Mitscher - class Guided Missile Destroyer (converted Mitscher class Destroyer Leaders)
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, 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 early '70's. All four Mitscher class ships were ordered 3 August 1948 and were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,645 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load. 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. In the early 1960s, the Mitscher class underwent FRAM I modernization, including replacement of their boilers. Two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were scrapped in 1980.
Ships:
unit			in service	fate
DDG 35 USS Mitscher (ex DL-2)			1953/68	scrapped
DDG 36 USS John S. McCain (ex DL-3)			1953/69	scrapped
Specifications (as DDG’s):
Displacement	3645 tons (standard) 4855 tons (full load)
Length	490 feet (150 meters)
Beam	50 feet (15,20 meters)
Draft	21 feet (6,40 meters)
Max Speed	34 knots / max.
Propulsion	4 1200 psi boilers; 2 geared gas turbines; 2 shafts; 2 propellers; 80,000 shaft horsepower (shp);
Aircraft	None - VERTREP capable only
Armament	1 - Mk-13 single-arm missile launcher for RIM-24 Tartar SAM (40 missiles) 2 - Mk-42 5”/54 caliber guns (127mm) 1 - Mk-16 octuple launcher for RUR-5 ASROC anti-submarine rockets 2 - Mk-32 triple-torpedo-tubes for Mk-46 torpedoes
Systems	-
Complement	approx. 335
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