Destroyers: Mahan Class

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Conyngham pictured in 1941.On December 7th 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Conyngham lay moored at berth X-8, East Loch, Pearl Harbor, on the starboard side of a nest of five Destroyers to port of Destroyer Tender Whitney (AD-4). To port of Conyngham lay USS Reid (DD-365), USS Tucker (DD-374), USS Selfridge (DD-357) and USS Case (DD-370). The nest of Destroyers opened fire on the attacking Japanese, and downed several enemy aircraft.After a prolific career in the Pacific theatre of operations she was decommissioned December 2oth 1946. Used as a target in the 1946 atomic weapons tests at Bikini, she was destroyed by sinking July 2nd 1948 off the California coast.

[Culverin]

Gibbs and Cox Naval Architects were founded in New York 1929, the Mahan class destroyer is termed one of their signature ships and their first design ordered by the US Navy in 1933.

With the attack on Pearl Harbour 3 destroyers were seriously damaged all of the Mahan DD364 class. Cassin DD372, Shaw DD373 and Downes DD375. The trio with much endeavour were rapidly repaired and returned to active service with all 3 surviving the subsequent conflict.

To this day Gibbs and Cox remain the pre eminent designers of warships for the United States Navy.

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Downes....Downes was launched April 22nd1936 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941, Downes was in drydock with Cassin and Pennsylvania. The three came under heavy attack and a 250 Kg. bomb landed between the two Destroyers, starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank. Despite heavy strafing, the crews of the two Destroyers got their batteries into action, driving off further attacks by Japanese planes. The drydock was flooded in an effort to quench the fires, but the burning oil rose with the water level and when the ammunition and torpedo warheads on board the Destroyers began to explode, the two ships were abandoned. Later Cassin slipped from her keel blocks and rested against Downes. Both ship's hulls were damaged beyond repair but machinery and equipment were salvaged and sent to Mare Island Navy Yard where entirely new ships were built around the salvaged material and given the wrecked ship's names and hull numbers. Downes was officially decommissioned June 20th 1942

[jbryce1437]

This postcard of USS Shaw was purchased by Tony Foster, who joined the Royal Navy at HMS Ganges in 1937. The ship was anchored at Shotley and the new ratings went aboard to have a look around her. His first draft was to HMS Ramillies.
This image was forwarded to me in an email by Pelican.

Jim

1937 - PHILIP ANTHONY (TONY) FOSTER POST CARD 020. VISITING SHIP.jpg

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Preston pictured on launch day at Mare Island Navy Yard on April 22nd 1936.Sadly she was sunk by Light Cruiser Nagara South of Savo Island on November 14th 1942,117 of her crew died and 147 survived though 31 were wounded. The survivors were rescued by the USS Meade and amongst those lost was the Commanding Officer Cmdr Max Clifford Stormes.

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Cassin pictured off Mare Island Navy Yard on February 26th 1944.She had been wrecked in the December 7th 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, she has just completed a total reconstruction, with her original machinery and main battery installed in a new hull and superstructure,retaining her name and original hull number.

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Smith pictured dressed in Measure 31 Design 23d camouflage livery off Mare Island Navy Yard on June 12th 1944.

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Downes pictured departing Norfolk Navy Yard on completion, March 1st, 1937...When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941, Downes was in drydock with Cassin and Pennsylvania. The three came under heavy attack and a 250 Kg. bomb landed between the two Destroyers, starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank. Despite heavy strafing, the crews of the two Destroyers got their batteries into action, driving off further attacks by Japanese planes. The drydock was flooded in an effort to quench the fires, but the burning oil rose with the water level and when the ammunition and torpedo warheads on board the Destroyers began to explode, the two ships were abandoned. Later Cassin slipped from her keel blocks and rested against Downes. Both ship's hulls were damaged beyond repair but machinery and equipment were salvaged and sent to Mare Island Navy Yard where entirely new ships were built around the salvaged material and given the wrecked ship's names and hull numbers.

[Brian James]

Mahan Class Destroyer USS Smith pictured off Mare Island Navy Yard on July 28th 1942.... On October 15th 1942, she was assigned to TF 16 composed of the Aircraft Carrier Enterprise and Battleship South Dakota. TF 16 departed Pearl Harbor on war patrol, on October 16th, and was joined the following week by the Cruisers Portland and San Juan with their Destroyer screen...The task force was operating northwest of the New Hebrides Islands when, on October 24th, it was notified that a Japanese Carrier force was converging on Guadalcanal. Task Force 17 Aircraft Carrier Hornet and her accompanying Cruiser-Destroyer screen, joined TF 16 and the merged force was designated TF 61.
On October 26th, scout planes from Enterprise located the Japanese force. At 0944, the first Japanese planes were sighted and Hornet was hit by bombs 30 minutes later. At 1125, Smith was attacked by a formation of 20 torpedo planes. Twenty minutes later, a Japanese torpedo plane crashed into her forecastle, causing a heavy explosion. The torpedo carried by the plane had not exploded on impact, but did so some time later. This caused even more damage and casualties. The forward part of the ship was enveloped in a sheet of smoke and flame from bursting gasoline tanks and the bridge had to be abandoned. The entire forward deckhouse was aflame, making topside forward of number one stack untenable. Smith's gunners downed six of the planes. By early afternoon, the crew had extinguished all of the fires forward—largely assisted by the decision of her Commanding Officer, Lt.Cdr. Hunter Wood to steer the burning ship into the wake of South Dakota. With 57 killed or missing, 12 wounded, her magazines flooded, and temporary loss of steering control from the pilothouse, Smith retained her position in the screen with all serviceable guns firing. Action was broken off in the evening, and Smith headed to Noumea for temporary repairs. She was patched up and underway for Pearl Harbor on November 5th. At Pearl Harbor, she underwent a yard overhaul and sea trials that lasted into February 1943. USS Smith was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for continuing to fight despite crippling damage to the ship. She was sold for scrapping in August 1947.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Destroyer USS Mahan pictured under refit at Mare Island Navy Yard on April 28th 1942.