US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88

US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88 PDF Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472855124
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
An illustrated history of the long Cold War careers of the US Navy's last gun destroyers, from the modernized World War II-era Fletcher-class to the Forrest Sherman-class. The finest American destroyers of World War II had surprisingly long careers into the Cold War and the missile age. The 175-strong Fletcher-class was the largest class of US Navy destroyers ever built, and most received some modernization after World War II. A handful were converted into ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) escorts and one was even converted into the US Navy's first guided missile destroyer. Many Sumner-class destroyers were also kept in service, with the last decommissioned in 1973. The Gearing class was the classic US Navy wartime destroyer to have a second Cold War career, some being modified into picket ships and others into ASW escorts. Ninety-five were extensively modernized under the Fleet Modernization and Rehabilitation (FRAM) program which allowed them to serve until 1980. The majority of these ships then saw service with foreign navies. However the story of Cold War gun destroyers is not just one of World War II relics. Commissioned in the 1950s, the 18 ships of the Forrest Sherman class were the US Navy's last all-gun destroyers, and were considered to be the pinnacle of US Navy gun-destroyer design. Later in their careers, most were modernized for ASW and antiair warfare. The virtually unknown Norfolk class was originally built as a destroyer leader and maximized for ASW but only two were modernized and the other three retired early. Many of these ships, such as USS Edson, Cassin Young, and Turner Joy, still survive as museum ships today. Using battlescene artwork, detailed illustrations and photos, this book explores the careers, modernizations, and roles of all these unsung Cold War stalwarts, the last gun destroyers of the US Navy.

US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88

US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88 PDF Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472855124
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
An illustrated history of the long Cold War careers of the US Navy's last gun destroyers, from the modernized World War II-era Fletcher-class to the Forrest Sherman-class. The finest American destroyers of World War II had surprisingly long careers into the Cold War and the missile age. The 175-strong Fletcher-class was the largest class of US Navy destroyers ever built, and most received some modernization after World War II. A handful were converted into ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) escorts and one was even converted into the US Navy's first guided missile destroyer. Many Sumner-class destroyers were also kept in service, with the last decommissioned in 1973. The Gearing class was the classic US Navy wartime destroyer to have a second Cold War career, some being modified into picket ships and others into ASW escorts. Ninety-five were extensively modernized under the Fleet Modernization and Rehabilitation (FRAM) program which allowed them to serve until 1980. The majority of these ships then saw service with foreign navies. However the story of Cold War gun destroyers is not just one of World War II relics. Commissioned in the 1950s, the 18 ships of the Forrest Sherman class were the US Navy's last all-gun destroyers, and were considered to be the pinnacle of US Navy gun-destroyer design. Later in their careers, most were modernized for ASW and antiair warfare. The virtually unknown Norfolk class was originally built as a destroyer leader and maximized for ASW but only two were modernized and the other three retired early. Many of these ships, such as USS Edson, Cassin Young, and Turner Joy, still survive as museum ships today. Using battlescene artwork, detailed illustrations and photos, this book explores the careers, modernizations, and roles of all these unsung Cold War stalwarts, the last gun destroyers of the US Navy.

US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88

US Navy Gun Destroyers 1945–88 PDF Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472855140
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
An illustrated history of the long Cold War careers of the US Navy's last gun destroyers, from the modernized World War II-era Fletcher-class to the Forrest Sherman-class. The finest American destroyers of World War II had surprisingly long careers into the Cold War and the missile age. The 175-strong Fletcher-class was the largest class of US Navy destroyers ever built, and most received some modernization after World War II. A handful were converted into ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) escorts and one was even converted into the US Navy's first guided missile destroyer. Many Sumner-class destroyers were also kept in service, with the last decommissioned in 1973. The Gearing class was the classic US Navy wartime destroyer to have a second Cold War career, some being modified into picket ships and others into ASW escorts. Ninety-five were extensively modernized under the Fleet Modernization and Rehabilitation (FRAM) program which allowed them to serve until 1980. The majority of these ships then saw service with foreign navies. However the story of Cold War gun destroyers is not just one of World War II relics. Commissioned in the 1950s, the 18 ships of the Forrest Sherman class were the US Navy's last all-gun destroyers, and were considered to be the pinnacle of US Navy gun-destroyer design. Later in their careers, most were modernized for ASW and antiair warfare. The virtually unknown Norfolk class was originally built as a destroyer leader and maximized for ASW but only two were modernized and the other three retired early. Many of these ships, such as USS Edson, Cassin Young, and Turner Joy, still survive as museum ships today. Using battlescene artwork, detailed illustrations and photos, this book explores the careers, modernizations, and roles of all these unsung Cold War stalwarts, the last gun destroyers of the US Navy.

