John C. Butler class destroyer escort
Encyclopedia
The John C. Butler class destroyer escort
originated during World War II
. The lead ship
was the , commissioned on 31 March 1944. The class was also known as the WGT type from their Westinghouse
Geared Turbine
drive. Of the 293 ships originally planned, 206 were cancelled in 1944 and a further four after being laid down; three were not completed until after the end of World War II.
The standard armament for the class was two 5 in (127 mm) dual purpose gun
s, four 40 mm and ten 20 mm
anti-aircraft gun
s, and three 21 in (533.4 mm) torpedo tube
s. It also carried two depth charge
racks, eight depth charge projectors and one hedgehog projector
as secondary weapons. The ships had a maximum speed of 24 kn (29.2 mph; 47 km/h).
The most notable ship of this class was the , which gained fame during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
, where it, along with several other ships engaged a number of cruiser
s and battleship
s of the Imperial Japanese Navy
in a torpedo attack, where it was sunk after taking several hits. During this action, Samuel B. Roberts achieved a speed of 28.7 kn (35 mph; 56.2 km/h) for over an hour by running her engines at 660 psi (45.5 bar).
A floating history museum of the destroyer escorts resides in Albany, NY. The USS Slater (DE 766) (a related Cannon Class DE
) is docked during temperate months on the Hudson River in Albany, New York.
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
originated during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The lead ship
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
was the , commissioned on 31 March 1944. The class was also known as the WGT type from their Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric (1886)
Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
Geared Turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
drive. Of the 293 ships originally planned, 206 were cancelled in 1944 and a further four after being laid down; three were not completed until after the end of World War II.
The standard armament for the class was two 5 in (127 mm) dual purpose gun
Dual purpose gun
A dual purpose gun is a naval artillery mounting designed to engage both surface and air targets.-Description:Second World War-era capital ships had four classes of artillery: the heavy main battery, intended to engage opposing battleships and cruisers ; a secondary battery for use against enemy...
s, four 40 mm and ten 20 mm
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
anti-aircraft gun
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
s, and three 21 in (533.4 mm) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s. It also carried two depth charge
Depth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
racks, eight depth charge projectors and one hedgehog projector
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
as secondary weapons. The ships had a maximum speed of 24 kn (29.2 mph; 47 km/h).
The most notable ship of this class was the , which gained fame during the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, where it, along with several other ships engaged a number of cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
in a torpedo attack, where it was sunk after taking several hits. During this action, Samuel B. Roberts achieved a speed of 28.7 kn (35 mph; 56.2 km/h) for over an hour by running her engines at 660 psi (45.5 bar).
A floating history museum of the destroyer escorts resides in Albany, NY. The USS Slater (DE 766) (a related Cannon Class DE
Cannon class destroyer escort
The Cannon class destroyer escorts were built primarily for ocean Anti-Submarine Warfare escort service during World War II. The lead ship, was commissioned on 26 September 1943 at Wilmington, Delaware. The class was also known as the DET type from their Diesel Electric Tandem drive. Of the 116...
) is docked during temperate months on the Hudson River in Albany, New York.