Destroyer "Fletcher" class (119)

The first destroyer "Fletcher" class (119) was acquired in January 1958 by the United States. The total of six units of this class were the first ships of the German Navy with a Combat Information Center. Instead of formal names they were given only numbers (Destroyer 1 to 6); as it turned out, most were used for nearly two decades. These were largest US Navy destroyers of the WWII era and the most successful class.

The Fletcher class was born of the "need for speed." Able to keep pace with the new generation of battleships and aircraft carriers being produced at the beginning of World War II, Fletcher destroyers became a mainstay of American forces in the South Pacific during the latter stages of the war.

The first destroyer Fletcher class (119) was acquired in January 1958 fromy the United States. Another five destroyers of this class followed in 1959. Fletcher Class Destroyers of the German Navy werr: USS Wadsworth, USS Charles Ausburne, USS Ringgold, USS Anthony, USS Dyson, USS Claxton All six FLETCHER were initially on loan from the American Congress, as the time for the design, construction and testing of its own larger ships was not available.

Before they were taken over all the vessels received a general overhaul and refit in accordance with the requirements of the German Navy. Extensive modifications were also made to the deck superstructures. The ships got the new postwar tripod mainmast, lost the 53 mount, lost the fwd set of Quint TT to an emergency aa refit at some point. By the time the Germans got her, the quad 40s had been replaced by twin 3/50s. The 53 mount was replaced with a director and 3/50 mount. The 2 AST TT Jane's mentions appear to be two single mounts firing the Mk46, as opposed to the triple mounts the US used.

In their early German service, they had the original open bridge, but sometime around 1970 they got a clunky looking enclosure for the bridge.

In 1972 badly reduced crew of Zerstörer 1 started with the preliminary work for the decommissioning (acting CO for this final task was KptLt Döring) in the Naval Yard in Kiel, the official date of which was March 17, 1972. The hull was used as “spare parts depot” for Zerstörer 2 und 5 during the following years.

In the early 1980s several units were decommissioned and stricken by West German Navy at Souda Bay, Crete, and sold to Greece.