Evarts-class destroyer escort

The Evarts-class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1942–44. They served in World War II as convoy escorts and anti-submarine warfare ships. They were also known as the GMT or "short hull" DE class, with GMT standing for General Motors Tandem Diesel drive.

USS Evarts in August 1944
Class overview
NameEvarts class
Builders
Operators
Preceded byN/A
Succeeded byBuckley class
Planned105
Completed97
Cancelled8
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer escort
Displacement1,360 tons (fully loaded)
Length289 ft 6 in (88.2 m) (overall)
Beam35 ft (10.7 m)
Draft9 ft (2.7 m) (fully loaded)
Propulsion4 × GM Model 16-278A diesel engines with electric drive, two propellers
Speed19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) (Many ships were capable of 21–22 knots)
Range5,000 mi (4,300 nmi; 8,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar: Type SL Surface search and type SA Air search only fitted to certain ships.
  • Asdic (Sonar): Type 128D or Type 144 both in retractable dome.
  • Direction Finding: MF Direction Finding and HF/DF Type FH 4 antenna
Armament

The lead ship was USS Evarts, launched on 7 December 1942, exactly a year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The first ship to be completed was commissioned on 20 January 1943 at the Boston Navy Yard; it was delivered to the Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease provisions and became HMS Bayntun. Evarts-class ships were driven by diesel-electric power with four diesel engines mounted in tandem with electric drives. The ships were prefabricated in sections at various factories in the United States and the units brought together in the shipyards, where they were welded together on the slipways. The original design specified eight engines for 24 knots but other priority programs forced the use of only four with a consequent shortening of the hull.[1]

In all, 105 Evarts-class ships were ordered with 8 later being cancelled. The United States Navy commissioned 65 while 32 Evarts-class ships were delivered to the Royal Navy. They were classed as frigates and named after captains of the Napoleonic Wars and formed part of the Captain class along with 46 ships of the Buckley class.

