Buckley-class destroyer escort explained

The Buckley-class destroyer escorts were 102 destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943–44. They served in World War II as convoy escorts and antisubmarine warfare ships. The lead ship was which was launched on 9 January 1943. The ships had General Electric steam turbo-electric transmission. The ships were prefabricated at various factories in the United States, and the units brought together in the shipyards, where they were welded together on the slipways.

The Buckley class was the second class of destroyer escorts, succeeding the s. One of the main design differences was that the hull was significantly lengthened on the Buckley class; this long-hull design proved so successful that it was used for all further destroyer escort classes. The class was also known as the TE type, from Turbo Electric drive. The TE was replaced with a diesel-electric plant to yield the design of the successor ("DET").[1] [2]

In total, 154 were ordered with six being completed as high-speed transport ("APD"). A further 37 were later converted after completion, while 46 of the Buckleys were delivered to the Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease agreement. These 46 were classed as frigates and named after Royal Navy captains of the Napoleonic Wars, forming part of the along with 32 Lend-Lease ships of the Evarts class.

After World War II, most of the surviving units of this class were transferred to Taiwan, South Korea, Chile, Mexico, or other countries. The rest were retained by the US Navy's reserve fleet until they were decommissioned.

Armament

The Buckley-class' main armament was three 3-inch/50-caliber guns in Mk 22 dual-purpose open mounts. They fired fixed-type ammunition (antiaircraft, armor-piercing, or star shell) and had a range of 14600yd at 45°, and an antiaircraft ceiling of 28000feet

For antiaircraft defense, the Buckley-class carried four 1.1 inch/75 (28mm) guns or two Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns fitted in the 'X' position. These were not included in the Captain-class units. Eight Oerlikon 20 mm cannons were positioned two in front of the bridge behind and above B gun mount, one on each side of the B gun mount in sponsons, and two on each side of the ship in sponsons just abaft the funnel. Some of the ships had extra Oerlikons fitted on top of the superstructure amidships. The Captain-class units had additional 20 mm guns fitted in 'X' position, and on the director stand for 'X' position.

For antisubmarine weapons, the Buckley class carried a Hedgehog, a British designed spigot mortar that fired 24 bombs ahead of the ship. This was situated on the main deck just aft of 'A' mount. They also carried up to 200 depth charges. Two sets of double rails mounted on each side of the ship at the stern, each holding 24 charges and eight (two on Captain-class units) K-gun depth-charge throwers each holding five charges were on each side of the ship forward of the stern rails. On Captain-class ships, just forward of these, double sets of ready racks were fitted along each side of the ship extending to midships, each set holding 60 depth charges (these ready rails were added after the ships first arrived in the UK).

They also carried three 210NaN0 torpedo tubes in a triple mount mounted just aft of the stack.[3]

