Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
United States Navy — Destroyer

USS Eaton

Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Eaton
AN Thomas J. Parrett, U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo NH 107258 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Eaton (DD-510) making her approach to the aircraft carrier on USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) for refueling at sea, in September 1964.

Service

  1. United States Navy as USS Eaton4 December 1942 — 30 May 19691,003 days of the war
Fletcher-class destroyer Particulars
Name
USS Eaton
Namesake
William Eaton
Builder
Bath Iron Works
Laid down
17 March 1942
Launched
20 September 1942
Commissioned
4 December 1942
Decommissioned
30 May 1969
Struck
2 July 1969
Fate
Sunk as target 27 March 1970 (1970)
Status
Wreck

Specifications

Displacement, standard
2,050 long tons (2,083 t)
Length
114.6 m (376 ft)
Beam
11.89 m (39 ft)
Draught
5.18 m (17 ft)
Speed
35 knots (64.8 km/h, 40.3 mph)
Range
6,500 nmi (12,038 km)
Complement
336
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

USS Eaton was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship was named after William Eaton. Her keel was laid at Bath Iron Works on 17 March 1942. Launched on 20 September 1942, she entered service on 4 December 1942.

173 ships of the class were built. The class followed the Gleaves-class destroyer and was succeeded by the Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer.

Displacement was 2,050 long tons. She measured 114.6 m (376 ft) long with a beam of 11.9 m (39 ft). Her designed speed was 35 knots, and she carried a complement of 336. Her main battery was of 127 mm (5 in) calibre.

She was in commission for 1,003 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 30 May 1969. She was struck from the register on 2 July 1969.

She was expended as a target on 27 March 1970. The wreck survives.

Written from the harvested record. Every figure above is sourced; the wording is this site's own.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Armament
  • 5 × single Mk 12 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns
  • 5 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors AA guns
  • 7 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns
  • 2 × quintuple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 6 × single depth charge throwers
  • 2 × depth charge racks

Sister ships

148 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Eaton on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: AN Thomas J. Parrett, U.S. Navy — U.S. Navy photo NH 107258 — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons