Mitscher-class destroyer

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title: "Mitscher-class destroyer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["destroyer-classes", "mitscher-class-destroyers", "cold-war-destroyers-of-the-united-states", "steam-turbine-powered-ships"] description: "Destroyer class of the US Navy" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitscher-class_destroyer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Destroyer class of the US Navy ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox ship"]

Field	Value
section1	{{Infobox ship/image
image	USS John S. McCain (DL-3) underway in the early 1960s.jpg
image_caption	USS John S. McCain underway in early 1960s
section2	{{Infobox ship/class overview
name	Mitscher class
builders	*Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
operators
class_before	Norfolk class
class_after
built_range	1949–1954
in_commission_range	1953–1978
total_ships_completed	4
total_ships_retired	4
section3	{{Infobox ship/characteristics
type	Destroyer leader
displacement	3,642 tons standard; 4,855 full load
length	490 ft
beam	47.5 ft
draft	14.7 ft
propulsion	2 shaft; geared steam turbines; 4 boilers; 80000 shp
speed	30 kn
range	4500 nmi at 20 kn
complement	*Officer: 28
armament	*2 × 5 in (127 mm) guns
::

|section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = USS John S. McCain (DL-3) underway in the early 1960s.jpg | image_caption = USS John S. McCain underway in early 1960s

|section2={{Infobox ship/class overview | name = Mitscher class | builders = *Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine

• Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard | operators = | class_before = Norfolk class | class_after = | subclasses = | built_range = 1949–1954 | in_commission_range = 1953–1978 | total_ships_building = | total_ships_planned = | total_ships_completed = 4 | total_ships_canceled = | total_ships_active = | total_ships_laid_up = | total_ships_lost = | total_ships_retired = 4 | total_ships_preserved =

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | type = Destroyer leader | displacement = 3,642 tons standard; 4,855 full load | length = 490 ft | beam = 47.5 ft | draught = | draft = 14.7 ft | propulsion = 2 shaft; geared steam turbines; 4 boilers; 80000 shp | speed = 30 kn | range = 4500 nmi at 20 kn | complement = *Officer: 28

• Enlisted: 345 | sensors = | EW = | armament = *2 × 5 in (127 mm) guns
• 4 × 3 in (76 mm) guns
• 8 × 20 mm guns
• 4 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
• 2 × Weapon Alpha ASW rocket launcher
• 1 × depth charge rack | armor = | aircraft = | aircraft_facilities = | notes =

The Mitscher-class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, but smaller than their immediate predecessor, the experimental Norfolk, they would have been the first post-war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Commissioned in 1953–1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in the 1970s. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were sold for scrap by 1980.

Description

All four Mitscher-class ships were designed under project SCB 5 and ordered 3 August 1948. They were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,642 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load with a length of 494 ft, a 50 ft beam and a 26 ft draft.

Beyond that, each ship had a different loadout of propulsion and other systems so as to determine the best course of action for future destroyer design.

The Mitscher class would become the winner in internal Navy debates over competing designs, even as an early concept in 1945. With their development the CL-154 class anti aircraft cruisers would be canceled, and no further Norfolks would be built; in both cases the decisions were made on cost-effectiveness grounds.

In the early 1960s, the Mitscher class underwent modernization through a Class Improvement Program (CIP), which included the replacement of the boilers on the first two ships of the class.

DDG conversions

The first two ships, Mitscher and John S. McCain, were converted into guided missile destroyers under SCB 241 in the mid-1960s. They were redesignated as DDG-35 and DDG-36, respectively. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/USS_Mitscher_(DDG-35)_at_Souda_Bay_1971.jpg" caption="USS ''Mitscher'' (DDG-35) after her conversion to a guided missile destroyer, 1971."] ::

Ships in class

::data[format=table title="Ships of the ''Mitscher'' destroyer class"]

Name	Hull no.	Builder	Laid down	Fate	Ref	DL-2	DL-3	DL-4	DL-5
Bath Iron Works	3 October 1949	26 January 1952	15 May 1953	1 June 1978	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 August 1980	[]
24 October 1949	12 July 1952	12 October 1953	29 April 1978	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 13 December 1979	[]
Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard	1 November 1949	26 January 1952	5 October 1954	19 December 1969	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1973	[]
1 February 1950	23 April 1952	29 July 1954	19 December 1969	Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping, 1 June 1975	[]
::

References

Notes

Sources

References

1. Friedman, ''Destroyers'', p. 298
2. Friedman, ''Destroyers'', p. 258
3. Friedman, ''Cruisers'', p. 369
4. Fahey, p. 12

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