Ships in class

List of Buckley-class destroyer escorts
Ship nameBuilderLaid downLaunchedFate
DE-51Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts21 Jul 19429 Jan 194330 Apr 19433 Jul 1946Reclassified DER-51 26 Apr 1949, reclassified DE-51 29 Sep 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1968; sold for scrap July 1969
DE-531 Aug 194216 Feb 194331 May 194323 Oct 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-37 23 Oct 1944
APD-3721 Jun 1946
DE-547 Sep 194225 Feb 19439 Jun 194323 Oct 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-38 23 Oct 1944
APD-3830 May 1946
DE-5627 Nov 194213 Mar 194326 Jun 194323 Oct 1945Torpedoed by U-473 in North Atlantic 3 May 1944; reclassified IX-182 15 Jul 1944; served as a floating power plant at Cherbourg, France. Struck from the Navy List 10 Nov 1945; sold 29 Apr 1946
DE-574 Dec 194220 Mar 19437 Jul 194327 Oct 1947Reclassified DER-57 18 Mar 1949, reclassified DE-57 28 Oct 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 Apr 1965; sold for scrap 4 Jan 1966
DE-5931 Dec 194210 Apr 194323 Jul 194330 Oct 1957Struck from Navy List 1 Nov 1965 and sold for scrap
DE-6031 Dec 194217 Apr 194329 Jul 194323 Feb 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-42 23 Feb 1945
APD-422 Aug 1949
DE-626 Feb 19438 May 194311 Aug 194323 Feb 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-43 23 Feb 1945
APD-4315 Jan 1947
(ex-Jeffery)DE-6313 Feb 194315 May 194315 Aug 194323 Feb 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-44 23 Feb 1945
APD-4418 Jun 1946
DE-651 Mar 194329 May 194330 Aug 194331 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-45 31 Jul 1944
APD-4513 May 1946
DE-668 Mar 19436 Jun 194331 Aug 194331 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-46 31 Jul 1944
APD-463 Jul 1946
DE-6829 Mar 19436 Jun 194312 Sep 194331 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-47 31 Jul 1944; sunk by kamikazes and bombs off Okinawa 25 May 1945
APD-47
DE-6922 Mar 194319 Jun 194319 Sep 194331 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-48 31 Jul 1944
APD-4815 Jan 1946
DE-7029 Mar 194326 Jun 194323 Sep 194324 Nov 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-49 24 Nov 1944
APD-4915 Nov 1946
DE-153Norfolk Navy Yard7 Sep 19426 Feb 19431 Apr 194311 Oct 1947Struck from Navy List 30 Jun 1968, sunk as a target 1 Mar 1971
DE-1547 Sep 19426 Feb 194324 Apr 194325 Sep 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-50 25 Sep 1944
APD-5024 Apr 1946
DE-15515 Dec 194210 Mar 194321 May 194325 Sep 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-51 25 Sep 1944
APD-515 May 1947
DE-1567 Feb 194322 Apr 19439 May 194325 Sep 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-52 25 Sep 1944
APD-5230 Jul 1946
DE-1577 Feb 194322 Apr 19431 Jul 1943Torpedoed and sunk by U-967 northwest of Oran, Algeria 5 May 1944
DE-15816 Mar 194324 Apr 194318 Jul 194328 Nov 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-54 28 Nov 1944
APD-5415 Jan 1946
DE-15923 Apr 19434 Jul 19431 Aug 19438 Nov 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-55 28 Nov 1944
APD-5528 Jun 1946
DE-16023 Apr 19434 Jul 194312 Sep 194323 Oct 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-56 23 Oct 1944
APD-5621 Feb 1947
DE-16127 Apr 194320 May 194310 Oct 194323 Oct 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-57 23 Oct 1944. Sold to Mexico on 17 Feb 1969
APD-5722 Mar 1946
DE-19822 May 19434 Jul 19437 Nov 194322 May 1946Sunk as target off California, 25 Apr 1968
DE-199Charleston Navy Yard15 Feb 19431 Jun 19431 Oct 194315 Jan 1947Struck from Navy List 31 Jul 1968; sold for scrap 27 Oct 1969
DE-20015 Feb 19431 Jun 194318 Oct 194314 May 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1967
DE-20115 Apr 194322 Jul 19431 Nov 19432 Jul 1946Struck from Navy List 30 Jul 1968; sunk as target off California February 1969
