Editing Cassin-class destroyer

{{short description|Destroyer class of the US Navy}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USS Cassin (DD-43).JPG
|Ship caption=USS ''Cassin'' in Coast Guard service
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name= ''Cassin'' class
|Builders=Various
|Operators=*{{navy|United States|1912}}
*{{coast guard|United States}}
|Class before={{sclass|Paulding|destroyer|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Aylwin|destroyer|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1912–1915
|In commission range=1913–33
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=4
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=4
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*1,020 tons (normal)
*1,139 tons (full load)
|Ship length={{convert|305|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|30|ft|4|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft={{convert|9|ft|3|in|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*4 × [[Normand boiler]]s (other types also used)
*2 × [[direct-drive]] [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] [[steam turbine]]s
*{{convert|16,000|shp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}} (design)
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[propeller|screws]]
|Ship speed={{convert|29|kn}} (design)
|Ship range=
|Ship capacity=312 tons oil (fuel)
|Ship complement=*5 officers, 93 enlisted
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*4 × [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/50 caliber]] guns
*4 × twin [[American 18 inch torpedo|18 inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s 
|Ship armour=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

Four [[destroyer]]s in the [[United States Navy]] comprised the '''''Cassin'' class'''. All served as convoy escorts during [[World War I]]. The ''Cassin''s were the first of five "second-generation" 1000-ton four-stack destroyer classes that were front-line ships of the Navy until the 1930s. They were known as "thousand tonners" for their normal displacement, while the previous classes were nicknamed "flivvers" for their small size, after the [[Model T Ford]].<ref name=1000tondh/>

They were the first to carry the new [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}}/50 caliber]] guns. The number of [[torpedo tube]]s was increased from the six carried by the {{sclass|Paulding|destroyer|4}} to eight. The additional armament significantly increased their tonnage to over 1,000 tons and decreased their speed to less than {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}}, despite an increase from {{convert|12,000|shp|kW|lk=in}} to {{convert|16,000|shp|kW|abbr=on}}.<ref name=Register1/>

The {{sclass|Aylwin|destroyer|4}} was built concurrently, and those four ships are often considered to be ''Cassin''s. Both classes were ordered in [[fiscal year]] 1912.<ref name=Register1/><ref name=Conways1/><ref name=Friedman1/>

The class performed convoy escort missions in the [[U-boat Campaign (World War I)|Atlantic]] in [[World War I]]. Hulls 43–45 served in the [[United States Coast Guard]] as part of the [[Rum Patrol]] in 1924–31. All were scrapped 1934–35 to comply with the [[London Naval Treaty]].<ref name=Conways1>Gardiner and Gray, pp. 122–125</ref>

==Design==
The increase in normal displacement to over 1,000 tons was due to the desire to combine a heavy armament with a substantial cruising range. The US Navy at the time had only three modern [[scout cruiser]]s of the {{sclass|Chester|cruiser|4}}, so the destroyers had to double as scouts.<ref name=Friedman1>Friedman, pp. 24–34, 458</ref> The engineering arrangement of two-shaft [[direct drive]] [[steam turbine|turbines]] was similar to some previous ships, but the poor performance of early cruising turbines caused a reversion to reciprocating engines for cruising. Hulls 43 and 44 had a [[triple expansion engine]] that could be clutched to one shaft for cruising; the other pair of ships had a similar arrangement on both shafts.<ref name=Friedman1/>

==="Thousand tonner" development===
The "thousand tonner" type included 26 destroyers in five classes: four ''Cassin''s, four ''Aylwin''s, six {{sclass|O'Brien|destroyer|5}}s, six {{sclass|Tucker|destroyer|5}}s, and six {{sclass|Sampson|destroyer|5}}s.<ref name=1000tondh>{{cite web |url=http://destroyerhistory.org/early/1000tonners/ |title=US Navy 1000-ton destroyers |publisher= Destroyer History Foundation |access-date=5 March 2016}}</ref> The ships were commissioned 1913–17. As the type developed the gun armament of four 4 inch (102 mm) guns remained the same, torpedo armament greatly increased, and displacement rose by about 100 tons. The ''Cassin'' and ''Aylwin'' classes had eight [[American 18 inch torpedo|18-inch (450 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s in twin broadside mounts, two mounts on each side. The ''O'Brien''s introduced the {{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}} torpedo to the US destroyer force, but the number of tubes remained at eight. In the ''Sampson''s, torpedo armament was increased to twelve [[American 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] tubes by replacing the twin mounts with triple mounts.<ref name=Friedman1/> The subsequent "flush deck" types retained the gun and torpedo armament of the ''Sampson''s on a new hull with displacement increased by about 100 tons, and with a new engineering plant. The thousand tonners also debuted US destroyer [[anti-aircraft]] armament: two [[QF 1-pounder pom-pom|1-pounder]] (37 mm) [[autocannon]]s were specified for the ''Tucker''s but not fitted until the ''Sampson''s.<ref name=Conways1/>

In engineering, cruising turbines were re-introduced with the ''Tucker'' and ''Sampson'' classes. {{USS|Wadsworth|DD-60|6}} had prototype fully [[gear]]ed turbines without cruising turbines; this arrangement was later adopted for the {{sclass|Clemson|destroyer|0}} "flush deckers"; other flush deckers had geared turbines with varying cruising arrangements.<ref name=Conways1/>

