Ordered in 1948 all four ships in the class had a different loadout of propulsion and other systems so as to determine the best course of action for future destroyer design. Ordered as Destroyers (DD), were launched as Destroyers Leaders (DL) and reffited in the 1960s with SAM launchers and reclassified as Guided Destroyers (DDG)
| Derivatives / Succeeded by | |
|---|---|
| 1955 |  Forrest Sherman class |
| 1955 | Farragut class |
| 1960 | DDG Charles F. Adams class |
| 1965 |  DDG Perth class |
| 1969 |  DDG Type 103 Lütjens class |
| 1970 | DDG Charles F. Adams NTU class |
| 1960 | DDG Coontz class |
Specifications |
| 400 | crew | ||||||
| 4800 | full load (tn) | ||||||
| 150 | length (m) | ||||||
| 14.50 | beam (m) | ||||||
| 4.50 | draught (m) | ||||||
| 80000 | power (shp) | ||||||
| 4 | Naval Engine boilers | ||||||
| 2 | Naval Engine steam turbines | ||||||
| 2 | Naval Gun Mark 12 5/38 inch (127 mm) | ||||||
| 2 | Rocket Launcher Mk 108 Weapon Alfa ASW mortar | ||||||
| 1 | Torpedo Launchers Depth charge rack | ||||||
|
Aircraft| Typical | Max | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Landing platform | ||||||||
Shipyards |
| Bath Iron Works - | 2 |
| Fore River Shipyard - | 2 |
List of Ships |
Filter: Hide Transfers Hide derivatives
| 1953 | 1978 | | US Navy | DDG-35 | USS Mitscher | ||||
| 1953 | 1978 | | US Navy | DDG-36 | USS John S. McCain | ||||
| 1954 | 1969 | | US Navy | DL-4 | USS Willis A. Lee | ||||
| 1954 | 1969 | | US Navy | DL-5 | USS Wilkinson | ||||
| 1955 | 1955 | | US Navy | DL-6 | Farragut class USS Farragut | ||||
| 1960 | 1989 | Coontz class DDG-37 USS Farragut | |||||||
| 1955 | 1955 | | US Navy | DL-7 | Farragut class USS Luce | ||||
| 1961 | 1991 | Coontz class DDG-38 USS Luce | |||||||
| 1955 | 1955 | | US Navy | DL-8 | Farragut class USS Macdonough | ||||
| 1961 | 1992 | Coontz class DDG-39 USS Macdonough | |||||||
| 1959 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-45 | Coontz class USS Dewey | ||||
| 1960 | 1992 | | US Navy | DDG-2 | Charles F. Adams class USS Charles F. Adams | ||||
| 1960 | 1989 | sunk 2003 | | US Navy | DDG-7 | Charles F. Adams class USS Henry B. Wilson | |||
| 1960 | 1989 | | US Navy | DDG-40 | Coontz class USS Coontz | ||||
| 1960 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-41 | Coontz class USS King | ||||
| 1960 | 1993 | | US Navy | DDG-42 | Coontz class USS Mahan | ||||
| 1960 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-46 | Coontz class USS Preble | ||||
| 1961 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-3 | Charles F. Adams class USS John King | ||||
| 1961 | 1991 | sunk 2001 | | US Navy | DDG-8 | Charles F. Adams class USS Lynde McCormick | |||
| 1961 | 1990 | sunk 2002 | | US Navy | DDG-9 | Charles F. Adams class USS Towers | |||
| 1961 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-10 | Charles F. Adams class USS Sampson | ||||
| 1961 | 1989 | | US Navy | DDG-11 | Charles F. Adams class USS Sellers | ||||
| 1961 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-12 | Charles F. Adams class USS Robison | ||||
| 1961 | 1992 | | US Navy | DDG-43 | Coontz class USS Dahlgren | ||||
| 1961 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-44 | Coontz class USS William V. Pratt | ||||
| 1962 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-4 | Charles F. Adams class USS Lawrence | ||||
| 1962 | 1964 | | US Navy | DDG-5 | Charles F. Adams class USS Biddle | ||||
| 1964 | 1989 | DDG-5 USS Claude V. Ricketts | |||||||
| 1962 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-6 | Charles F. Adams class USS Barney | ||||
| 1962 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-13 | Charles F. Adams class USS Hoel | ||||
| 1962 | 1991 | sunk 2000 | | US Navy | DDG-14 | Charles F. Adams class USS Buchanan | |||
| 1962 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-15 | Charles F. Adams class USS Berkeley | ||||
| 1992 | 2002 |  Hellenic Navy D221 HHMS Themistocles | |||||||
| 1962 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-18 | Charles F. Adams class USS Semmes | ||||
| 1991 | 2004 | Hellenic Navy D218 HHMS Kimon | |||||||
| 1963 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-16 | Charles F. Adams class USS Joseph Strauss | ||||