Ships in Class

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Construction data
Ship Name Hull No. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
Evarts DE-5 Boston Navy Yard 17 October 1942 7 December 1942 5 April 1943 2 October 1945 Decommissioned at New York, sold for scrap 12 July 1946
Wyffels DE-6 17 October 1942 7 December 1942 21 April 1943 28 August 1945 Decommissioned and leased to Republic of China as T'ai Kang; permanently transferred to Republic of China February 1948 and struck from NVR 12 March 1948
Griswold DE-7 27 November 1942 9 January 1943 28 April 1943 19 November 1945 Struck from Navy List 5 December 1945; sold for scrap 27 November 1946
Steele DE-8 27 November 1942 9 January 1943 4 May 1943 21 November 1945 Struck from Navy List 5 December 1945
Carlson DE-9 27 November 1942 9 January 1943 10 May 1943 10 December 1945 Sold 17 October 1946
Bebas DE-10 27 November 1942 9 January 1943 15 May 1943 18 October 1945 Struck from Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap January 1947
Crouter DE-11 8 February 1942 26 January 1943 25 May 1943 30 November 1945 Sold for scrapping, 25 November 1946. Broken up, 1947
Brennan (ex-HMS Bentinck) DE-13 Mare Island Navy Yard 28 February 1942 22 August 1942 20 January 1943 9 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 24 October 1945; sold for scrap July 1946
Doherty (ex-HMS Berry) DE-14 28 February 1942 29 August 1942 6 February 1943 14 December 1945 Sold 26 December 1946
Austin (ex-HMS Blackwood) DE-15 14 March 1942 25 September 1942 13 February 1943 21 December 1945 Struck from Navy List 8 January 1946; scrapping completed at Terminal Island Naval Shipyard 9 January 1947
Edgar G. Chase (ex-HMS Burges) DE-16 14 March 1942 26 September 1942 20 March 1943 16 October 1945 Struck from Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap 18 March 1947
Edward C. Daly (ex-HMS Byard) DE-17 1 April 1942 21 October 1942 3 April 1943 20 December 1945 Struck from Navy List 1 January 1946; sold for scrap 11 November 1946
Gilmore (ex-HMS Calder) DE-18 1 April 1942 22 October 1942 17 April 1943 29 December 1945 Sold for scrap 1 February 1947
Burden R. Hastings (ex-HMS Duckworth) DE-19 15 April 1942 20 November 1942 1 May 1943 25 October 1945 Struck from Navy List 13 November 1945; sold for scrap 1 February 1947
Le Hardy (ex-HMS Duff) DE-20 15 April 1942 21 November 1942 15 May 1943 25 October 1945 Sold for scrap 26 December 1946
Harold C. Thomas (ex-HMS Essington) DE-21 30 April 1942 18 December 1942 31 May 1943 26 October 1945 Sold for scrap 25 November 1946
Wileman (ex-HMS Foley) DE-22 30 April 1942 19 December 1942 11 June 1943 16 November 1945 Struck from Navy List 28 November 1945; sold for scrap January 1947
Charles R. Greer DE-23 7 September 1942 18 January 1943 25 June 1943 2 November 1945 Sold 1 February 1947
Whitman DE-24 7 September 1942 19 January 1943 3 July 1943 1 November 1945 Struck from Navy List 16 November 1945; sold for scrap 31 January 1947
Wintle DE-25 1 October 1942 18 February 1943 10 July 1943 15 November 1945 Struck from Navy List 28 November 1945; sold for scrap 25 August 1947
Dempsey DE-26 1 October 1942 19 February 1943 24 July 1943 22 November 1945 Sold 18 April 1947
Duffy DE-27 29 October 1942 16 April 1943 5 August 1943 9 November 1945 Sold 16 June 1947
Emery (ex-Eisner) DE-28 29 October 1942 17 April 1943 14 August 1943 15 November 1945 Sold 21 July 1947
Stadtfeld DE-29 26 November 1942 17 May 1943 26 August 1943 15 November 1945 Sold for scrap July 1947
Martin DE-30 26 November 1942 18 May 1943 4 September 1943 19 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 5 December 1945; Sold for scrap 15 May 1946
Sederstrom (ex-Gillette) DE-31 24 December 1942 15 June 1943 11 September 1943 15 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 28 November 1945; sold for scrap 24 November 1947
Fleming DE-32 24 December 1942 16 June 1943 18 September 1943 10 November 1945 Sold 29 January 1948
Tisdale DE-33 23 January 1943 28 June 1943 11 October 1943 17 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 28 November 1945; sold for scrap 2 February 1948
Eisele DE-34 23 January 1943 29 June 1943 18 October 1943 16 November 1945 Sold 29 January 1948
Fair DE-35 24 February 1943 27 July 1943 23 October 1943 17 November 1945 Transferred to the U.S. Army 20 May 1947
Manlove DE-36 24 February 1943 28 July 1943 8 November 1943 16 November 1945 Sold for scrap 4 December 1947
Greiner DE-37 Puget Sound Navy Yard 7 September 1942 20 May 1943 18 August 1943 19 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 5 December 1945; sold for scrap 10 February 1946
