(some parts and underwater details taken from Shipbucket.com)
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 |