Ships · United States · 1943-1945
Buckley-class destroyer escort
destroyer escort / convoy escort
Destroyer escorts were smaller, cheaper, and slower than fleet destroyers but purpose-built for convoy protection and anti-submarine warfare, and the Buckley class was one of the most numerous and representative of the type. Armed with 3-inch guns, Oerlikon 20mm cannon, depth charges, and a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar, they screened merchant convoys across the Atlantic and Pacific against U-boat and, later, kamikaze attack. All 154 ordered were completed, with dozens transferred to Britain under Lend-Lease, and several were lost in combat, including USS Fechteler and USS Underhill.
| crew | ~220 |
|---|---|
| armament | 3x 3in guns, 8x 20mm Oerlikon, Hedgehog, depth charges |
| top speed | 24 knots |
| produced | 154 |
Battle of the Atlantic, Pacific
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