| 1992 | 2002 | Hellenic Navy D220 HHMS Formion | |||||||
| 1963 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-17 | Charles F. Adams class USS Conyngham | ||||
| 1963 | 1991 | | US Navy | DDG-19 | Charles F. Adams NTU class USS Tattnall | ||||
| 1963 | 1993 | | US Navy | DDG-20 | Charles F. Adams NTU class USS Goldsborough | ||||
| 1993 | 1993 | RAN D 40 parts hulk | |||||||
| 1964 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-21 | Charles F. Adams class USS Cochrane | ||||
| 1964 | 1991 | sunk 2001 | | US Navy | DDG-22 | Charles F. Adams NTU class USS Benjamin Stoddert | |||
| 1964 | 1990 | | US Navy | DDG-23 | Charles F. Adams class USS Richard E. Byrd | ||||
| 1993 | 1993 | sunk 2003 | Hellenic Navy spare parts | ||||||
| 1964 | 1992 | | US Navy | DDG-24 | Charles F. Adams class USS Waddell | ||||
| 1992 | 2003 | sunk 2006 | Hellenic Navy D219 HHMS Nearchos | ||||||
| 1964 | 1964 | | US Navy | DDG-25 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Australia | ||||
| 1965 | 1999 | sunk 2001 | Perth class RAN D 38 HMAS Perth | ||||||
| 1964 | 1964 | | US Navy | DDG-26 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Australia | ||||
| 1965 | 2000 | sunk 2002 | Perth class RAN D 39 HMAS Hobart | ||||||
| 1966 | 1966 | | US Navy | DDG-27 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Australia | ||||
| 1967 | 2001 | sunk 2005 | Perth class RAN D 41 HMAS Brisbane | ||||||
| 1969 | 1969 | | US Navy | DDG-28 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Germany | ||||
| 1969 | 2003 | Type 103 Lütjens class German Navy D185 Lütjens | |||||||
| 1969 | 1969 | | US Navy | DDG-29 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Germany | ||||
| 1969 | 2003 | Type 103 Lütjens class German Navy D186 Mölders | |||||||
| 1970 | 1970 | | US Navy | DDG-30 | Charles F. Adams class Built in USA for Germany | ||||
| 1970 | 1998 | Type 103 Lütjens class German Navy D187 Rommel | |||||||
Events |
| 1948 | Ordered | Ordered DDG-35 USS Mitscher as DD-927 | |
| 1948 | Ordered | Ordered DDG-36 USS John S. McCain as DD-928 | |
| 1948 | Ordered | Ordered DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee as DD-929 | |
| 1948 | Ordered | Ordered DL-5 USS Wilkinson as DD-930 | |
| 1949-oct-03 | Laid down | Laid down DDG-35 USS Mitscher | |
| 1949-oct-24 | Laid down | Laid down DDG-36 USS John S. McCain | |
| 1949-nov-01 | Laid down | Laid down DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1950-feb-01 | Laid down | Laid down DL-5 USS Wilkinson | |
| 1951-feb-02 | DDG-35 USS Mitscher reclassified as DL-2 | ||
| 1951-feb-09 | DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee reclassified as DL-4 | ||
| 1951-feb-09 | DL-5 USS Wilkinson reclassified as DL-5 | ||
| 1952-jan-26 | Launched | Launched DDG-35 USS Mitscher | |
| 1952-jan-26 | Launched | Launched DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1952-apr-23 | Launched | Launched DL-5 USS Wilkinson | |
| 1952-jul-12 | Launched | Launched DDG-36 USS John S. McCain as DL-3 | |
| 1953-may-15 | Commissioned | Commissioned DDG-35 USS Mitscher | |
| 1953-oct-12 | Commissioned | Commissioned DDG-36 USS John S. McCain | |
| 1954-jul-29 | Commissioned | Commissioned DL-5 USS Wilkinson | |
| 1954-oct-05 | Commissioned | Commissioned DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1966-mar | Refit | Refit DDG-35 USS Mitscher to 1968 as DDG-35 | |
| 1967-mar-15 | DDG-36 USS John S. McCain reclassified as DDG-36 | ||
| 1969-dec-19 | Decommissioned | Decommissioned DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1969-dec-19 | Decommissioned | Decommissioned DL-5 USS Wilkinson | |
| 1972-may-15 | Struck | Struck DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1973-may-18 | Fate: scrapped | Fate: scrapped DL-4 USS Willis A. Lee | |
| 1974-may-01 | Struck | Struck DL-5 USS Wilkinson | |
| 1975-jun-13 | Fate: scrapped | Fate: scrapped DL-5 USS Wilkinson Luria Brothers, Philadelphia | |
| 1978-apr-29 | Decommissioned | Decommissioned DDG-36 USS John S. McCain | |
| 1978-jun-01 | Decommissioned | Decommissioned DDG-35 USS Mitscher | |
| 1980-jan | Fate: scrapped | Fate: scrapped DDG-36 USS John S. McCain | |
| 1980-jul | Fate: scrapped | Fate: scrapped DDG-35 USS Mitscher |
