Truxtun-class destroyer

USS Truxtun
Class overview
Name	Truxtun class
Builders	Maryland Steel Company, Sparrows Point, Maryland
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Bainbridge class
Succeeded by	Smith class
Built	1899–1902
In commission	1902–1919
Completed	3
Retired	3
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	433 long tons (440 t) normal 605 long tons (615 t) full load
Length	259 ft 6 in (79.10 m)
Beam	22 ft 3 in (6.78 m)
Draft	6 ft (1.8 m)
Installed power	4 × coal-fired Thornycroft boilers 2 × vertical triple-expansion engines 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW) (design)
Propulsion	2 × shafts
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) (design)
Capacity	175 long tons (178 t) coal (fuel)
Complement	3 officers 75 enlisted
Armament	2 x 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber guns 6 x 6-pounder (57 mm) guns 2 x 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes, four torpedoes

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.^[1] They were very similar to their Bainbridge-class 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 Smith class.^[1]

The Truxtuns escorted convoys during World War I. All were sold in 1919 and converted to merchant vessels or scrapped.

Design[]

Armament[]

The as-built torpedo armament was two 18-inch (457 mm) torpedo tubes with four torpedoes. The gun armament was two 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns and six 6-pounder (2.2 in (57 mm)) guns.^[2][3]

During World War I the class was equipped with one or two depth charge racks for the convoy escort mission.^[4] 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.^[5][6]

Engineering[]

Truxtun had four Thornycroft boilers supplying 240 psi (1,700 kPa) steam to two vertical triple-expansion engines totaling 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW) (design).^[1] She made 29.58 knots (34.0 mph; 54.8 km/h) on trials at 8,300 ihp (6,200 kW). Normal coal capacity was 232 tons.^[1]

Service[]

Truxtun and Whipple served first on the East Coast and later on the West Coast prior to World War I. Worden engaged in reserve training duties on the East Coast and acted as a submarine tender 1914–17. All three served in the Atlantic during the US participation in World War I. Following the Armistice, all were sold for scrapping or merchant conversion in 1919.

Ships in class[]

See also[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Truxtun class destroyers.

• Bainbridge-class destroyer

References[]

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

Bibliography[]

• Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 168–169. ISBN 0-313-26202-0.
• Friedman, Norman (2004). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History (Revised Edition). Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-442-3.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books. ISBN 0-8317-0302-4.
• Silverstone, Paul H. (1970). U.S. Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-71100-095-6.

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