Destroyers: Type 1936A

[Brian James]

Surrendered Type 1936A or Z23 Class German Destroyer Z39 pictured at Boston Navy Yard in August 1945.
She was laid down in August 1940 at Germaniawerft, Kiel and completed three years later. Her Anti-Aircraft armament was increased extensively during the war. She served with the 6th Destroyer Flotilla her entire German career, which she spent escorting transports in the Baltic Sea, laying mines, and bombarding land forces. She served with a total of three different countries: from 1943 to 1945 with the Kriegsmarine as Z39, from 1945 to 1947 with the US Navy as DD-939, and from 1948 to 1964 with the French Navy as Q-128.
Over her German career she laid numerous barrages of mines in the Baltic Sea, and bombarded Soviet forces several times. In the last months of the war, Z39 helped escort steamships, which were evacuating German soldiers and civilians from Eastern Europe to Denmark. She was damaged twice, once from Soviet planes, while in Paldiski, and the other time from British aircraft, while in Kiel. At the end of the war, she was transferred to the United States Navy, where she was experimented upon to test her equipment, especially her high-pressure steam propulsion plant. After the US Navy deemed her obsolete, she was transferred to the French Navy, where she was cannibalized for parts, and made into a pontoon for Minesweepers.

[designeraccd]

A stern view from Sep, '45, and a hi bow view.......in USN hands. This German DD type carried 5.9" for main guns. The twin bow turret overloaded the bow; the last 3 DDs finished for the Kriegsmarine returned to shielded, single mount 5" as the pre-war classes carried. DFO

[ivorthediver]

Thanks lads , I had not heard of this type , and they had a chequered career

[designeraccd]

A German oddball was the ZH-1, captured from the Dutch. Another was the ZG-3, taken over from Greece. Her British "ancestry" is obvious.....

Here is a video link about her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31dgkwpU2sY


DFO

[ivorthediver]

Thank you Dennis for such an informed reply which I'm sure both myself and others are very grateful for