USA Navy Warships

[Calder]

DLG-19 Leahy Class
Ship Characteristics
Dimensions Length 533 ft
Beam 54.9 ft
Draft 24.8 ft
Displacement (Standard) 5,670 tons
Displacement (Full Load) 8,203 tons
Performance Speed (max) 33 knots
Speed (Cruising) 20 knots
Endurance 8,000 nm. at 20 knots
Armament Surface-to-Air Missiles 60 Terrier
ASW Missiles 20 ASROC
Guns 8 3 inch L50
Background
The conventionally-powered Leahy class class DLGs were designed in parallel with the nuclear-powered Bainbridge class and were intended to provide escorts for the proposed CVB task forces that would be supplementing the nuclear-powered carriers during the transition to an all-nuclear fleet. It was intended that there would be seven such task groups, each with two CVBs, two missile cruisers and four missile=armed large destroyers. Six of these CVB groups would be centered around Gettysburg class carriers and these would receive the DLG-19 class as escorts. Thus, 24 DLG-19s would be required and these were ordered in parallel with the Bainbridge class over the period 1956 - 1960. Construction proceeded quickly and smoothly with the exception of DLG-29 Daniels that suffered a severe dockyard fire while fitting out. The fire, described by a Court of Inquiry as "wholly avoidable and caused by the grossest of culpable negligence" left the ship close to being a constructive total loss. In the end, she was rebuilt (at shipyard expense) and became the last of the class to enter service.

From the mid-1970s onwards, the Gettysburg class started leaving the fleet. As they did so, the associated Leahy class were pulled in for mid-life modernization that saw them receiving Standard-ER missiles in place of Terrier and being equipped with new radars and command systems. On rejoining the fleet they were assigned to the amphibious ready groups, each of the 18 such groups receiving a single Leahy class ship that acted as their screen flag. The other six Leahy class were assigned to the screen for various at-sea command groups.

After twenty years service with the amphibious fleet, the entire Leahy class were stricken and scrapped in 1994 as part of the Clinton administration defense cut-backs. By then, they were old and tired and their loss was not considered a great sacrifice. Overall, the Leahys were popular ships, good seaboats although their shorter bows made them wetter forward than the Bainbridge class when sailing at high speed (the reason being that cruising speed for a Leahy was 20 knots, that of a Bainbridge was 33). Their greatest limitation (shared with the Bainbridges) was their lack of ability to carry a helicopter or rotodyne and that, as much as anything else, condemned them to second-line status once the CVBs had left the fleet.

Class Members
Number Name Ordered Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
DLG-19 Leahy 1956 1956 1958 1959 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-20 Yarnell 1956 1956 1958 1959 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-21 Worden 1956 1956 1958 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-22 Dale 1956 1956 1958 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-23 Turner 1956 1956 1958 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-24 Gridley 1957 1957 1959 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-25 England 1957 1957 1959 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-26 Halsey 1957 1957 1959 1960 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-27 Reeves 1957 1957 1959 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-28 Belknap 1957 1957 1959 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-29 Daniels 1957 1957 1959 1964 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-30 Wainwright 1957 1957 1960 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-31 Jouett 1957 1957 1960 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-32 Horne 1958 1958 1960 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-33 Sterett 1958 1958 1960 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-34 Standley 1958 1958 1960 1961 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-35 Fox 1958 1958 1960 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-36 Biddle 1959 1959 1961 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-37 Kidd 1959 1959 1961 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-38 Callaghan 1959 1959 1961 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-39 Scott 1959 1959 1961 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-40 Chandler 1959 1959 1961 1962 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-41 Byrd 1960 1960 1962 1963 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994
DLG-42 Waddell 1960 1960 1962 1963 Decommissioned and scrapped 1994

[jemhouston]

Good ship to go into harm's way.