US Navy Destroyer Escorts of World War II

US Navy Destroyer Escorts of World War II PDF Author: Mark Lardas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472839757
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
The Destroyer Escort was the smallest ocean-­going escort built for the United States Navy – a downsized destroyer with less speed, fewer guns, and fewer torpedoes than its big brother, the fleet destroyer. Destroyer escorts first went into production because the Royal Navy needed an escort warship which was larger than a corvette, but which could be built faster than a destroyer. Lacking the shipyards to build these types of ships in Britain, they ordered them in the US. Once the US unexpectedly entered World War II, its navy suddenly also needed more escort warships, even warships less capable than destroyers, and the destroyer escort was reluctantly picked to fill the gap. Despite the Navy's initial reservations, these ships did yeoman service during World War II, fighting in both the Atlantic and Pacific, taking on both U-boat and Japanese submarines and serving as the early warning pickets against kamikazes later in the war. They also participated in such dramatic actions as the Battle of Samar (where a group of destroyers and destroyer escorts fought Japanese battleships and cruisers to protect the escort carriers they were shielding) and the capture of the U-505 (the only major naval vessel captured at sea by the US Navy). The destroyer escorts soldiered on after World War II in both the United States Navy and a large number of navies throughout the world, with several serving into the twenty-first century. This book tells the full story of these plucky ships, from their design and development to their service around the world, complete with stunning illustrations and contemporary photographs.

Destroyers At Normandy: Naval Gunfire Support At Omaha Beach [Illustrated Edition]

Destroyers At Normandy: Naval Gunfire Support At Omaha Beach [Illustrated Edition] PDF Author: William B. Kirkland
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 1786257653
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 138

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Book Description
Includes numerous maps and illustrations. This monograph provides first-hand accounts of Destroyer Squadron 18 during this critical battle upon which so much of the success of our campaign in Europe would depend. Their experience at Omaha Beach can be looked upon as typical of most U.S. warships engaged at Normandy. On the other hand, from the author’s research it appears evident that this destroyer squadron, with their British counterparts, may have had a more pivotal influence on the breakout from the beachhead and the success of the subsequent campaign than was heretofore realized. Its contributions certainly provide a basis for discussion among veterans and research by historians, as well as a solid, professional account of naval action in support of the Normandy landings.

US Navy Cold War Guided Missile Cruisers

US Navy Cold War Guided Missile Cruisers PDF Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472835255
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
Faced with an increasingly formidable anti-ship cruise missile threat from the Soviet Union in the early days of the Cold War, and with the recent memory of the kamikaze threat from World War II, the USN placed a great priority on developing air defence cruise missiles and getting them to sea to protect the fleet. The first of these missiles were sizable, necessitating large ships to carry them and their sensors, which resulted in the conversion of a mix of heavy and light cruisers. These ships, tasked with protecting carrier groups and acting as flagships, entered service from 1955 and served until 1980. The cruisers served in the front lines of the Cold War and many saw combat service, engaging in surface actions from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. Complementing the conventionally-powered missile cruisers was a much smaller number of expensive nuclear-powered cruisers, including the Long Beach, the USN's largest-ever missile cruiser. Until replaced by the Ticonderoga and Burke classes of Aegis ships, the USN's 38 missile cruisers were the most capable and important surface combatants in the fleet and served all over the globe during the Cold War. Using specially commissioned artwork and meticulous research, this illustrated title explores the story of these cruisers in unparalleled detail, revealing the history behind their development and employment.

US Navy Frigates of the Cold War

US Navy Frigates of the Cold War PDF Author: Mark Stille
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472840496
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 49

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Book Description
Though they were never the most glamorous of warships, found US Navy frigates were frequently found on the frontlines of the Cold War at sea. These warships were the descendants of World War II's destroyer escorts, designed primarily to escort convoys. They specialized in anti-submarine warfare, but were intended to be numerous, tough, versatile, and well-armed enough to show US naval power around the world, performing roles that varied from intercepting drug-smugglers to defending aircraft carriers. When the Cold War turned hot, frigates were often there. It was a US Navy frigate, Harold E. Holt, that conducted the US Navy's first hostile boarding action since 1826 during the SS Mayaguez incident. Frigates were at the forefront of operations in the Persian Gulf during the Tanker War, with the frigate USS Stark suffering a notorious Exocet attack by Iraqi warplanes, and proving the Oliver Hazard Perry-class's legendary toughness. This book explains how the technology and design of frigates changed during the Cold War, how the classes were modified to keep up to date, and explores the many varied missions they performed during the Cold War and since.

