PHASING OUT OLD DESTROYERS

During and following World War I the United States mass produced more than 250 destroyers.  Many were expended during the interwar period, and following the transfer of 50 World War I destroyers to Britain in 1940, 120 remained in USN service in a variety of roles; destroyers, mine layers, mine sweepers, fast transports, seaplane tenders, and test ship.  By September 1944, 18 of these had been lost in action. 

The mass production of destroyers and destroyer escorts was repeated in World War II, and beginning in the fourth quarter of 1944, a gradual phase out of the old units began.  From late 1944 through the end of the war 10 more units were either sunk outright or not repaired after receiving battle damage.  Between September 1944 and June 1945, 36 units were reclassified as miscellaneous auxiliaries (AG).  Between June and August 1945, 8 APDs were reclassified as old destroyers, unofficially ODD.  The AGs and ODDs were being used in a wide variety of secondary roles, primarily to support training missions (targets, plane guards, etc). 

The navy began decommissioning old destroyers in mid-July 1945, with 14 units decommissioned that month. 

Most of the 77 units in commission at the end of the war (37 AG, 20 ODD, 10 APD, 4 DMS, 4 AVD, 2 DM) were rapidly decommissioned following V-J day. Note the USS Steward, DD 224, is included in this count. It had been scuttled in 1942 and raised and recommissioned by the Japanese Navy. It was returned to the USN post war, recommissioned in October 1945, and decommissioned in 1946. It was one of the last units to be decommissioned.

The late war activities of these ships is provided in the August 1945 Ship Locations section of this website.