DE-20215 Apr 194322 Jul 194317 Nov 194314 May 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972; sold for scrap 1 Nov 1973
DE-2035 Jun 194323 Aug 194310 Dec 194322 May 1946Struck from Navy List 30 Jun 1968; sold for scrap 30 Jun 1969
DE-2045 Jun 194323 Aug 194317 Dec 194319 Dec 1945Struck from Navy List 8 Jan 1946; sold for scrap 10 Jul 1947
DE-2058 Jun 19439 Aug 194326 Nov 19435 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-59 5 Jul 1944
APD-5918 Feb 1946
DE-20612 Jun 19439 Aug 19436 Dec 19435 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-60 5 Jul 1944
APD-60
DE-20712 May 19436 Sep 19437 Jan 19445 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-61 5 Jul 1944
APD-6121 Jun 1946
DE-20812 May 19436 Sep 194319 Jan 19445 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-62 5 Jul 1944
APD-6228 Jun 1946
DE-20926 Jul 194323 Oct 194311 Feb 19445 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-63 5 Jul 1944
APD-63
DE-21026 Jul 194323 Oct 194321 Feb 1944January 1947Sunk as target off Puerto Rico 10 Jul 1970
DE-21111 Aug 194311 Nov 19436 Mar 19441 Jun 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-53 1 Jun 1945
APD-5315 Mar 1946
DE-21211 Aug 194311 Nov 194316 Mar 19441 Jun 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-80 1 Jun 1945
APD-8019 Mar 1946
DE-21326 Aug 194327 Nov 194328 Mar 19449 Dec 1949Reclassified DER-213 18 Mar 1949, reclassified DE-213 1 Dec 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 Nov 1965, sold for scrap 3 Oct 1966
28 Nov 195017 Jan 1958
DE-214Philadelphia Navy Yard1 Jan 19433 Apr 194320 Jul 19433 Mar 1947Conversion to High Speed Transport and reclassification as APD-64 canceled 10 Sep 1945. Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1965, sold for scrap 20 Jan 1967
DE-2151 Jan 19433 Apr 194320 Aug 194324 Jan 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-65 24 Jan 1945
APD-6522 Jun 1949
DE-21622 Feb 194329 May 194321 Sep 194324 Jan 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-66 24 Jan 1945
APD-6621 Jun 1946
DE-21722 Feb 194329 May 194315 Oct 194321 Feb 1960Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1972, sold for scrap 17 Aug 1973
DE-21822 Feb 194329 May 194315 Nov 194328 Apr 1947Struck from Navy List 23 Sep 1968, sunk as a target 24 May 1970
24 Oct 195023 Sep 1968
DE-21922 Feb 194329 May 194315 Dec 194320 Apr 1946Struck from Navy List 30 Jan 1970, sunk as a target 20 Jul 1970
5 Feb 195130 Jan 1970
DE-22022 Feb 194329 May 194315 Jan 194420 Jun 1960Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1972, sold for scrap 12 Jul 1973
DE-22122 Feb 194329 May 194315 Feb 194421 May 1946Destroyed by ammunition explosion at Earle, New Jersey 30 Apr 1946. Hulk sunk at sea 9 Jun 1946
DE-2225 Apr 19433 Jul 194315 Mar 194428 Jun 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1965, sold for scrap 29 Dec 1966
DE-2235 Apr 19433 Jul 194315 Apr 194318 Jul 1947Reclassified DER-223 in March 1949, reclassified DE-223 1 Dec 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 Nov 1965, sold for scrap 3 Oct 1966
DE-575Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Massachusetts5 Nov 194321 Dec 194312 Feb 194424 Jun 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Apr 1965, sold for scrap 20 Jan 1967
DE-5765 Nov 194328 Dec 194316 Feb 194431 Jul 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-39 31 Jul 1944
APD-3912 Jul 1946
DE-5775 Nov 194328 Dec 194319 Feb 194418 Oct 1947Reclassified DER-577 7 Dec 1945, reclassified DE-577 in August 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 May 1970, sunk as a target 22 Oct 1970
DE-5785 Nov 194330 Dec 194326 Feb 194421 Nov 1947Reclassified DER-578 18 Mar 1949, reclassified DE-578 1 Dec 1954. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1968, sold for scrap 18 Jul 1969
