U.S. NAVY DD-445 FLETCHER

USS Fletcher (DD-445) was an American destroyer from World War II and the post-war period. The keel for this unit was laid in 1941, and the launch took place in May 1942. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 114.73 meters and a width of 12.09 meters. The displacement reached approx. 2,900 tons, and the maximum speed was approx. 36 knots. The armament at the time of the launch consisted of five 127 mm guns, 2 40 mm guns, 6 20 mm AA guns and 10 533 mm torpedo tubes. USS Fletcher was the first of the 175 destroyers of the class of the same name. Units of this type were designed and built on a massive scale to accelerate the decommissioning process of the obsolete US Navy destroyer dating back to the First World War. Fletcher-class ships were designed from the beginning to work with large ships of the US Navy, as well as had strong anti-aircraft armament. They were also characterized by the so-called a smooth hull without a step amidships. USS Fletcher, shortly after launching and commissioning, was dispatched to the South Pacific and took part in operations in the Gudalcanal area. At the beginning of 1943, he actively participated in the fighting in the area of the island, including the sinking of the Japanese I-18. However, at the end of 1943, he supported the landing of American troops in the area of the Gilbert Islands. At the end of 1944, USS Fletcher (DD-445) was operating in the Philippines. In 1947, the destroyer was transferred to a reserve, but shortly before the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-1953), it returned to active service and took part in this armed conflict, including supporting the US Marines landing near Inchon in September 1950. In 1969, the USS Fletcher was placed in reserve again, and in 1972 it was sold for scrap.