USS Mugford (DD-105)
History
United States
NamesakeJames Mugford
BuilderUnion Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Laid down20 December 1917
Launched14 April 1918
Commissioned25 November 1918
Decommissioned7 June 1922
Stricken19 May 1936
FateSold for scrap, 1936
General characteristics
Class and typeWickes-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) (standard)
  • 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) (deep load)
Length314 ft 4 in (95.8 m)
Beam30 ft 11 in (9.42 m)
Draught9 ft 10 in (3.0 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 steam turbines
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) (design)
Range2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (design)
Complement6 officers, 108 enlisted men
Armament

USS Mugford (DD-105) was a Wickes-class destroyer built for the United States Navy during World War I.

Description

The Wickes class was an improved and faster version of the preceding Caldwell-class. Two different designs were prepared to the same specification that mainly differed in the turbines and boilers used. The ships built to the Bethlehem Steel design, built in the Fore River and Union Iron Works shipyards, mostly used Yarrow boilers that deteriorated badly during service and were mostly scrapped during the 1930s.[1] The ships displaced 1,202–1,208 long tons (1,221–1,227 t) at standard load and 1,295–1,322 long tons (1,316–1,343 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 314 feet 4 inches (95.8 m), a beam of 30 feet 11 inches (9.4 m) and a draught of 9 feet 10 inches (3.0 m). They had a crew of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.[2]

Performance differed radically between the ships of the class, often due to poor workmanship. The Wickes class was powered by two steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by four water-tube boilers. The turbines were designed to produce a total of 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) intended to reach a speed of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph). The ships carried 225 long tons (229 t) of fuel oil which was intended gave them a range of 2,500 nautical miles (4,600 km; 2,900 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph).[3]

The ships were armed with four 4-inch (102 mm) guns in single mounts and were fitted with two 1-pounder guns for anti-aircraft defense. Their primary weapon, though, was their torpedo battery of a dozen 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in four triple mounts. In many ships a shortage of 1-pounders caused them to be replaced by 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft (AA) guns.[1] They also carried a pair of depth charge rails. A "Y-gun" depth charge thrower was added to many ships.[4]

Construction and career

Mugford, named for James Mugford, was laid down 20 December 1917 by Union Iron Works Company, San Francisco, California; launched 14 April 1918; sponsored by Mrs. George H. Fort; and commissioned 25 November 1918.

Mugford joined the fleet for winter exercises off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in January 1919, then sailed north for operations along the coast between New York and Massachusetts until 21 November, when she left Newport for San Diego, arriving 22 December. Here she became tender to a seaplane division, and during the pioneering days of naval aviation cruised with her charges on exercises along the California coast, visiting the Panama Canal Zone in December 1920 and January 1921.

Mugford was decommissioned at San Diego 7 June 1922, and was sold for scrap to Schiavone-Bonomo Corporation, New York City, in 1936.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Gardiner & Gray, p. 124
  2. ^ Friedman, pp. 401–03
  3. ^ Friedman, pp. 39–42, 401–03
  4. ^ Friedman, p. 45

References

External links

Wickes-class destroyers
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