Three Truxtun-class destroyers were built for the United States Navy. Part of the original 16 destroyers authorized by Congress on 4 May 1898 for the fiscal year 1899 program, they were commissioned in 1902. They were very similar to their contemporaries, except for mounting six 6-pounder (57 mm) guns instead of five. They were considered the most successful of the first 16 US Navy destroyers, and were succeeded by the larger .
During World War I the class was equipped with one or two depth charge racks for the convoy escort mission. Also during World War I, the single torpedo tubes were replaced with two twin torpedo tubes on Truxton and Worden, with the number of torpedoes remaining at four. Whipple was modified with one twin torpedo tube mount and four torpedoes at this time.
Engineering
Truxtun had four Thornycroft boilers supplying steam to two vertical triple-expansion engines totaling (design).
World War II
The Bahamas Shipping Company tried to make Worden as neutral as possible. However, on 1 May 1942 she had a run-in with La Paz, just damaged by U-109. Worden took the damaged ship in tow, after sending a message out reporting the torpedoing. Hereupon many authors seize and claim that U-109 bagged both La Paz and the former destroyer. However, both ships survived, La Paz by being beached, and Worden, undamaged, remained in Lloyd's register. One source says that she was subsequently lost on 1 May 1947, but another record has her as scrapped in 1956.
Her sister Truxtun was lost on 5 September 1938 and Whipple were scrapped in 1956.
Ships in class
Note that, although the ships are listed below with the prefix "DD-" before their official numbers, this classification was not created until 1911, and until then these vessels were officially categorised as "Destroyer No. 14" to "Destroyer No. 16".
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Ships of the Truxton destroyer class
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" style="max-width: 9em;" | Shipyard
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Laid down
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Launched
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Commissioned
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Decommissioned
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" |
|Maryland Steel Company, Sparrows Point, Maryland
| 13 November 1899
| 15 August 1901
| 11 September 1902
| 18 July 1919
| Sold to Henry A. Hitner's Sons Company for merchant conversion
|-
! scope="row" |
|Maryland Steel Company
| 13 November 1899
| 15 August 1901
| 21 October 1902
| 7 July 1919
| Sold to Henry A. Hitner's Sons Company for merchant conversion
|-
! scope="row" |
|Maryland Steel Company
| 13 November 1899
| 15 August 1901
| 31 December 1902
| 13 July 1919
| data-table-value="1 May 1942" | Sold to Henry A. Hitner's Sons Company for merchant conversion
|}
See also
References
Bibliography
External links
- Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org - Truxtun class destroyer
- DestroyerHistory.org Truxtun class destroyer
- DestroyerHistory.org First US destroyers
- NavSource Destroyer Photo Index Page
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 3"/50 Mks 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com USN 6 pdr Mks 1 through 13
- DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com Pre-WWII US Torpedoes
- US Navy Torpedo History, part 2
- Last Stand Zombie's Warship Wednesday