DE-633Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco aka Union Iron Works9 Mar 19431 Aug 194322 Oct 194328 Jun 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Apr 1965, sold for scrap 1966
DE-63421 Mar 19435 Sep 194319 Nov 194327 Nov 1946Struck from Navy List 12 Jul 1969, sunk as target by Trigger (SS-564) 28 Apr 1971
1 Sep 19506 Dec 1958
2 Oct 19611 Aug 1962
DE-6354 Apr 194326 Sep 194310 Dec 194315 Oct 1945Reclassified APD-41 in mid-1945 but conversion to High Speed Transport was canceled 10 Sep 1945. Struck from Navy List 1 Nov 1945, sold and broken up 26 Nov 1946
DE-63628 Apr 194317 Oct 194329 Dec 194322 Oct 1945Reclassified APD-58 in mid-1945 but conversion to High Speed Transport was canceled 15 Aug 1945. Struck from Navy List 16 Nov 1945, sold and broken up 2 Dec 1946
DE-63728 May 194331 Oct 194327 Jan 194425 Jun 1945Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-40 25 Jun 1945
APD-40
DE-63825 Jun 194321 Nov 194313 Mar 194426 Apr 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1966, sold for scrap 1 Jul 1968
DE-6391 Aug 194312 Dec 194317 Mar 194413 Mar 1948Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 11 Sep 1973
DE-64019 Mar 19442 Apr 194411 Apr 194413 Mar 1948Struck from Navy List 1 Mar 1972, sold for scrap 20 Nov 1972
DE-6415 Sep 194329 Dec 194312 May 194413 Mar 1948Struck from Navy List 1 Mar 1972, sold for scrap 20 Nov 1972
DE-64226 Sep 194312 Mar 194425 May 19443 Feb 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1969, sold for scrap October 1970
DE-64317 Oct 194318 Apr 194429 Jun 19443 Feb 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Mar 1972, sold for scrap 18 May 1973
DE-6441 Aug 194321 May 194427 Jul 194412 Jul 1969Struck from Navy List 12 Jul 1969, sunk as target 18 Feb 1971
DE-665Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania12 May 194311 Sep 194319 Jan 194426 Jun 1946Conversion to High Speed Transport and reclassification as APD-67 canceled 1944. Struck from Navy List 1 Feb 1966, sold for scrap 5 Mar 1968
DE-66622 Jun 19439 Oct 194324 Mar 194415 Jun 1946Conversion to High Speed Transport and reclassification as APD-68 canceled 1944. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1965, sold for scrap 30 Jan 1967
DE-66726 Jul 19436 Nov 19434 Apr 194431 May 1946Struck from Navy List 15 Apr 1973, sold for scrap 29 Apr 1974
11 Sep 195015 Apr 1973
DE-675Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts22 Feb 19431 May 194330 Jun 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-75 15 Dec 1944
DE-67622 Feb 194329 May 194324 Jul 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-76 24 Jan 1945
DE-6771 May 194328 Jun 194315 Aug 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-77 15 Dec 1944
DE-67831 May 194325 Jul 194331 Aug 194325 Mar 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Aug 1965, sold for scrap 30 Jan 1967
DE-67929 Jun 194321 Aug 194325 Sep 194320 Feb 1967Struck from Navy List 20 Feb 1967, sold for scrap 6 Sep 1967
DE-68027 Jul 194311 Sep 194310 Oct 194328 Mar 1947Struck from Navy List 23 Aug 1968, sunk as a target 1969
9 Mar 195123 Aug 1968
DE-68124 Aug 194325 Sep 194327 Oct 19433 Feb 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 11 Sep 1973
DE-68216 Sep 194315 Oct 194315 Nov 1943Sunk by Japanese Kaiten human torpedo northeast of Luzon 24 Jul 1945
DE-68329 Sep 194330 Oct 194330 Nov 19433 Feb 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1969, sold for scrap 22 Oct 1970
DE-693Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan15 Dec 194225 Mar 194312 Aug 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-78 31 Jul 1944
DE-69422 Feb 194329 May 194321 Aug 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-79 31 Jul 1944
DE-69527 Mar 194322 Jun 19431 Oct 1943Sunk by three mines off Utah Beach, Normandy 8 Jun 1944
