322 US NAVY GUN DESTROYERS 1945-88

1-995322

New Vanguard series. Using battlescene artwork, detailed illustrations, and photos, this book explores the careers, modernizations, and roles of the last gun destroyers of the US Navy during the Cold War. WWII Fletcher-class and Gearing-class DDs were modernized under the Fleet Modernization and Rehabilitation (FRAM) program, which allowed them to serve until 1980. The majority of these ships then saw service with foreign navies. Many Sumner-class destroyers were also kept in service, with the last decommissioned in 1973. Also, commissioned in the 1950s, the 18 ships of the Forrest Sherman class were the US Navy's last all-gun destroyers, and were considered to be the pinnacle of US Navy gun-destroyer design. The virtually unknown Norfolk class was originally built as a destroyer leader and maximized for ASW but only two were modernized and the other three retired early.