Dealey-class destroyer escort

USS Dealey (DE-1006)
Class overview
Operators
Preceded byJohn C. Butler class
Succeeded byClaud Jones class
Subclasses
Built1952–1957
In commission1954–1994
Completed13
Preserved1
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer escort
Displacement1,314 long tons (1,335 t) light, 1,877 long tons (1,907 t) full load
Length314 ft 6 in (95.86 m)
Beam36 ft 9 in (11.20 m)
Draft18 ft (5.5 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Foster-Wheeler boilers
  • 1 × De Laval geared turbine
  • 20,000 shp (15 MW)
  • 1 shaft
Speed25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h)
Complement170
Sensors and
processing systems
Mark 63 fire-control system
Armament

The Dealey-class destroyer escorts were the first post-World War II escort ships built for the United States Navy.

Slightly faster and larger than the escort destroyers they succeeded, the Dealey class were fitted with twin-mounted 3-inch (76 mm) guns, anti-submarine (ASW) rockets, a depth charge rack and six depth charge launchers. There were later modernizations that removed the ASW rockets and the depth charges in favor of nuclear-capable anti-submarine rocket launchers and torpedo mounts which fired lighter homing torpedoes. A large SQS 23 sonar was refitted in a bow sonar dome and most of the class were also fitted with a hangar and landing pad for DASH drone helicopters to deliver MK 44 and Mk 46 torpedoes. The drone helicopters proved very unreliable and their failure contributed to the relatively short life of the class.

They were decommissioned in 1972 and 1973 in favor of the Knox-class frigate. Dealey and Hartley were sold at surplus to other countries in 1972, with the remainder of the class being sold for scrap.