DE-69628 Apr 194315 Jul 194331 Oct 19438 Oct 1958Struck from Navy List 1 Mar 1972, sold for scrap 20 Nov 1972
DE-69722 May 194314 Aug 194320 Nov 19438 Oct 1958Struck from Navy List 1 Nov 1969, sold for scrap 12 Oct 1970
DE-6987 Jun 19434 Sep 19437 Dec 194322 Dec 1953Reclassified DEC-698 2 Nov 1949, reclassified DE-698 27 Dec 1957. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1968, sold for scrap
DE-69923 Jun 194325 Sep 194312 Jan 19441 Aug 1962Struck from Navy List 15 Apr 1973, sold for scrap 20 Feb 1974
DE-70021 Jul 194314 Oct 19431 Feb 19444 Apr 1960Sunk as a target off California 11 Jul 1967
DE-70117 Aug 19434 Nov 194323 Feb 194415 Mar 1947Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 27 Nov 1973
DE-7027 Sep 194324 Nov 194318 Mar 194418 Jun 1946Struck from Navy List 1 May 1967, sold for scrap 3 Sep 1968
DE-70328 Sep 194315 Dec 19431 May 194431 May 1946Scrapped
DE-70419 Oct 19435 Jan 19445 May 194431 May 1946Reclassified DEC-704 13 Sep 1950, reclassified DE-704 27 Dec 1957. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1970, sunk as target 16 Dec 1971
9 Feb 19514 Dec 1953
DE-7058 Nov 194325 Jan 194418 May 194430 Jun 1947Reclassified DEC-705 13 Sep 1950, reclassified DE-705 27 Dec 1957. Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 27 Nov 1973
6 Oct 19509 Dec 1954
DE-789Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas22 Apr 19437 Aug 194322 Nov 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-81 15 Dec 1944
DE-79028 Apr 194314 Aug 194330 Nov 194315 Jun 1946Conversion to High Speed Transport and reclassification as APD-82 canceled September 1945. Struck from Navy List 1 Aug 1965, sold for scrap 1966
DE-79110 May 194318 Aug 194313 Dec 194328 May 1965Conversion to High Speed Transport and reclassification as APD-83 canceled September 1945. Reclassified EDE-791 14 Aug 1946. Struck from Navy List 1 Jun 1965, sold for scrap 11 Mar 1966
DE-79217 May 194326 Aug 194327 Dec 1943Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-84 15 Dec 1944
DE-7937 Jun 19434 Sep 19433 Jan 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-85 24 Jan 1945
DE-7945 Jul 194311 Sep 194324 Jan 1944Converted to High Speed Transport, reclassified APD-86 24 Jan 1945
DE-7959 Aug 194316 Oct 19431 Feb 194413 Mar 1948Sunk as target 28 Jul 1973, struck from Navy List 1 Sep 1973
DE-79616 Aug 194323 Oct 194312 Feb 194413 Mar 1948Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 27 Nov 1973
DE-79718 Aug 194327 Oct 194319 Feb 19449 May 1946Struck from Navy List 30 Jun 1968, sold for scrap 27 Oct 1969
20 Nov 194626 Feb 1958
DE-79827 Aug 19436 Nov 194329 Feb 194415 Mar 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Dec 1972, sold for scrap 12 Jan 1974
DE-7994 Sep 19436 Nov 194330 Mar 194415 Jun 1946Struck from Navy List 1 Jul 1965, sold for scrap 5 Apr 1967
DE-80018 Oct 194318 Dec 19437 Mar 194424 May 1960Struck from Navy List 1 Aug 1972, sold for scrap 4 Mar 1974

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Classes of Destroyer Escorts . 8 July 2012 . 29 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191229164511/http://www.ussslater.org/history/dehistory/history_classes.html . dead .
  2. Web site: Eric . Rivet . Michael . Stenzel . 22 April 2011 . History of Destroyer Escorts . Destroyer Escort Historical Museum . 8 July 2012 . The CANNON class was very similar in design to the BUCKLEY class, the primary difference being a diesel-electric power plant instead of the BUCKLEY class's turbo-electric design. The fuel-efficient diesel-electric plant greatly improved the range of the CANNON class, but at the cost of speed. . 4 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180504140303/http://ussslater.org/history/dehistory/history_escorts.html . dead .
  3. https://ussslater.org/classes-of-destroyer-escort Destroyer Escorts of World War II