Sumner-Gearing-class Destroyers

Sumner-Gearing-class Destroyers PDF Author: Robert F. Sumrall
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
The US Navy's Sumner-Gearing-class destroyers served as a standard for post-WWII destroyer design and development. In this outstandingly illustrated work (bandw throughout with a 16-page color center-spread) Sumrall traces the origins and evolution of these destroyers over nearly forty years and through three wars, showing the advances made in ordnance, fire control, and steam engineering. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The Liberty Ships of World War II

The Liberty Ships of World War II PDF Author: Greg H. Williams
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476617546
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 371

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Book Description
This book details the Liberty ships and the Emergency Shipbuilding Program during World War II. For the first time, comprehensive information is provided about the builders, the namesakes, and the operators under one cover. Included is a list of all 2,710 Liberty ships delivered by U.S. shipyards, giving each ship's namesake and detailed descriptions of the companies that built the ships and the steamship companies that operated them during the war. This book also details the formation of two shipyards in South Portland, Maine, the Todd-Bath Iron Shipbuilding Co. and the South Portland Shipbuilding Corp. South Portland's shady operations were investigated by the U.S. Congress and resulted in the merger of both companies into the New England Shipbuilding Corporation in April 1943. Also featured is the Jeremiah O'Brien. Built by New England Ship in 1943 and one of only two operational Liberty ships left in the world, its service history and crew information are given along with its postwar restoration and return to Normandy in 1994.

United States Navy Destroyers

United States Navy Destroyers PDF Author: Michael Green
Publisher: Images of War
ISBN: 9781526758545
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
This classic Images of War book traces the key role played by destroyers of the United States Navy since the first order for 16 in 1898. Prior to the USA's entry into the First World War a further 63 destroyers were commissioned and, due to the U-boat threat, 267 more were authorised by Congress once hostilities were joined.Between 1932 and Pearl Harbor ten new classes totalling 169 destroyers came into service. During the war years American shipyards turned out a further 334 vessels. Of the three classes, the 175 Fletcher-class were judged the most successful.The Cold War years saw the development of seven more classes. More recently 82 of the stealth shaped Arleigh Burke class have been ordered but the futuristic Zumwalt-class programme has been curtailed for cost reasons.Expert author Michael Green is to be commended for compiling this comprehensive account of the USN's impressive destroyer programme with its authoritative text and superb images.

Tin Cans and Greyhounds

Tin Cans and Greyhounds PDF Author: Clint Johnson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1621577678
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
For men on destroyer-class warships during World War I and World War II, battles were waged “against overwhelming odds from which survival could not be expected.” Those were the words Lieutenant Commander Robert Copeland calmly told his crew as their tiny, unarmored destroyer escort rushed toward giant, armored Japanese battleships at the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944. This action-packed narrative history of destroyer-class ships brings readers inside the half-inch-thick hulls to meet the men who fired the ships' guns, torpedoes, hedgehogs, and depth charges. Nicknamed "tin cans" or "greyhounds," destroyers were fast escort and attack ships that proved indispensable to America's military victories. Beginning with destroyers' first incarnation as torpedo boats in 1874 and ending with World War II, author Clint Johnson shares the riveting stories of the Destroyer Men who fought from inside a "tin can"—risking death by cannons, bombs, torpedoes, fire, and drowning. The British invented destroyers, the Japanese improved them, and the Germans failed miserably with them. It was the Americans who perfected destroyers as the best fighting ship in two world wars. Tin Cans & Greyhounds compares the designs of these countries with focus on the old, modified World War I destroyers, and the new and numerous World War II destroyers of the United States. Tin Cans & Greyhounds details how destroyers fought submarines, escorted convoys, rescued sailors and airmen, downed aircraft, shelled beaches, and attacked armored battleships and cruisers with nothing more than a half-inch of steel separating their crews from the dark waves.