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

USS Halford

Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Halford
USN — Official U.S. Navy Mare Island Naval Shipyard photograph 8087-43 , aailable at Navsource.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate The U.S. Navy Fletcher -class destroyer USS Halford (DD-480) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 3 December 1943. During her refit, Halford ´s catapult had been removed and she was converted to a "regular" Fletcher -class destroyer, a fifth 12.7 cm/38 gun and a second set of torpedo tubes replacing the catapult.

Service

  1. United States Navy10 April 1943 — 15 May 1946876 days of the war
Fletcher-class destroyer Particulars
Name
USS Halford
Namesake
William Halford
Builder
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Laid down
3 June 1941
Launched
29 October 1942
Commissioned
10 April 1943
Decommissioned
15 May 1946
Struck
1 May 1968
Fate
Sold for scrap, 2 April 1970 (1970)
Status
Scrapped

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
273
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

USS Halford was a Fletcher-class destroyer, operated by the United States Navy. The ship was named after William Halford. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard laid her keel on 3 June 1941. She entered service on 10 April 1943, having been launched on 29 October 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.

She displaced 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 273.

Her main battery was four 127 mm (5 in) guns. She carried one aircraft.

She was in commission for 876 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned on 15 May 1946. She was struck from the register on 1 May 1968.

She was broken up for scrap on 2 April 1970.

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
  • 1942:
  • 4 × 5 in/38 cal. guns (4 × 1)
  • 2 × Bofors 40 mm AA guns (1 × 2)
  • 8 × Oerlikon 20 mm AA guns (8 × 1)
  • 5 × 21 in torpedo tubes (1 × 5)
  • 6 × depth charge projectors
  • 2 × depth charge tracks
  • 1944:
  • 5 × 5 in/38 cal. guns (5 × 1)
  • 6 × Bofors 40 mm AA guns (3 × 2)
  • 11 × Oerlikon 20 mm AA guns (11 × 1)
  • 10 × 21 in torpedo tubes (2 × 5)
  • 6 × depth charge projectors
  • 2 × depth charge tracks
Aircraft
  • 1, one catapult (removed 1943)

Sister ships

148 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Halford on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: USN — Official U.S. Navy Mare Island Naval Shipyard photograph 8087-43 , aailable at Navsource.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons