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

USS Metcalf

Fletcher-class destroyer

USS Metcalf
USN — Official U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-N-75607 from destroyerhistory.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Metcalf (DD-595) in Puget Sound, Washington (USA), 16 December 1944. Metcalf was laid down by Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington (USA), 10 August 1943; launched 25 September 1944 and commissioned 18 November 1944, Commander David L. Martineau in command. She was the third last Fletcher -class destroyer to be commissioned.

Service

  1. United States Navy as Metcalf18 November 1944 — March 1946288 days of the war
Fletcher-class destroyer Particulars
Name
USS Metcalf
Namesake
James Metcalf
Builder
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Laid down
10 August 1943
Launched
25 September 1944
Commissioned
18 November 1944
Decommissioned
March 1946
Struck
2 January 1971
Fate
Sold for scrap, 6 June 1972 (1972)
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
329
Main gun
127 mm (5 in)

USS Metcalf was a Fletcher-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy. She was named for James Metcalf. Her keel was laid at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 10 August 1943. She entered service on 18 November 1944, having been launched on 25 September 1944.

Her class ran to 173 ships. 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 329.

Her main battery was five 127 mm (5 in) guns.

She was in commission for 288 days of the Second World War. She was decommissioned in March 1946. She was struck from the register on 2 January 1971.

She was broken up for scrap on 6 June 1972.

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

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 60000 shp
  • 2 propellers
Armament
  • 5 × 5 in guns
  • 4 × 40 mm AA guns
  • 4 × 20 mm AA guns
  • 10 × 21 in torpedo tubes
  • 6 × depth charge projectors
  • 2 × depth charge tracks

Sister ships

148 more in the class

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Metcalf on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Photograph: USN — Official U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships photo 19-N-75607 from destroyerhistory.org — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons