sunk 9 June 1944, Wreck sold and scrapped 5 August 1960
USS De Haven	DD-727		9 August 1943	9 January 1944	31 March 1944	3 December 1973	Sold to Republic of Korea Navy, 5 December 1973 as Incheon
USS Mansfield	DD-728		28 August 1943	29 January 1944	14 April 1944	4 February 1971	Sold to Argentina 4 June 1974 for spare parts
USS Lyman K. Swenson	DD-729		11 September 1943	12 February 1944	2 May 1944	12 February 1971	Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts
USS Collett	DD-730		11 October 1943	5 March 1944	16 May 1944	18 December 1970	Sold to Argentina in 1974 as Piedra Buena (D-29)
USS Maddox	DD-731		28 October 1943	19 March 1944	2 June 1944	2 July 1972	Sold to Republic of China Navy as Po Yang
USS Hyman	DD-732		22 November 1943	8 April 1944	16 June 1944	16 November 1969	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping
USS Mannert L. Abele	DD-733		9 December 1943	23 April 1944	4 July 1944	—	Sunk by an Ohka bomb during the battle for Okinawa 12 April 1945
USS Purdy	DD-734		22 December 1943	7 May 1944	18 July 1944	2 July 1973	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974
USS Drexler	DD-741		24 April 1944	3 September 1944	14 November 1944	—	Sunk by kamikaze 28 May 1945
USS Blue	DD-744	Bethlehem Staten Island, Staten Island, New York	30 June 1943	28 November 1943	20 March 1944	14 February 1947	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 28 April 1977
					14 May 1949	12 December 1949
					15 September 1950	27 January 1971
USS Brush	DD-745		30 July 1943	28 December 1943	17 April 1944	27 October 1969	Sold to Republic of China Navy 9 December 1969 as Hsiang Yang
USS Taussig	DD-746		30 August 1943	25 January 1944	20 May 1944	1 December 1970	Sold to Republic of China Navy as second Lo Yang (DDG-914). Sold as scrap in 2013.
USS Samuel N. Moore	DD-747		30 September 1943	23 February 1944	24 June 1944	24 October 1969	Sold to Republic of China Navy 10 December 1969 as Heng Yang (DD-2)
USS Harry E. Hubbard	DD-748		30 October 1943	24 March 1944	22 July 1944	15 January 1947	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping
					14 May 1949	12 December 1949
					27 October 1950	17 October 1969
USS Alfred A. Cunningham	DD-752		23 February 1944	3 August 1944	23 November 1944	August 1949	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 10 January 1979
					5 October 1950	24 February 1971
USS John R. Pierce	DD-753		24 March 1944	1 September 1944	30 December 1944	1 May 1947	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 10 January 1974
					11 April 1949	2 July 1973
USS Frank E. Evans	DD-754		21 April 1944	3 October 1944	3 February 1945	11 May 1949	Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, 10 October 1969
					15 September 1950	1 July 1969
USS John A. Bole	DD-755		20 May 1944	1 November 1944	3 March 1945	6 November 1970	Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts
USS Beatty	DD-756		4 July 1944	30 November 1944	31 March 1945	14 July 1972	Sold to Venezuela 14 July 1972 as Carabobo
USS Putnam	DD-757	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California	11 July 1943	26 March 1944	12 October 1944	6 January 1950	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974
					October 1950	6 August 1973
USS Strong	DD-758		25 July 1943	23 April 1944	8 March 1945	9 May 1947	Sold to Brazil, 31 October 1973, as Rio Grande do Norte (D-37)
					14 May 1949	31 October 1973
USS Lofberg	DD-759		4 November 1943	12 August 1944	26 April 1945	15 January 1971	Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 for spare parts
USS John W. Thomason	DD-760		21 November 1943	30 September 1944	11 October 1945	8 December 1970	Sold to Republic of China Navy 6 May 1974 as Nan Yang
USS Buck	DD-761		1 February 1944	11 March 1945	28 June 1946	15 July 1973	Sold to Brazil 16 July 1973 as Alagoas
USS Henley	DD-762		8 February 1944	8 April 1945	8 October 1946	1 March 1950	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 6 January 1974
					23 September 1950	1 July 1973
USS Lowry	DD-770	Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California, Terminal Island	1 August 1943	6 February 1944	23 July 1944	30 June 1947	Sold to Brazil 31 October 1973 as Espirito Santo
					27 December 1950	29 October 1973
USS Hugh W. Hadley	DD-774		6 February 1944	16 July 1944	25 November 1944	15 December 1945	Sold 2 September 1947 for scrap
USS Willard Keith	DD-775		5 March 1944	29 August 1944	27 December 1944	20 June 1947	Sold to Colombia as Caldas (DD-02)
					23 October 1950	1 July 1972
USS James C. Owens	DD-776		9 April 1944	1 October 1944	17 February 1945	3 April 1950	Sold to Brazil 15 July 1973 as Sergipe
					20 September 1950	15 July 1973
USS Zellars	DD-777	Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington	24 December 1943	19 July 1944	25 October 1944	19 March 1971	Sold to Iran 12 October 1973 as Babr
USS Massey	DD-778		14 January 1944	12 September 1944	24 November 1944	17 September 1973	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 10 January 1974
USS Douglas H. Fox	DD-779		31 January 1944	30 September 1944	26 December 1944	21 April 1950	Sold to Chile 8 January 1974 Ministro Portales (DD-17)
					15 November 1950	15 December 1973
USS Stormes	DD-780		15 February 1944	4 November 1944	27 January 1945	5 December 1970	Sold to Iran 16 February 1972 Palang (DDG-9)
USS Robert K. Huntington	DD-781		29 February 1944	5 December 1944	3 March 1945	31 October 1973	Sold to Venezuela as Falcon
USS Bristol	DD-857	Bethlehem Shipbuilding, San Pedro, California, Terminal Island	5 May 1944	29 October 1944	17 March 1945	21 November 1969	Sold to Republic of China Navy 9 December 1969 Hua Yang

See also

• List of ship classes of the Second World War

References

1. ."The Sumner Class As Built Archived 22 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 August 2009."
2. Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised ed.). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 129–131. ISBN 1-55750-442-3..
3. "Special Feature – FRAM". www.navsource.org.
4. Friedman, p. 283

External links

• NavSource Destroyer Photo Page
• (Chinese)Old ships to be sold for scrap, including DDG-914, former DD-746 in US