An item reported that the US government ordered the building of four W-class destroyers at British shipyards. With a measurement of 1.450 tons allowed their horsepower of 28.000 hp a speed of 35 miles. In the meantime were three destroyers launched of the by the US Navy accepted standard design. With a displacement of 1.154 tons were their dimensions 93,55 x 9,41 x 2,74 metres. The Parsons turbines supplied 26.000 hp allowing a speed of 34 miles. The armament consisted of 4-10cm guns, 2 anti aircraft guns and 4x3-53cm torpedo tubes. The newly built destroyers were all named after American sailors. The no. 244 launched in October at Camden was called Williamson (1), the no. 246 built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co. Lardner and the no. 287 by the same shipyard Putman.
Notes
1. The DD 244 of the Clemson-class named after commander William Price Williamson, laid down on 27 March 1919 at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, launched on 16 October while sponsored by Williamson’ widow and commissioned on 29 October a year later. Her hull was sold on 17 October 1946 to the North American Smelting Company and on 4 November 1948 broken up.
2. The DD 286 of the Clemson-class named after James L. Lardner, , laid down at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum Victory Yard on 16 June 1919, launched on 29 September and commissioned on 1 December, stricken on 22 October 1930 was she sold on 17 January of the next year to be broken up.
3. The DD-287 of the Clemson-class named after Charles Putnam, laid down at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Squantum Victory Yard on 30 June 1919, launched on 30 September and commissioned on 18 December, stricken on 22 October 1930 was she on 17 January of the next year sold.
Of this standard-design the so-called Clemson-class flush-decked destroyers were totally 156 destroyers built common nicknamed as four-stackers or four-pipes after their four funnels. The displacement was 1.215 (normal)-1.308 (full load with as dimensions 95,822 x 9,436 x 2,84 metres or 314’5” x 30’11” x 9’4”. The two Westinghouse geared turbines were to generate 27.600 hp allowing a speed of 35,5 knots. The armament consisted of 4-4”/10.2 cm guns, 1-3”/7,6cm (not two as suggested in the item) and 4x3-21“/53,3cm torpedo tubes.