===Armament===
The gun armament of four [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}}/50 caliber]] Mark 9 guns was a significant increase from the five {{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on|0}} guns of the ''Paulding'' class, and remained the standard US destroyer gun armament through the "flush deck" ''Clemson''-class destroyers commissioned through 1921. It reflected the increasing size of foreign destroyers that the ''Cassin''s might have to fight. The [[torpedo]] armament of eight 18-inch (450 mm) [[torpedo tube]]s was an increase of two tubes over the ''Paulding''s.  A factor in the size of the torpedo armament was the [[General Board of the United States Navy|General Board]]'s decision to use broadside rather than centerline torpedo tubes.<ref name=Friedman1/> This was due to the desire to have some torpedoes remaining after firing a broadside, and problems experienced with centerline mounts on previous classes with torpedoes striking the [[gunwale]]s of the firing ship.<ref name=Friedman1/>

The class was probably equipped with one or two [[depth charge]] racks each for [[anti-submarine]] convoy escort missions in [[World War I]].<ref>Friedman, p. 68</ref>

===Engineering===
Most references list the propulsion plant of ''Cassin'' and ''Cummings'' as standard for the class.<ref name=Conways1/> However, the Navy's official ''Ships' Data Book'' for 1912 shows there was some variation.<ref name=ships12>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DnCjAAAAMAAJ| title=Ships' Data, U.S. Naval Vessels, 1912 | publisher=US Navy Department | date=1913 | access-date=5 March 2016 | pages=60–71}}</ref> ''Cassin'' and ''Cummings'' had four [[Normand boiler]]s supplying steam to two [[direct-drive]] [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]]-type [[steam turbine]]s driving two shafts for a total of {{convert|16,000|shp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}}. A small [[triple-expansion engine]] could be clutched to one shaft for economical cruising at moderate speeds. Early steam turbines were inefficient at low speed, and this was only remedied with the rise in steam pressure and the introduction of [[gear]]ed cruising turbines during World War I. ''Downes'' had [[Thornycroft boiler]]s and ''Duncan'' had [[Yarrow boiler]]s. Both of these had Curtis steam turbines and triple-expansion cruising engines on both shafts.<ref name=ships12/>

''Downes'' made {{convert|29.14|kn}} on trials at {{convert|14,254|shp|kW|lk=on|abbr=on}}. Normal fuel oil capacity was 312 tons.<ref name=Friedman1/>

==Ships in class==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Ships of the ''Cassin'' destroyer class<ref name=Register1>Bauer and Roberts, p. 170</ref>
|-
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Hull no.
! scope="col" style="max-width: 9em;" | Shipyard
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Laid down
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Launched
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Commissioned
! scope="col" style="max-width: 6em;" | Decommissioned
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Cassin|DD-43|2}}
! scope="row" | DD-43
|[[Bath Iron Works]], [[Bath, Maine]]
| 1 May 1912
| 20 May 1913
| 9 August 1913
| 29 March 1922
| data-sort-value="1934" | USCG 1924–33, scrapped 1934
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Cummings|DD-44|2}}
! scope="row" | DD-44
|[[Bath Iron Works]]
| 21 May 1912
| 6 August 1913
| 19 September 1913
| 23 June 1922
| data-sort-value="1934" | USCG 1924–32, scrapped 1934
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Downes|DD-45|2}}
! scope="row" | DD-45
|[[New York Shipbuilding]], [[Camden, New Jersey]]
| 27 June 1912
| 8 November 1913
| 11 February 1915
| 6 June 1922
| data-sort-value="1934" | USCG 1924–31, scrapped 1934
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Duncan|DD-46|2}}
! scope="row" | DD-46
|[[Fore River Shipbuilding]], [[Quincy, Massachusetts]]
| 17 June 1912
| 5 April 1913 
| 30 August 1913
| 1 August 1922
| data-sort-value="1935" | Scrapped 1935
|}

==See also==
{{Commons category|Cassin class destroyers}}
*{{sclass|Aylwin|destroyer}}

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}
*{{DANFS}}

==Bibliography==

* {{cite book | last = Bauer | first = K. Jack | author-link = K. Jack Bauer |author2=Roberts, Stephen S. | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 1991 | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]] | isbn = 0-313-26202-0 }}
* {{cite book | last = Friedman | first = Norman | author-link = Norman Friedman | title = US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History | publisher = Naval Institute Press | year = 2004 | location = Annapolis | isbn = 1-55750-442-3 | edition = Revised }}
* {{cite book | last = Gardiner | first = Robert | author2 = Gray, Randal | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921 | publisher = Conway Maritime Press | year = 1985 | location = London | isbn = 0-85177-245-5 }}
* {{cite book|year=2001|title=Jane's Fighting Ships of World War I|publisher=Random House Group, Ltd.|location=London|isbn=1-85170-378-0}}
* {{cite book | last = Silverstone | first = Paul H. | title = U.S. Warships of World War I | publisher = Ian Allan | year = 1970 | location = London | isbn = 0-71100-095-6 }}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080305092117/http://www.destroyers.org/Class/cl-Cassin.htm Tin Can Sailors @ Destroyers.org - ''Cassin'' class destroyer]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140109220823/http://destroyerhistory.org/early/cassinclass/ DestroyerHistory.org ''Cassin'' class destroyer]
*[http://destroyerhistory.org/early/1000tonners/ DestroyerHistory.org Thousand Tonner page]
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05idx.htm NavSource Destroyer Photo Index Page]
*[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_4-50_mk9.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com 4"/50 Mks 7, 8, 9, and 10]
*[http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WTUS_PreWWII.htm DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com Pre-WWII US Torpedoes]
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm US Navy Torpedo History, part 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915054904/http://www.history.navy.mil/museums/keyport/html/part2.htm |date=2014-09-15 }}

{{Cassin class destroyer}}
{{WWI US ships}}

[[Category:Cassin-class destroyers| ]]
[[Category:Destroyer classes]]
[[Category:World War I destroyers of the United States| ]]