Wyman DE-38 7 September 1942 3 June 1943 1 September 1943 17 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 8 January 1946; sold for scrap 16 April 1947
Lovering DE-39 7 September 1942 18 June 1943 17 September 1943 16 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap 31 December 1946
Sanders DE-40 7 September 1942 18 June 1943 1 October 1943 19 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 8 January 1946; sold for scrap 8 May 1947
Brackett DE-41 12 January 1943 1 August 1943 18 October 1943 23 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 5 December 1945; sold for scrap May 1947
Reynolds DE-42 12 January 1943 1 August 1943 1 November 1943 5 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 19 December 1945; sold for scrap 28 April 1947
Mitchell DE-43 12 January 1943 1 August 1943 7 November 1943 29 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 29 December 1945; sold for scrap 11 December 1946
Donaldson DE-44 12 January 1943 1 August 1943 1 December 1943 5 December 1945 Sold 2 July 1946
Andres (ex-HMS Capel) DE-45 Philadelphia Navy Yard 12 February 1942 24 July 1942 15 March 1943 18 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap February 1946
Decker DE-47 1 April 1942 24 July 1942 3 May 1943 28 August 1945 Decommissioned and leased to the Republic of China as Ta'i Ping; Struck from Navy List and permanently transferred to China 7 February 1948; Sunk by Communist Chinese gunboats 14 November 1954
Dobler DE-48 1 April 1942 24 July 1942 17 May 1943 2 October 1945 Sold for scrap 12 July 1946
Doneff DE-49 1 April 1942 24 July 1942 10 June 1943 22 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 21 January 1946; sold for scrap 9 January 1947
Engstrom DE-50 1 April 1942 24 July 1942 21 June 1943 19 December 1945 Sold 26 December 1946
Seid DE-256 Boston Navy Yard 10 January 1943 22 February 1943 11 June 1943 14 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 8 January 1946; sold for scrap January 1947
Smartt DE-257 10 January 1943 22 February 1943 18 June 1943 5 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 24 October 1945; sold for scrap 12 July 1946
Walter S. Brown DE-258 10 January 1943 22 February 1943 25 June 1943 4 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 24 October 1945
William C. Miller DE-259 10 January 1943 22 February 1943 2 July 1943 21 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 8 January 1946; sold for scrap 12 April 1947
Cabana DE-260 27 January 1943 10 March 1943 9 July 1943 9 January 1946 Sold 13 May 1947
Dionne DE-261 27 January 1943 10 March 1943 16 July 1943 18 January 1946 Sold 12 June 1947
Canfield DE-262 23 February 1943 6 April 1943 22 July 1943 21 December 1945 Sold 12 June 1947
Deede DE-263 23 February 1943 6 April 1943 29 July 1943 9 January 1946 Sold 12 June 1947
Elden DE-264 23 February 1943 6 April 1943 4 August 1943 18 January 1946 Sold 12 July 1947
Cloues DE-265 23 February 1943 6 April 1943 10 August 1943 26 November 1945 Sold 22 May 1947
Lake DE-301 Mare Island Navy Yard 22 April 1943 18 August 1943 5 February 1944 3 December 1945 Sold for scrap 14 December 1946
Lyman DE-302 22 April 1943 18 August 1943 19 February 1944 5 December 1945 Sold for scrap 26 December 1946
Crowley DE-303 24 May 1943 22 September 1943 25 March 1944 3 December 1945 Sold 21 December 1946
Rall DE-304 24 May 1943 23 September 1943 8 April 1944 11 December 1945 Struck from the Navy List 3 January 1946; sold for scrap 18 March 1947
Halloran DE-305 21 June 1943 14 January 1944 27 May 1944 2 November 1945 Struck from the Navy List 28 November 1945; sold for scrap 7 March 1947
Connolly DE-306 21 June 1943 15 January 1944 8 July 1944 22 November 1945 Sold for scrap 20 May 1946
Finnegan DE-307 5 July 1943 22 February 1944 19 August 1944 27 November 1945 Sold June 1946
O'Toole DE-527 Boston Navy Yard 25 September 1943 2 November 1943 22 January 1944 18 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap March 1946
John J. Powers DE-528 25 September 1943 2 November 1943 29 February 1944 16 October 1945 Scrapped February 1946
Mason DE-529 14 October 1943 17 November 1943 20 March 1944 12 October 1945 Struck from the Navy List 1 November 1945; sold for scrap 18 March 1947
John M. Bermingham DE-530 14 October 1943 17 November 1943 8 April 1944 12 October 1945 Scrapped March 1946

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Friedman, Norman, U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, ISBN 1-55750-442-3, Chapter 7

  This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.   This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

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